I’ve been running version 2.0.1 of WordPress, since that’s what Hosting Matters had when I started. I finally decided to update to 2.0.4, since there’s apparently been some substantial security fixes, plus some ordinary bugs and maybe a feature or two.
It turns out that Fantistico, the application management script Hosting Matters offers, knows that I needed to update, and offered to do it for me. (Thanks to Pat for pointing out that Fantastico has this facility.)
So I backed up my entire site, using the backup tool in CPANEL. Then I installed the WordPress backup plugin, and tried to run that. Unfortunately, it stalled, saying it was unable to create the backup directory–it didn’t have adequate permissions. I opened up the permissions on the requisite directory, and tried again. It worked this time, and I tightened up the permissions again.
Then I told Fantistico to run the update:
Click on Upgrade only if
- no files, languages, themes have been modified
- you haven’t added mods to this installation of WordPress
Info: Your current installation will be backed up.
No, I hadn’t made any changes or mods, but I’m disturbed to find that if I had, they’d be overwritten. I don’t know if this is a side-effect of Fantistico, or if applying the update via any mechanism would do the same (I suspect it would).
I was a bit worried that plug-ins would be deleted, but decided to take a chance, since I’d only done the one for backup.
Upgrading…
Initializing Parameters – Done.
Generating MySQL Backup – Done.
Generating Files Backup – Done.
Copying New Files – Done.Upgrade completed
Your installation of WordPress was upgraded.
You can view it here: http://ricketyclick.com/blog/Please save following information. You will need it in order to restore if something went wrong
If you don’t have SSH access, ask support to help you:
- Remove the directory [path]public_html/blog
- Untar [path]/blog.backup.1160156160.tgz
- Empty the database rickety_wrdp1
- Import the file [path]backup.sql into the database rickety_wrdp1
- Move [path]/blog to [path]public_html/blog
Nice to give you restore instructions, but it would have been nicer still if there was a restore option that would do all this automatically.
The only difference I’ve noted is that the blue banner is not as nice as the old one. I liked the rounded corners. Why did they have to change that?
And that’s exactly the sort of thing I’d've changed if I had tinkered at all. This means that if I’d put in a customized header, or made other layout changes, they’d all be gone now. I’m glad now I accepted a stock install. But now I won’t bother to try to tinker.
Good, I guess. One more thing I can strike from my list of stuff I’ll never really get around to doing…
[update]
Huh, now that I’ve restarted, I see the original banner is back in all its rounded, shaded goodness. What the hey…?