Wordpress Experts? Moving Domain

iamchrisphoto

iamchrisphoto

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Chris Scuffins
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Hey everybody!

I just wondered if there was anybody on here who was a proper Wordpress expert?

Now my knowledge is pretty good, but what I hope todo is move my entire Wordpress installation from one host, to a another host and change domain.

I've heard this can be a bit tricky, as well as having implications for SEO unless it is done right.

If you know your Wordpress, and would be willing to help out, I of course would compensate you for your time etc.

Thanks
 
It's doable! I've moved mine from one host to another, but kept the domain. Can't you just set up a Wordpress install either on the new server, or locally using MAMP/WAMP and test the transition.
 
I'd do it in two goes. Change it to the new host using the same domain and make sure it is all working. Then do the domain change. You can do both at once but if something goes wrong it will be harder to work out whether it is the domain move or the host move that broke it.

Shouldn't be too tricky. Use one click install on new host. Add all plugins that are present on old host. Do export on old host. Import content on new host. Make sure all media files on old host are all in the same places on new host. Check permissions are ok as some hosts have different ones so that can cause a few esoteric issues.

Once that is ok do the domain change. I'm assuming you own both the old domain and the new one so it's a matter of changing the wp settings to the new domain and changing the dns at your registrar to reflect new host and removing old domain that would also be pointing at new host.
 
I think the thing to be aware of is internal links that use the full url, as if changing the domain too, those will need checking afterwards. Just had a similar problem with a friends wp installation, it had been run briefly on a test server by an 'expert' who was useless. When he transferred everything over to her own hosting, all the images in the blog stopped working - because they upload to the uploads folder and all the links were left as that url, an IP address in this case, and not her new domain name - once he deleted the installation on his server, the blog pics disappeared, obviously... I just downloaded the sql db posts table, and replaced every link in text editor with the correct one using find & replace for speed, then uploaded it again, all sorted. Pretty sure there is simpler way of doing this, but like you, I am pretty proficient but not an expert.

I did mine recently too, but that was with same domain, so it was easy, the only advice I was given by someone that really is a WP expert was to back up the db table by table as well as an entire 'lump' so if there were any problems when putting it into new installation on new server, it would be easier to establish where the issue was by doing the db table by table. As it turned out, wasn't a problem, but made sense. Again, there are probably pluggins and stuff that can make it all even easier to do.
 
Yv said:
I think the thing to be aware of is internal links that use the full url, as if changing the domain too, those will need checking afterwards. Just had a similar problem with a friends wp installation, it had been run briefly on a test server by an 'expert' who was useless. When he transferred everything over to her own hosting, all the images in the blog stopped working - because they upload to the uploads folder and all the links were left as that url, an IP address in this case, and not her new domain name - once he deleted the installation on his server, the blog pics disappeared, obviously... I just downloaded the sql db posts table, and replaced every link in text editor with the correct one using find & replace for speed, then uploaded it again, all sorted. Pretty sure there is simpler way of doing this, but like you, I am pretty proficient but not an expert.

I did mine recently too, but that was with same domain, so it was easy, the only advice I was given by someone that really is a WP expert was to back up the db table by table as well as an entire 'lump' so if there were any problems when putting it into new installation on new server, it would be easier to establish where the issue was by doing the db table by table. As it turned out, wasn't a problem, but made sense. Again, there are probably pluggins and stuff that can make it all even easier to do.
Click to expand...

I have done this kind of thing a few times, I still end up going a bit more grey each time I do it mind :lol:

Here is a handy plugin:

Update URL's
 
Keith W said:
I have done this kind of thing a few times, I still end up going a bit more grey each time I do it mind :lol:

Here is a handy plugin:

Update URL's
Click to expand...

well indeed, it can my hairdresser in new shoes every time :lol: However, that is a very useful plugin! bookmarked :thumbs:
 
Thanks for all the replies and help guys.

Luckily, the developer of the theme I using has offered to transfer the database for me, which is the tricky bit I'm scared of doing.

I'll be moving the files, updating links and sorting out redirects etc.

Still, something I really don't wanna have todo again!
 
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