WordPress MU

Well, I went and signed up for a (gs). If I need a (dv) I'll get one.

Now it's just a matter moving to the new location without too much trouble.

Some advice: Should I move the installation and then switch the nameservers, or switch the nameservers first?

Actually I would shorten the time your nameservers tell other dns servers to cache their information, wait a day or two depending on how long the cache was perviously, install that wpmu shut down plugin and shut it down, download the install, update the nameservers both local and at your registar, manually add the new ip address to your local hosts file if needbe, upload your install, and then turn it back on.

I think that's right. I don't have my notes handy.

Get the installation setup first with an initial transfer of data. You can test a little bit on the GS using the domains mediatemple set up for you automatically before your DNS propogates.

Then switch the DNS entries to your new IP address. I do it this way now as my DNS changes generally take a couple of hours max to propogate. You can do a check on what IP address your domain is pointing to by using the opendns.com cache check.

http://www.opendns.com/support/cache/

I've had an MU system on the Gridserver for a while, so if you need any help then pop me a line.

Ugh.

Is there detailed instructions anywhere for how to move a WPMu installation from one server to another?

Not server to server I don't think.
I did a brand new install on my new server.
Backed up all my databases and restored them on the new server.
Copied across all themes and plugins
Copied across all of the directories and files in blogs.dir
Re-pointed DNS to new IP address
Refreshed cache at opendns.com (I set up my laptop to use their DNS servers so I could refresh their cache early and test before the DNS update would have propogated through to actual users).
Sat in a dark corner with everything crossed and prayed to every god I could think of.

Here's my problem. My current installation is running on older version, WPMU 1.3.1.

Also, what difficulties are posed by trying to install a WPMu on a site that's still using the numeric IP address?

And right now, the current site is so farked, I cannot even get in there to turn off plugins.

OK, original site is back up. Starting the downloading of files and directories and databases.

@Bill: Just popped you an email. Don't bother downloading if you have access to both servers you can transfer between the two and it'll be quicker.

Eagerly awaiting your missive. Was it sent to peoriapundit AT gmail DOT com?

Twas indeed :)

Eagerly waiting ... checking spam filter.

Turns out I have a buddy down the road a bit who operates a VPS and he has plenty of space and lots of resources. So, I'll be installing a fresh version of WPMU -- i'll use the release candidate, and just moves my files over later.

Question: When I set up the new installation, should I just enter the numeric IP address where I would normally use the domain name, "blogpeoria.com"

I'm sure this is a real n00b question, but I am what I am.

Wish I had a friend like that :(

I don't think it will let you enter the IP address instead of a domain (not tried so could be wrong). If you have another domain name free then you could set it up with that and change it later, or set up a subdomain on your DNS server (such as test.fff.com) - install the new MU on that and then change it later.

My friend is as fellow citizen journalist ...

I'll try it and see if it works.

yeah it doesn't handle IP addresses well as a domain.

either way, you still have to change it.

The trouble is, how can I check to see it it works PRIOR to changing my name servers?

"If you have another domain name free then you could set it up with that and change it later, or set up a subdomain on your DNS server (such as test.fff.com) - install the new MU on that and then change it later. "

with the subdomain pointing to the new server. then you can see if it works.

"The trouble is, how can I check to see it it works PRIOR to changing my name servers?"

""If you have another domain name free then you could set it up with that and change it later, or set up a subdomain on your DNS server (such as test.fff.com) - install the new MU on that and then change it later. "

That's bad advice, IMHO.

Short and simple:

Edit your hosts file. (google it, if need be)

If you're moving, but want to test first, or whatever, simply add this to your hosts file:

192.168.1.1 mydomain.tld

Replace the ip above with the ip of the new server, and the domain with your own.

If you're running subdomains, and want to test a few of those, add them as a space separated line after the main domain above:

192.168.1.1 mydomain.tld test.mydomain.tld john.mydomain.tld fred.mydomain.tld

You may have to restart your browser/computer, but you'll end up just fine.

If you need to visit the real domain, and not the test, simple comment out that line with a #.

MUCH easier, and no fooling around with this, that, or the other. Like having to edit the database to change domains, etc.

OK, I'm trying to run the install and I'm getting the infamous "No WPMU site defined on this host. If you are the owner of this site, please check Debugging WPMU for further assistance." error message.

I checked the wp-config.php folder and found all thge batabase names and passwords are correct.

Also, I'm using these settings:

define('VHOST', 'true');
$base = '/';'

I want to use subdomains and I want to install in the root directory.

Oh, and I'm installing the latest release candidate.

Well, I deleted the wo-config files from my server. Uploaded the wp-config-sample file and ran the installation again. I got a success message. It won't let me login, and I'm getting a new "No WPMU site defined" msg. I'm going to go ahead an pointg the domain name to the new nameservers.

check the db and see if the db tables were created.

Yep. All 624 tables at more than 400 MB.

Does this look right to you:

/home/bpeoria/public_html /home/bpeoria/public_html/wp-content/

There's a space after "public_html"

Depends where that came from.

I was on the message I got during the install telling me that installation was a success. I've been getting "no WPMu site defined" ever since.

Also, I'm in the process of uploading files from the old installation to the new. No problem with Themes, PLugins or Mu-Plugins, but the blogs.fir folder is balky.

I need to upload files to the blog.dir directory and I am being told I do not have permission.

When I try to make the folder writable using Filezilla FTP, I doesn't take, and when I use the control panel file manager, I get the following message:

`/home/bpeoria/public_html/wp-content/blogs.dir chmod failed: Operation not permitted in /home/bpeoria/public_html/wp-content '

I have emailed the server's admin, but it's 2 a.m. ...

of course, that's "blogs.dir"

Try changing the permissions on wp-content first and then change the blogs.dir (but you might not have to after the initial change).

Or it might have ownership issues that need a chown.
(I ran into the same thing yesterday.)