Short version :

make sure you have a backup
repeat from 1

delete all files off server from your normal /b2evo/ folder ( often it's /public_html )
hope you have a backup
upload all files from your shiny new version of b2evo ( just the files in /shiny_new_version/blogs/ )
this is one place you'll need that backup ... you took a backup right?
copy /my_backup_folder/conf/_basic.config.php to /conf/ folder on your server
copy /my_backup_folder/media/ to /media/
hit http://mydomain.com
wet yourself with fear when it tells you that your db version is wrong and you can only hit one of two links .... both of which it's guessed at

hit either link
select upgrade
hit go

... if it all goes tits up, restore your backup and hope that somebody more sensible comes along ;)

¥

So if I am reading you right, if for some reason this process crashes my install, the parts of my blog that I need to have are here:

copy /my_backup_folder/conf/_basic.config.php to /conf/ folder on your server
copy /my_backup_folder/media/ to /media/

These are the only things I truly need to back up, the rest are system files? So if my blog gets trashed, instead of using Fantastico to reinstall it I can run the install from scratch, and then copy those folders above?

Voila! Restored blog, just as it was?

Thanks!

~Nix

Ok, so reading through the docs I understand that I have to make a database backup as well. I'll try to figure out how to do that, unless you have an easy way for me to do that?

Also, does version 2.4.5 differ from 2.4.2 in its database structure?

Thanks again!

~Nix

The easiest way to tack a backup of your database is to use something called PhpMyAdmin ( usually found in your control panel somewhere ).

I'm pretty sure that there are no database changes, but it's always better to have a backup ;)

The conf/_basic.config.php file holds your database connection details
The /media/ folder holds any / all files that you've uploaded ( you can just leave a copy of this folder on the server and then just ignore it when uploading all the new files / folders )

¥

¥

Thanks again for all your help, and I apologize for all the noobish questions.

I would love to educate myself on how to do these things. I -think- I know how to create a database backup, but I don't know how to restore one. From what you are writing, I understand that the folders you are detailing hold certain information, but I don't know how to use that information.

I am not sure of what steps I need to take, exactly, to get from my current blog, to a restored blog, and I don't want to move forward until I am sure that I know how to restore it, otherwise I will be taking my blog down and it will be down for however long it takes me to figure out what file I missed, or which configuration needs to be adjusted, and so on.

Is there any detailed, in-depth tutorial to be found anywhere on how to do these things? I assume I can't just wipe out my installation, copy two folders over, and be able to start it back up again. If it is in fact that easy, I apologize for the invalid assumption. But, when you say something like "make a backup," where do I go to find out -exactly- what I need to do in order to make a backup? And -exactly- what I need to to in order to restore it?

Remember, I am a first-time b2evolution user, and I don't know the first thing about the database or anything else.

Thanks again,

~Nix