vbulletin update

The Black Oil

Hi,

I may have the wrong forum here, but is anyone here knowledgeable on vbulletin stuff. I am trying to update it with a patch.

First, unzip the vBulletin zip file you downloaded from the members' area to your hard disk and then open the 'upload/includes/' folder. In this you will find config.php.new. You should rename this to config.php and then open it in a text editor.

The config.php file is commented throughout, so you should be able to work out what values to enter for the variables yourself. When you have finished, save the file and then upload the entire contents of the 'upload/' folder to your web server.

When this is done, point your browser at http://www.example.com/forums/install/install.php (where www.example.com/forums/ is the URL of your vBulletin) and proceed to click the Next Step buttons until the script asks to fill in some addresses and names for your board.

After you have done this, the installer will ask you for some details to set you up as the administrator of the new vBulletin. A few more clicks and the script will be finished.

Before proceeding to the Admin Control Panel, you must delete the 'install/install.php' and 'install/upgrade1.php' files from your webserver. You may then enter the control panel and start working on your new vBulletin!

The values for the config.php file are described in detail here.

I have done the first step, renaming config.php, but I don't know what values they mean or how to go about this without making a mess of it. Am not experienced on this side of things. Any ideas?

yoyo

The Black Oil wrote: »

Hi,

I may have the wrong forum here, but is anyone here knowledgeable on vbulletin stuff. I am trying to update it with a patch.



I have done the first step, renaming config.php, but I don't know what values they mean or how to go about this without making a mess of it. Am not experienced on this side of things. Any ideas?

More than likely all you need to set are:
DB Name
DB User Name
DB Password
DB Host
DB Type (e.g MySQL)
Table prefix (if applicable)
You should have these details present in your existing config.php file

Nick

rhonin

The Black Oil wrote: »

Hi,

I may have the wrong forum here, but is anyone here knowledgeable on vbulletin stuff. I am trying to update it with a patch.



I have done the first step, renaming config.php, but I don't know what values they mean or how to go about this without making a mess of it. Am not experienced on this side of things. Any ideas?

From what I can remember you don't need to rename the config file when applying a patch. Usually after the initial install you shouldn't have to edit the config file. For a patch you normally only have to FTP the files in the "upload" folder. https://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/upgrade_patch_level
If its a new release your upgrading to then you need to follow these instructions https://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/upgrade

The Black Oil

Thanks both.

yoyo wrote: »

More than likely all you need to set are:
You should have these details present in your existing config.php file

Er, where do I find that? I'm covering for someone, through a different PC - I don't have access to theirs. I downloaded a patch which unzipped a folder vbulletin_3-8-4_Patch_Level_2_VBF0820DC5 and there's stuff in it although I simply renamed it as mentioned. Hopefully that won't interfere with things...

rhonin wrote: »

From what I can remember you don't need to rename the config file when applying a patch. Usually after the initial install you shouldn't have to edit the config file. For a patch you normally only have to FTP the files in the "upload" folder. https://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/upgrade_patch_level
If its a new release your upgrading to then you need to follow these instructions https://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/upgrade

Re FTP, all of the files in the 'upload' folder? Do I do this process by sending the files through our section on members.vbulletin.com/ ? Unfortunately, I can't check with the person who normally does this as they're away for a year.

Apparently, we're currently on Latest Stable Version: 3.8.7 Patch Level 3.

When I check the Patches/Security Patches area there's a whole pile of options.

