Unexpectedly, I have created the need to add a Sunday edition of my Blog Tip Sharing Project this week. It’s urgent information that I feel like I MUST tell you, so that you won’t nearly die of panic like I did.
If you happened upon this blog last night between 10:30 and 11:30 PM, you would have seen that every single post and comment and my template, and EVERYTHING THAT MAKES THIS BLOG MY BLOG was gone.
I killed it in one fell swoop trying to upgrade to WP 2.5.1.
I was certain that my heart would pound right out of my chest. My face was flushed from the panic, I felt like I couldn’t breathe and was gasping for breath. Tate tried to calm me down, but with a dead blog and everything I’d ever written deleted, calming down just wasn’t on my agenda.
I hope you’re not laughing, because it hurts.me.in.the.heart!
So here are my tips for today…especially pertinent for WordPress self-hosted folks….
1. When you go to upgrade to the latest WP, BACKUP EVERYTHING. I’m NOT kidding. BACKUP EVERYTHING. The blog you are seeing today is a result of my having BACKED UP EVERYTHING.
2. If you decide to use one of the software services like Simple Scripts for WP upgrade through your cpanel (via your webhost), understand that there is a HUGE difference between “Install” and “Upgrade.”
Last night I installed a totally new blog, rather than upgrade the one I already had. Oops.
Stop laughing at me, please.
3. Did I mention to BACKUP EVERYTHING? Oh I did? Well I MEAN it!
4. BACKUP EVERTHING. In case you’re wondering, I backed up my site via my cpanel on my webhost using the Backup Wizard. I backed up my Home directory and MySQL files individually.
Thank goodness I did or…I could crap myself just thinking of the horror of having to start from scratch.
This concludes the dumbass edition of my weekly BTSP. Good day.
My heart started racing just reading about it. I’m writing a dissertation write now and have multiple backup systems in place . . . but I still have several nightmares about losing everything with one thoughtless keystroke. Losing my blog would be a loss as well. I guess I should figure out how to back it up.
I’m so glad you backed up because I definitely would miss being able to visit here . . .
meps last blog post..My backyard is a mullet . . .
Oh you poor thing!!! Before I understood the ins and outs I once “upgraded” a forum…losing 4,000 posts!! I didn’t back them up and the lost happened right before the weekly ‘saving’ of your files via my cpanel…and every new save wipes out the old…so those 4,000 posts were long gone to never be seen again.
Starting from scratch stinks.
But you shouldn’t just back up your blog. If you write, take pictures, anything…you should back them up on anything you can…flash drives, external hard drives…because you never know when your computer could crash, too! I’m grateful that I backed up everything before my recent computer boom.
I’m glad you were able to recover everything!!
Sarahs last blog post..Weekly….Winners? 6/8/08
holy CRAPBALLS!
I hath no CLUE how to back up my wordpress.
off to search.
so thankful for you as Ive survived a hard drive crash sans back up.
it was U G L Y.
MizFits last blog post..Im not laughing at all!
Oh. My. God. I would have SCREAMED! I’m soooooo glad you backed everything iup. Whew.
Rachaels last blog post..Lustful Sloth
I can’t breath for you….and this is why I’m too dumb to be self hosted. Don’t know what a cpanel even is. I am so glad you are a smart and sassy girl for backing everything up.
designHER Mommas last blog post..…in the City
Whew for yew! Backup my blog, it never crossed my mind. Although when I read your “this is how you do it through your webhost thingie” I was all .. huh?
Does self hosting through wordpress cost money? And how do you do it? I was using plain jane old wordpress and got the ol’ “No Go” for ads, and twitter, etc etc .. Ive been painfully moving my blog to another place .. Oh gawd Im such a newbie.
Jennifer .. I think my blog might end up being entertaining for some folks.. and I’ll most def owe you thanks and gratitude for taking the time to learn me on all of this bloggy business.
Youre awsome .. and when Madness takes over the world .. I’ll be sure to throw you some props!
Madnesss last blog post..a terrible thirst for blame
madness is soo thankful for the sunday edition
Madnesss last blog post..a terrible thirst for blame
Hey:
This raises a Q I always have: when you say “individually,” do you mean there is one backup process for Home Directory and one for MySQL? That’s all I’ve ever been able to find, for a total of 2 backups.
Next I suppose I should transfer them to my hard drive when I do that backup, and I have in the past done that by putting everything under My Docs and backing up that whole thing.
Am i close, or no cigar?
anneglamores last blog post..Labeling Camp Clothes: Dull Chore Made Zany Fun
Ack! That’s every blogger’s worst nightmare. Thank God you had backed everything up!
Christinas last blog post..The sleeping-in-a-box picture
The irony is that I started blogging because I lost 17 years worth of journals (50 huge hardbound books!!!) in Hurricane Katrina. I didn’t want to risk that again.
