Do you need to do a complete backup? Or better, you want to move your site to another server with less possible headache and failure points? Don't look further, jPack (or JoomlaPack) is for you! Although the current release have a serious security bug, we keep recommending it for you! (Info how to eliminate the security hole is posted in the official site.)

A site made using Joomla consists of two major things, the Joomla files and Database. So its quite simpler to switch server if required. Simply download all of your files and upload to new server and export your database and get it up on your new server. This is four step procedure that makes your site up on new server BUT all this can take a lot of your time. And there can arise a lot of unexpected problems, if you aren't a versed webmaster.

Another way to accomplish this task may be to use the right component. If you search through Joomla extensions, there are many components availale with both commercial and free license. The pack is leaded by far by Joomla Pack. The process is simple and practically yo will got at the end a Joomla install package, similar to one you can download from Forge, but this one will end, after the install in exact replica of your site.

The process consist from 2 steps, as is outlined below:

Taking Bakup:

After you have downloaded and installed the component, simply go to components in navigation bar and click JoomlaPack to open component page.

There you will see some buttons, for the start you can check the configuration details. Your temp folder located at ‘administrator/components/com_jpack/temp’ must be CHMOD to 755 to be writeable by the component but not by others. This is usually the default behaviour, but you should check, because this is the destination folder where backup files will be stored. You simply need to press ‘create backup’ button to start making backup file. If you have a big site, you may consider to go through the simple configuration screen, but generally you can go with the defaults.

Once clicked the "Backup Site" button a bar will start running on the screen showing the back up process is in process. Don't leave the page until the backup finishes, else you can compromise the process.

After the backup is complete you can download it from JoomlaPack options page easily by going to Backup Files Administration. This process will only take about couple of minutes + download time at your internet speed. You can do it on daily basis to make sure that your precious articales are not lost.

Uploading to new Server and reinstall the site:

Simply Upload the archive file to new destination where you want you site to run and proceed as you usually do with any new clean Joomla install. Upload and unzip the archive using cPanel's built in tools an point your browser to the new siteroot. [If you don't have cPanel or similar, you can upload it through FTP and unpack it, or, if you can't unzip the archive this way, you can unpack it locally and upload the resulting files/folders.]

Most important thing is that you must use the old login details. While installing on new server DON’T use a new admin password. But be sure to use the new database settings! [BTW, if you use a new admin username/password this will be owerwritten by the old login details and you won'tbe able to login to the admin with the new credentials anyway.]

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