I am currently still using vBulletin version 4.2.x - and I'm to understand that the 4.x version is slowly just going to disappear, and eventually stop working when backend upgrades continue at our various hosts. So I guess it'll be upgrading to vB5 or converting to something else down the road. I have a board with minimal members, but over 900,000 posts over the years. FWIW, my backups via cpanel are about 5gig. I am wondering some feedback as to which might be best down the road, most seamless and "guaranteed" not to die and kill my forum while updating? I put it in quotes as I know there are no true guarantees. I could be wrong, but looks like a lot are moving to Xenforo? But I'm not sold on that one yet. I won't be doing any type of upgrade/conversion until I truly have to.... but getting feedback from the folks who know the coding/software so dang well, well seemed like the right place to ask! Thanks for any opinions! -Jim
If you want a paid script you can look at Xenforo, IPS and Woltlab all 3 have demos so you can take a look. Dont look what other run look what you’ll need make a list with pro’s and con’s the choose.
vb 4.2.5 works with php 7.1 but will not support newer versions. As long as your webhost supports 7.1 or allows you to select it you should be able to delay your conversion plans for a few more years. As for vb5, existing forums whose experience is already dependant on addons will face a struggle promoting a nearly addon-free experience to users. The only logical move forward is to switch software eventually. Depending on your budget and needs, you're essentially limited to the following commercial software: Xenforo: most common alternative, lots of addons to extend the base experience, users may already be familiar with it from other forums. Wotlab: 'poor man's xenforo', just as good and sometimes better. Ideal for new and small communities since it inflicts the least pressure to monetize. IPB: most fully featured, lots of functionalty improving a webmaster's life, can get really expensive. Users coming from a vB ecosystem might find the change jarring.
Are you storing attachments in your database? I am hard pressed to imagine a 5 GB database otherwise. Move those to the file system if you are.
Hi Jim. If you are sure to change your forum software I recommend xenforo or ips. Visit both sites and compare, visit others forums using both software and try the demos. If you've made your choice you can run a conversion on a test site first. I wouldn't continue with vB5, most vB3/vB4 forums changed to xenforo/ips or are still on vB3/4.
Maybe what I'll do is slowly install them on a test server and practice and practice. My host does support, so at least I have some time! Out of appearances and very limited usage, I seemed to like Xenforo the most, but a few places that I know who have upgraded have complained. But honestly, most of the complaints I read where simply because things changed. Yes, I am unfortunately, I think a bad choice from day one, and that's exactly why the database is that large, even though I do limit the sizes of uploads immensely. If/when I were to move, would that move them ALL to file system, or just going forward? Is it a dangerous process that can damage the board during the process (of course I do non-stop backups). Thanks much!! Seems at least that it's 3-4 at tops to test out, and may even come down to a preference thing. But sounds like I may have a little time, so I'll be sure to test everything and see what is best for us. Thanks to one and all!!
Thankfully nothing in this process appears to be irreversible. I ran my backup, and then tried the script several times and kept getting a SQL memory error. After reading around vB for awhile, I opened a ticket with my host and copied the entire error. His reply was: I ran it again and it dies in the exact same place each time, just after 9,000 attachments or so. I'm not sure what to do next. Any ideas? Make a post on vB? This is the SQL error I keep getting, and I don't think it's the server "going away" as the site continues to run just fine. Database error in vBulletin 4.2.5: Invalid SQL: SELECT filedataid, filedata, filesize, userid, thumbnail FROM filedata WHERE filedataid >= 9002 AND filedataid < 9302 ORDER BY filedataid ASC; MySQL Error : Lost connection to MySQL server during query Error Number : 2013 Request Date : Friday, September 7th 2018 @ 09:22:47 AM Error Date : Friday, September 7th 2018 @ 09:22:49 AM Script : http://www.debatepolicy.com/admincp...tat=9002&pp=300&count=7626&attacherrorcount=0 Referrer : http://www.debatepolicy.com/admincp...tat=8702&pp=300&count=7339&attacherrorcount=0 IP Address : 24.189.81.51 Username : jimnyc Classname : vB_Database_MySQLi MySQL Version : Server : 198.252.109.104 User Agent :
I'm honestly clueless, is that something I can do/find myself within Cpanel? Otherwise, unfortunately, I am often dependent on my host.
Wow, thats actually quite large. I would guess there are 1 or more large attachments, which are causing the query to exceed the packet size. Try reducing the number you process in one go (looks like you are doing 300 atm).
Also, is there any way possible to see a list of sorts of the largest, and then delete the largest attachments?
All done! Took your advice and lowered it, to 50 at a time, and this time it finished successfully! Numbers matched up, files removed from database and then optimized! Thanks!!
This is odd. I had a total of nearly 9gig as far as what Cpanel told me. My last backup was over 5gig. I converted to the filesystem successfully, and it said it would remove the attachments within SQL at the end, which it said was successful. If I look in PHPmyadmin, it shows that line as like 10k or something. BUT, the front page of Cpanel now shows me using 5 gig more than I had, about nearly 13gig used now. If I go to MYSQL databases, it's still showing the current database as about 5gig. I went through each line in PHPmyadmin and can't find a reason why it's still such a huge database. Can anyone think of why?
One weird thing - it states at the end, that when you click yes to finalize and delete the stuff from the database, that it could be lengthy. Mine literally was seconds long. But again, I verified, and the attachments line in the database is nearly empty.
I did a little quick reading, and I think I understand why the size shows the same even though the table was basically emptied. I did a full backup and the size is about the same as my last full backup. So am I to assume that the reason for moving to filesystem is for increased performance?
Wait for sometime and check again later. You might have to clear the cache. I remember a long time ago, database size wasn't updated immediately on my server and I too wondered the same. Eventually it will be fine.
