Upgrading from 2.8.4 to 3.1.3

Is it safe to update to version 3.1.3 directly

Not in a single step – no. Try a series of smaller upgrades:
2.8.4 -> 2.9 -> 3.0.4 -> 3.1.3

Remember to:
– backup your database before you being and again after each successful upgrade
– deactivate all plugins & switch to the default theme before beginning the upgrade process.

Hi Esmi,

Thanks for your answer. Wow, that sounds scary ?? To be honest I have never updated one version of WordPress. I hope this will work. Can it happen that my theme will break because maybe some tags or other structures have perhaps changed? I’m a bit cautious to be honest. I don’t want to mess up anything, mainly because it works as it is…

Thanks a gain in advance for any advice.

Can it happen that my theme will break because maybe some tags or other structures have perhaps changed?

All depends on what theme you using and worth while to check if your theme is compatible with 3.0

Hi Govpatel,

thanks for your answer. I just created my theme to reflect the general layout of the main websites. I just used the same HTML layout, broke it down into pieces and used the WP tags here and there (like <?php if (have_posts()) : while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>) to output the blog stuff. Simple as that. ?? What should I check to be sure that the theme won’t break? Perhaps that the tags are still in use?

Thanks!

Hi again,

By the way, the ‘Read me’ page tat comes with version 3.1.3 says that to upgrade from any version newer than 2.7 it is possible to use the Automatic upgrade option. Theoretically, having installed 2.8.4, I could just make the leap? Of course I’d backup files and DB multiple times. ??

Thanks a lot.

This is exactly where I am at too.

So, subscribing.

Svedish to you try the automatic upgrade from 2.8.4 straight to 3.1.3?
How did things go?

According to this person 2.8.6 to 3.1 is painless.
https://www.amihai.ro/blog/update-wordpress-from-2-8-6-to-3-1.html

Hi TWD,

To be very hones I have been focusing on developing another website to learn version 3 a bit more and I have not done the upgrade yet. Another reason is that the blog / news module I should upgrade is the one of my company and I really don’t want to screw it up, so I am very very cautious about it. I imagine that it should be possible without problems, but I have designed a custom theme for this website and I’m scared that this could cause at least some problems. I hate the idea of sitting down to fix issues when this 2.8.4 is just working very well.

Please let us know if you do the leap and let us know if all goes smoothly.

lot’s of people doing same mistake over and over.
like fixing something isn’t broken, or try to “tweak” but getting worse result after tweaking, in your case upgrading but haven’t tested yet.

WordPress did upgrade mainly for blogging, if you use it just to serve a text/graphic, why bother upgrading.

some advice.
1. Make sure, ask your self. Does this website really need upgrade?
2. if yes, what feature/bug fix make it so important to update for you case?, if no case is closed.
3. If you really need to upgrade it, test it on your personal blog or just like anyone else do, make your own localhost web sample to test version of wordpress and testing any other add-on/plugin.

this question was always comes in my mind back in the past everytime wp releasing new version, the only reason I have to upgrade was because I was forced by my host due security reason.

Cheers

@keylock: folks should almost always upgrade, even if they don’t need the new features.

In addition to new features, each new version of WordPress inevitably contains security enhancements in the code. If you don’t upgrade, you are leaving yourself open to potential hacks, which isn’t good for you or for your host.

Ever since I installed wordpress I always stay updated so that I do not fall behind with a older version and then run into problems and have not had any problem with any versions.

Hi guys,

I think this is an interesting discussion and I understand both the points of people advocating for always upgrading and the concerns of people that don’t want to touch something that is working. Touching means possibility of breaking (if you are not a big expert) and rework if your custom theme needs to be adapted to a new version of WP. Rework (again, if you are not an expert that knows the Codex inside out) means research to find out what needs to be done to fix any issues. This equals time and, often, it equates to money. I personally fall a bit in the second category. I got a blog that works on version 2.8.4 and as far as it works I’m happy. Also, I don’t hold the data of the White House or Credit Cards information on that blog section of our website and I have triple daily backup on the server. If someone breaks in it’s not the end of the world. I guess some times you judge situations in a very practical way, just weighting up pros and cons, don’t you? ??

However it’s interesting that you mention that you could try the upgrade first locally. So can please someone point out how one could go about it? Do I download all files and create a copy of the DB and then put it on my MAMP installation? What about all settings and links that make use of the online domain name? Wouldn’t that come up all messed up locally on MAMP?

Thanks a lot for any suggestion.

When you work locally on Mamp you can upgrade the install on Mamp add theme and see if your theme works on the version same with plugins see if any of them not compatible with version before you upgrade your live website.

Ah ok, so you don’t move to online website to MAMP because it wouldn’t work because of the URLs. Right?

TL;DR (You can skip this and go directly to the bottom)

——
security patch is always first priority.

Until I realized
No matter how long, how much revision made over and over everything will never be perfect.

however, every new upgrade most likely old themes/plug-ins & such won’t work in new version, this is the most problematic & dilemma for everyone, specially for general user that didn’t know basic at all.
these what I do every upgrade (and probably anyone else who use WP for their site)
– Test new version with Theme/Plugins
– if everything screw up, check on theme/plugins provider
– if there’s update, test it again, if they don’t provide anything (project stop/delay/or provider didn’t bother at all) then check on alternatives.
– worst case if there’s no alternatives, change everything.
Result: Whole new design/concept

Some developers I know are quit update their themes/plugins for WP already because they can’t update frequently.

For big sites which use WP as a core, some of them didn’t even bother to upgrade at all since everything is custom, instead they only patch/fix security hole. (Okay this might not entirely true, just happen to few site that my friend manage since he is a web developer)

Back in the past, when blogging is still “new” and “booming”, people often ask me for advice, and I recommend them to use WP, but most people use it give up after 1 year, the longest is 2 years. Most reason why they close their account is because they can’t maintain it. Sure there’s auto-update in most Control Panel, but it’s for engine only, not make-up’s. So now, if anyone still ask advice for blogging I just recommend them using WordPress.com and redirect their domain to their blog on WordPress.com

End Rants
Sorry for long story =)
——-

For Localhost testing, personally I use Xampp, because I’m working under windows OS and it can be use for any other apps Php/Sql apps, btw it also had Mac OS and Linux version.

Cheers.