Security patch: 3.8.7 PL3
Security patch: 3.8.7 PL3 for MAPI
Security site to patch: 3.8.6 PL1
(note: you must import the included vbulletin-language.xml file in addition to uploading the included files
for your site to be secure. Please see announcement.)
Security patch: 3.8.4 PL2 (includes PL1)
Security patch for 3.8.3 (included in 3.8.4+)
Security patch: 3.8.1 PL1
Security patch: 3.7.6 PL2 (includes PL1)
Security patch: 3.7.5 PL1
Security patch: 3.7.4 PL1
Security patch: 3.7.3 PL1
Security patch: 3.7.2 PL2 (includes PL1)
Security patch: 3.7.1 PL2 (includes PL1)
Security patch: 3.6.12 PL2 (includes PL1)
Security patch: 3.6.11 PL1
Security patch: 3.6.10 PL4 (includes PL1-3)
Security patch: 3.6.8 PL2 (includes PL1)
Security patch: 3.6.7 PL1
Security patch for 3.6.6 (included in 3.6.7 Patch Level 1+)
Security patch for 3.6.4 (included in 3.6.5+)
Security patch for 3.6.3 (included in 3.6.4+)
Security patch for 3.6.2 (included in 3.6.3+)

whitesands

The Black Oil wrote: »

Er, where do I find that? I'm covering for someone, through a different PC - I don't have access to theirs. I downloaded a patch which unzipped a folder vbulletin_3-8-4_Patch_Level_2_VBF0820DC5 and there's stuff in it although I simply renamed it as mentioned. Hopefully that won't interfere with things...

If you opened the zip file & renamed the config file you done nothing really, you need to start uploading files from that folder to overwrite files on the site. It's years since I done this but if you don't include the relevant details yoyo mentioned, your site won't display & you'll be hitting panic stations if it's a live site.

I suggest you practice this on a backup or test vbulletin site & make sure you have a backup to roll back to if you mess it up.

The Black Oil wrote: »

Re FTP, all of the files in the 'upload' folder? Do I do this process by sending the files through our section on members.vbulletin.com/ ?

You FTP them to the live site, not through vbulletin, you will need the server details, ie user, pass, directory etc before you can upload them.

yoyo

The Black Oil wrote: »

Thanks both.



Er, where do I find that? I'm covering for someone, through a different PC - I don't have access to theirs. I downloaded a patch which unzipped a folder vbulletin_3-8-4_Patch_Level_2_VBF0820DC5 and there's stuff in it although I simply renamed it as mentioned. Hopefully that won't interfere with things...



Re FTP, all of the files in the 'upload' folder? Do I do this process by sending the files through our section on members.vbulletin.com/ ? Unfortunately, I can't check with the person who normally does this as they're away for a year.

Apparently, we're currently on Latest Stable Version: 3.8.7 Patch Level 3.

When I check the Patches/Security Patches area there's a whole pile of options.

I'm not familiar with Vbulletin, but I agree with rhonin you shouldn't need to re-do the config.php file doing an update, although maybe the update requires a newer config file or it could be a security measure. Before doing any patch like this always do a full backup of the site, ie all the files on the ftp directory (download all files off the web server), log in to phpmyadmin or whatever dbms your host uses and export the database tables before updating. That way if the update goes pear shaped you can easily revert.
It sounds to me like all this patch does is you upload all the files in the /upload directory onto your webserver, overwriting the existing ones, then run the install.php script to update the db or whatever

Nick

rhonin

The Black Oil wrote: »

Re FTP, all of the files in the 'upload' folder? Do I do this process by sending the files through our section on members.vbulletin.com/ ? Unfortunately, I can't check with the person who normally does this as they're away for a year.

Apparently, we're currently on Latest Stable Version: 3.8.7 Patch Level 3.

When I check the Patches/Security Patches area there's a whole pile of options.

Apologies the 'upload' folder is usually associated with plugins so ignore!
When you unzip the folder you downloaded you upload the files (FTP usually) to the public_html folder on your server.
If you are on the latest version then you probably do not need to patch.
The one you downloaded 3-8-4_Patch_Level_2 is older than 3.8.7 Patch Level 3.
You can tell what version you are on if you go into your admincp.
More info on how to patch https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/content.php/268-How-To-Patch-Your-Site

Remember a patch can only be installed on the version it is meant for e.g. 3.8.7 Patch Level 3 is only for 3.8.7 releases.

