Backing up and using dashboard update button

A backup certainly should not take that long. Sign into your host and create a duplicate Wp directory.

Many have done fine with no backup, many have done fine not messing with plugins but why take the chance. I left my plugins working and the auto upgrade went fine but I had a mirror image of the site standing by.

I have backed up my database, wp-config.php, .htaccess, the wp-content folder (with all my theme changes).

I would say you are ready to upgrade.

Don’t forget to back up your database too, thats where all your posts an comments are kept. Even if its a new site in development, it gets you in the habbit of doing it whenever you need to upgrade.

Silly me, I never think about using CPanel for that sort of thing, I did as kmessinger suggested and made a mirror file of the ALL the WP files.
And I have the other back ups off the server too.
I will do this update in a day or so, as too fried now to deal with any issues if they arise.

thanks for the response!

~bobbi