Welcome to The Cheater's Quickie Guide to updating WordPress
(Had you wondering there for a minute, huh?)
Over the course of a few years working with technology stuff, I have learned the value of healthy restraint when confronted with the urge to fix something that ain't broke.
Nonetheless I was very tired of seeing this little notice at the top of the WordPress dashboard on some of my blogs.
Here are the official WordPress instructions detailing the correct way to update http://codex.wordpress.org/Upgrading_WordPress_Extended
But ....I wondered if my Cheater's Quickie Method of updating WordPress would work with the jump from version 2.3.3 to 2.5.1. I can't imagine why it wouldn't, but then ya never know.
It worked.
Here's how to do it:
Prep work
Download the WordPress zip file
Unzip it
Backup the existing WordPress folders and files on your host: Truth is, I have been known to skip this item. You would be well advised to "do as I say, and not as I do". One thought: You will have your FTP program running anyway, and you ~could~ just FTP copies of the older files/folder to your desktop before proceeding. Then delete them after you confirm that the new version is working.
Deactivate any plugins
FTP to your host
Click on your WordPress folder to open it. Note if you have not changed the default setting, this file will be named "wp". If you are using a unique domain name with your wordpress blog, there will be some wordpress related files in the host's root directory. You don't need to touch those.
In the Host panel of your FTP program, with the wordpress folder open, click on the column title Modified, to sort by the files by date - check most recent date on your server panel. In my illustration the newest date is 2/8/2008.
In the My Computer panel of your FTP program sort by date Modified, select all files with a date later than the most recent date in your server panel, in this case, all files dates after 2/2/2008
Upload those newer files to your host, overwriting existing files
Delete wp-includes folder in your host panel
Delete wp-admin folder in your host panel
DO NOT DELETE wp-content folder
Upload the new wp-includes folder
Upload the new wp-admin folder
Close your FTP program
Go to your WordPress Dashboard
The first thing you will probably see it this, click Upgrade WordPress
Then click Continue
Done.
DISCLAIMER This works for me. I do not know if it will work for other users with other systems and/or configurations. Proceed at your own risk.
Thanks Cheryl, I have been having problems with my outdated WP blog and WP's instructions suck. I will try this method.
Thanks Cheryl - FTP is a little different with Vista. I have been waiting to get a wordpress blog going. Maybe I won't have to go through this.
Good morning Cher, very informative, as usual. Just dropping you a line to thank you for the "quickie." Enjoy your day. Regards, C. :-)
Thank you so much for this blog. I am bookmarking thhis to get myself working on wordpress
CJ ~ Thanks for the detailed tutorial. I work with several WP blogs and keep putting off the updating. You co it a little differently so I'll have to try your method. LIke you I always back it up first. That habit has saved my skin more than once!
kk
Good Morning Cheryl- glad to see you are up and at them so early in the morning. have a wonderful day. cw
Krystal -- So far my method has worked without a hitch across 8 WordPress blogs (all hosted on GoDaddy). It's pretty fast, too, about 4-5 minutes per blog.
I'm not as good about backing up as you think I am. :-)
Hi Cheryl, I use this back-up plugin and it works great.
http://www.ilfilosofo.com/blog/wp-db-backup/
I also use this upgrade plugin after I upgrade.
http://www.zirona.com/software/wordpress-instant-upgrade/
Great instructions and easy to follow...Thanks for taking the time to post it!
Evelyn --- This post goes back to June of 2008; The newest version of WordPress now has an automatic update feature, so most likely you will never need to take these steps .... unless something goes amiss.... :-)