Migrate WordPress from Linux/Unix to Windows Server 2008
Backup files
first, you have to take backup all your WordPress files and database. There is free plugin “BackWPup”. After installation creates backup jobs to backup your files to computer.
- By cPanel backup wizard, you can backup website home directory and downloads.
- Backup for MySQL database and download.
- Through FTP backup your WordPress directory individually from a web server.
- From WordPress interface use the select tools then select an export option to migrate your all WordPress posts, comments, tags etc into an XML file.
Software Requirement
To start from windows server 2008 you need a set of software. Web platform installer will tell you about a way to have the required software. Basically, the following software is required to on Windows Server 2008 r2 :
- PHP 5.3.19 (or better)
- PHP Manager For IIS
- IIS: CGI
- MySQL Windows 5.1
- MySQL Connector/Net
- ASP.NET 2.0 Framework
- URL Rewrite 2.0
Web platform installer will help you to install all software in one batch. Select WPI then through WPI choose application category. Now locate WordPress and click on “Add” then “Install” button. If an already required software is installed then WordPress Download start automatically. If WPI found that some software is missing then it will notify you. WPI automatically add those missing software to the download queue.
Your input will be required when setting up MYSQL. After all software installation, WordPress configuration windows appears. Now select the development domain from drop down option of a website. Now eliminate value from the WordPress application name and click to continue button.
Now the WordPress is available on your developed domain. Installers will open default web browsers.
Now its time to install WordPress backup on the Windows server
WordPress has installed by WPI. Now open the wp-config.php file and note down these variables data: DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, DB_HOST. Record all these data now you allow deleting all installed file by WPI in your development file space except the web.config file. Now retrieve a backup file from the WordPress website to development file space. Again you have to open a wp-config.php file and put the above variables with data you recently noted down. WordPress run faster when we use 127.0.0.1 instead of localhost for DB_HOST.
Now release WordPress installer and launch development domain in browser. Check the instruction until the WordPress installation is complete. After completing, log in WordPress. You will notice that content, media, and plugins are not there. Don't worry. We have not restored a database. So a solution for restoring database we need to install WP-DBmanager plugin. Its installed, close browser for now.
Database File Updation
locate database backup file which has been created by BackWPup in the root of your development file space. There you will found “.sql” extension, move a file to “/wp-content/backup-db/” folder that is created by WP-Dbmanager. By Notepad++a text file editor, open database backup file. Now search live domain name for e.g.: yourdomain.com replace this with yourdomain.devserver.com. It's most important because WordPress will try to connect to that domain instead of the development domain.
Now replace file path would be changed by websites/user/wwwroot/wp-content/. Hope you will do all necessary update, save and close a file.
WordPress Database Restoring
On development, website log in WordPress. Select manageDB section on left sidebar. Your database file should be placed here. Now restore file. Your database will now restore. After completion reloads WordPress you are now able to see media, pages and plugins and a lot of more.
Still, some media files paths updates are left. Go through to your development site and update which are still required.
Your website is running smoothly now change DNS for your live domain to windows server.
To make WordPress on the development server. You require some domain settings. Update both WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) fields. Add live domain now. Enjoy your WordPress on new windows server 2008.