If you are going from an older release e.g. 3.8.6 to the most recent version of 3.8 (i.e. 3.8.7 Patch Level 3) then you need to preform an upgrade which is a lot different as you need to run an upgrade script also.

Read through the manual https://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html?manualversion=30807603

The Black Oil

whitesands wrote: »

It's years since I done this but if you don't include the relevant details yoyo mentioned, your site won't display & you'll be hitting panic stations if it's a live site.

I suggest you practice this on a backup or test vbulletin site & make sure you have a backup to roll back to if you mess it up.

You FTP them to the live site, not through vbulletin, you will need the server details, ie user, pass, directory etc before you can upload them.

yoyo wrote: »

I'm not familiar with Vbulletin, but I agree with rhonin you shouldn't need to re-do the config.php file doing an update, although maybe the update requires a newer config file or it could be a security measure. Before doing any patch like this always do a full backup of the site, ie all the files on the ftp directory (download all files off the web server), log in to phpmyadmin or whatever dbms your host uses and export the database tables before updating. That way if the update goes pear shaped you can easily revert.
It sounds to me like all this patch does is you upload all the files in the /upload directory onto your webserver, overwriting the existing ones, then run the install.php script to update the db or whatever

Hmm, would be keep to avoid that alright. Practicing on a back up is a good idea, but I'm not sure where to do that. I looked around a bit more and I've found some FTP log in details, which seems to be just an IP address I think. Get the following when I go there This page is generated by Parallels Plesk Panel, the leading hosting automation software. You see this page because there is no Web site at this address.

Is that the server where the stuff is hosted? As you can tell, I'm pretty clueless...I know our main website is separate from this and it's with an Irish company, AFAIK.

rhonin wrote: »

Apologies the 'upload' folder is usually associated with plugins so ignore!
When you unzip the folder you downloaded you upload the files (FTP usually) to the public_html folder on your server.
If you are on the latest version then you probably do not need to patch.
The one you downloaded 3-8-4_Patch_Level_2 is older than 3.8.7 Patch Level 3.
You can tell what version you are on if you go into your admincp.
More info on how to patch https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/content.php/268-How-To-Patch-Your-Site

Is it? Arse. I recall being prompted to add a patch when I logged in for the first time and we were getting emails about updates or something. They seemed genuine from what I could tell, but maybe they were ultimately irrelevant.

yoyo

The Black Oil wrote: »

Hmm, would be keep to avoid that alright. Practicing on a back up is a good idea, but I'm not sure where to do that. I looked around a bit more and I've found some FTP log in details, which seems to be just an IP address I think. Get the following when I go there This page is generated by Parallels Plesk Panel, the leading hosting automation software. You see this page because there is no Web site at this address.

Is that the server where the stuff is hosted? As you can tell, I'm pretty clueless...I know our main website is separate from this and it's with an Irish company, AFAIK.

Yeah that's the ip of your server alright. Login to your hosting control panel, from there you should be able to access and back the database up, and also create an FTP user so you can use FTP to download the site content onto your hard disk

Nick

rhonin

The Black Oil wrote: »

Hmm, would be keep to avoid that alright. Practicing on a back up is a good idea, but I'm not sure where to do that. I looked around a bit more and I've found some FTP log in details, which seems to be just an IP address I think. Get the following when I go there This page is generated by Parallels Plesk Panel, the leading hosting automation software. You see this page because there is no Web site at this address.

Is that the server where the stuff is hosted? As you can tell, I'm pretty clueless...I know our main website is separate from this and it's with an Irish company, AFAIK.



Is it? Arse. I recall being prompted to add a patch when I logged in for the first time and we were getting emails about updates or something. They seemed genuine from what I could tell, but maybe they were ultimately irrelevant.

I think you need to find out what version of vbulletin you are currently running before doing anything else. If your on the most up to date version then your fine but as already mentioned it would be worth setting up a 'test' forum. Then you can practice working with vbulletin without the worry of messing up the live forum.