How to migrate from local (Windows) to Linux web server – issues

Hi all,

I’m new here and I want to post some issues which I’m facing when I try to migrate the site I have done for our company on my own notebook (I have used Wampserver and changed C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts to 127.0.0.1 for www.(mysitename).ro, in order to make the work environment more “real” and to make the site more adaptable after migration).

I mention that we are our own hosters, our webserver is a Linux and I transfer the files from my notebook to the webserver via WinSCP.

– I have used Duplicator plugin, but it gives me around 300 errors when importing on the webserver (all with “collation error UTF-8” etc. – that classic error); I have modified and tried almost all the solutions found on forums – none works;
– I gave up and I have transferred manually the wp-folders and files from my notebook (in wampserver\www) to the webserver via WinSCP; WordPress worked, but my website wasn’t displayed – it displayed me a blank simple blog page, as I will work from zero to my website (I can log in with my credentials);
– I have modified the permalinks in manner to remove the “index.php” syntax from the links (Settings – Permalinks – Plain, solution found on a forum); the same situation and – to notice – I couldn’t upload any media file in wp-content folder
– my boss gave me full privileges (777) on the host folder and specifically on wp-content folder; now I can upload media files on my WordPress and I have added randomly some pages to see if I can change the blog – I can;
– I have deleted all wp-folders and files from the webserver and copied them again – surprise – it shows me the content I have randomly added (mentioned above);
– I have tried to copy the texts from all php-files in Appearance – Editor from my notebook (I know, it sounds crazy), but when I want to paste the texts in Appearance – Editor on my migrated website, I realise that I don’t have the “Update File” button.

I don’t like to think that I have worked in vain at home and to try to work from zero to the website at the office. What can I do more to show me the website I have worked at? Thank you in advance!