Upgrade path – milestone releases

It’s going to be a little bumpy and it seems like you’re already taking the right precautions by keeping a backup so you can roll back.

If your site in on 3.1.4 then try these extended upgrade instructions.

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Upgrading_WordPress_Extended#Upgrading_Across_Multiple_Versions

You’ll need to deactivate all of your plugins and switch to the Twenty Ten theme. From there you can start upgrading one version at a time. In your case that would be like so.

3.1.4 -> 3.2.1
3.2.1 -> 3.3.3
3.3.3 -> 3.4.2
3.4.2 -> 3.5.2
3.5.2 -> 3.6.1
3.6.1 -> 3.7.13

At 3.7.13 take a break. ??

If you get to 3.7.13 with your plugins deactivated and your theme left on Twenty Ten then start the automated upgrade. I am pretty sure 3.7.13 will go to 3.8 and so on till you get to 4.4.2.

At that point make sure your themes and plugins are updated too. Try reactivating them one at a time and leave your theme for last.

Good luck.

Hi Jan,

Thanks for the reply!

That is what I was trying to avoid….having to upgrade every single release ?? Hence the question about the ‘milestone’ releases, ones that can’t be missed!

But you may be right and I’ll just have to do every blinking one… *sigh*

I’ve read the Codex page and have it bookmarked. I deactivate my plugins, and then upload/replace all files and folders EXCEPT wp-content and wp-config.php. I don’t change the theme and don’t know why I should need to…??

I don’t want to leave the theme to last – it’s an old theme and I need to know at which version it breaks apart. I don’t want to do seven laborious updates in TwentyTen and then find my theme (Z-Herald) doesn’t work!! I want to get to the latest working version with my theme intact, and run at that. I can then consider new themes which might be suitable to replace replace the existing one.

Hope that makes sense!

cheers
Hugh

I don’t change the theme and don’t know why I should need to…??

Because it may not work and interfere with the upgrade. The whole (lengthy!) point of this process is to make sure the upgrade works. Reducing your site to the most minimal config is a way to do that.

I don’t want to do seven laborious updates in TwentyTen and then find my theme (Z-Herald) doesn’t work!! I want to get to the latest working version with my theme intact, and run at that. I can then consider new themes which might be suitable to replace replace the existing one.

Believe me when I write this: Brother, I don’t blame you! ??

It is rough but it’s also the safest way to upgrade. As your installation’s code gets older it becomes harder for you to support. I’m not familiar with the Z-Herald theme but the author may have an updated version. Or if you can post a link to that theme then perhaps something close can be found that works with the latest version of WordPress.

The whole (lengthy!) point of this process is to make sure the upgrade works. Reducing your site to the most minimal config is a way to do that.

Surely the upgrade works every time – it’s just the bits bolted to it (theme, plugins etc) which may not work. ??

My upgrade (so far!) to 3.1.4 has revealed that the theme is ok, but that several plugins have given up the ghost.

Believe me when I write this: Brother, I don’t blame you! ??

Seems like we’ve all been there, then!

Or if you can post a link to that theme then perhaps something close can be found that works with the latest version of WordPress.

The Z-Herald theme is totally off the radar these days. It was a free theme by Jinsona Designs https://www.web2feel.com/ but it’s not on their site any more. Bear in mind we’re going back at least 7-8 years here!

Hugh

Just picking up this thread again because a weird thing has happened…truly weird!

As mentioned previously, I succeeded in upgrading from 2.9.2 to 3.1.4, with only the minor glitch of an image widget not working correctly.

I’ve been busy since then, but today had a little bit of time to continue the upgrade process. So I went to log in to my admin to be greeted with the message that my database needed upgrading – and it wouldn’t let me go any further without hitting that button. So I hit the button and all was upgraded in the twinkling of an eye and I was allowed to log in.

But it was with no small measure of surprise that when greeted with the dashboard it clearly stated I was running WordPress 2.9.2.

WHAT!!!!

How can it be possible to have successfully upgraded to 3.1.4, then two weeks later log in again to find you are back on 2.9.2…???

I have logged in using several browsers, all caches and history cleared, and they all say the same…I’m running 2.9.2.

So apparently I uploaded all those new version files, upgraded the database, visibly saw that I was running 3.1.4, checked out the site and the admin (discovering the image widget glitch)……..but then log in 2 weeks later to discover it was all a dream?

WHAT IS GOING ON!!!!!!!

Any further progress Hugh? I am about to start similar endeavour and wonder what awaits?
Thank you.
Phil

Hi Phil,

In a word, no! In fact I’d completely forgotten about this thread!

TBH, because my site is mostly pages as opposed to posts, I’ve decided to skip the upgrade job and just build a new site from scratch on the latest WP – just cutting&pasting the content.

That may sound ludicrously long-winded. But given all the pitfalls of upgrading, and the many version upgrades I’d have had to undertake (probably with pitfalls every time), I consider it the lesser of two evils ??

The moral of the story is: don’t miss an upgrade! Once you get behind you’ll never catch up!

good luck & regards