Now, instead of requiring the worst natural disaster the country has ever seen to destroy my writing, I just need to hit one wrong button.
Sweet.
Velveteen Mind – Megans last blog post..BlogHer Newbies Unite and Promote
Oh the HARRA! Figuring out how to backup my blog is on my list — and now it’s just been bumped further up thanks to your post. The thought of losing it all makes me want to vomit.
mommypies last blog post..Jumping on the bandwagon. A TRUE New Media Douche Bag move.
Gah! I upgraded the other day and only thought to back-up my template. Because OMG, the colors and the pretty font! You know…that would be REALLY hard to re-do. Or not.
But my posts & my comments & everything else? Didn’t even cross my mind. So…because I didn’t lose everything, I’ll let it slide that this post is a week late.
And SHOOT, now I have to figure out how to back-up everything. Can you do a post on that next week, pretty please? :0)
AMomTwoBoyss last blog post..H(O)(O)TERS
This morning I had a little heartstopping moment with Blogger. I was playing around with the template code and voile, my blog was lost in the mix. It has returned, but honestly I have no idea how to back up my entire blog, just my template.
Must find out how to do this asap.
Denise @ EatPlayLoves last blog post..Cursed Dots Template
Wow. That is scary. I lost all of my design elements when I went from 2 to three columns, and now have been chicken about changing much else. But, wow. I think I would cry. And then lose my mind. And burn my computer in the fire pit.
And then, my husband would have to have me committed. I’m sure.
Marys last blog post..While watching a Movie:
ohmgosh! – I totally would have lost it! I don’t think those of us using blogger can back up our blogs – I’ll definitely have to check this out now. So glad you got everything working again.
Pink Lemonade Lizs last blog post..Friday Free Stuff
I have had that happen. Twice. There is something special in learning things the hard way. Eh? I had a heart attack from my lesson.
Happy to see that everything is back.
ohmommys last blog post..Why can’t they eat Poptarts?
You know that the only part that I really understood was back up everything, right?
But still, it sounds like it was scary and I am so glad that you are back.
Jerseygirl89s last blog post..Should I Post This In Town?
*Insert big gasp HERE*
Aren’t those tingly moments scary? So glad you got it back. And oh the lessons learned the hard way again, eh? Me too (time and time again).
MamaGeeks last blog post..Memoirs of A Hanger
Oh my gosh! That sucks. I’m so glad you BACKED UP EVERYTHING. And how exciting!?! Two posts over the weekend. Thanks for that. =)
Cathys last blog post..Mad Rush Haiku
Crud, that sucks, i’m glad you’re back in working order…now if I can decipher the SQL, simple scrips, and cpanel then I can get started on backing myself up!
Jens last blog post..Happy Anniversary Hubby
I have done that before!
Devilish Southern Belles last blog post..Still loving my computer.
Your advice has been priceless…. I’m so glad that you didn’t lose everything in your upgrade… I’m anxiously waiting for advice / tip #4
Jills last blog post..Out Of The Mouths Of Babes…
I am just so dang thankful that I have the worlds best host and she backs up all our blogs regularly.
I swear I would totally lose my mind. I lost a post once (stupidly deleting it by accident after a Firefox crash) and that sent me totally loopy and reaching for the wine.
Glad you were able to get it all fixed and share with others so we don’t suffer the same fate.
You have just reminded me to go and do my backups again already.
Thankyou.
And thank god you got yours all back.
Veronicas last blog post..Bathtime Kitteh
How do you back up everything? I understand saving the template, but what about the posts?
I am NOT saving every post separately.
~JJ!s last blog post..Guilty
No laughing here…that’s the reason I haven’t upgraded yet because I don’t feel 100% comfortable about my backups. I would appreciate a backup tips post, schooled for dumb asses because otherwise I won’t feel like I did it right.
heathers last blog post..dumb-isms
Backing up now, oh wise and pretty one.
Burgh Babys last blog post..If You’re Old and You Know It, Clap Your Hands
And yet another reason why I’m not ready to go self-hosted. This scared the bejesus out of me.
andis last blog post..More mouses in my houses
Ohmigawd. I would have DIED. Panic attack. Totally. You poor thing! Thank God you did back it all up…phew! And I love every single BTSP post, by the way. The dumbass versions are especially helpful.
flickrlovrs last blog post..This Is Not My Day (A.K.A. gr$a#gl!(@kssj2JS!(#@!)
From one dumbass to another – THANK you!! I just upgraded my account and I can absolutely see how you could have installed a new blog instead of upgrading your current one. In fact, if it were not for this very post, that’s exactly what I would have done. So, I backed everything up and then upgraded. Mission accomplished! Woo hoo!
Walking With Scissorss last blog post..This Is My Brain On No Sleep