Your current Moodle 1.9 Minimum Requirements Ability to do a TEST RUN! Upgrading Moodle to Version 2 By Ramzan Jabbar Doncaster College for the Deaf By Ramzan Jabbar Doncaster College for the Deaf

Virtulatised Server running under VMWARE ESX Server Moodle version (Build: ) Ubuntu Server Setup using LVM (Logical Volume Manager) Our advantages:- Virtual Server – easy to create clones/snapshots TO MAKE LIFE EASIER! Webmin web based interface First Let me explain our set-up… Like going back to DOS days! But sometimes it’s still easier/better to use the server’s terminal window! Our site is simple NO FLASHY BITS to worry about At one time I had 3 Moodle SITES running Moodle 1 – Before upgrade Moodle 2 – Upgraded TEST Moodle 3 – Upgraded Actual LIVE

BACKUP – I did a full backup of the VMWARE image using BACKUPEXEC SO LET’S START our upgrade UPGRADE SERVER PHP / MySQL / IE7 - OR LATER (I just upgraded the whole server & all was ok) RE-NAME moodle folder to say moodleOLD and upload the latest build of moodle to same location MODULES any extra modules that you added outside of standard ones. Download the latest versions ready to add. We have 2 ESX servers so backup ready just in case! This is a good time to upgrade the server… This way you can look at any config files that you may need to replicate WARNING some may NOT work! I was only concerned about BOOK module

PUT YOUR SITE in Maintenance Mode CHECK all pre-upgrade requirements Are your USERS aware? DID YOU DO A TEST UPGRADE? THINGS TO CHECK (on LIVE Upgrade) Do you know your Moodle’s Database Username and Password!

Initiate the UPGRADE If you are already logged in (without refreshing) click on Notifications. OR type in your URL for moodle Choose a language / paths Default is English CLICK NEXT Confirm Paths Defaults shown were correct Choose database driver Ours is MySQL CLICK NEXT Database settings From last install DO YOU REMEMBER THESE? Database host Name User Password Table prefix (default mdl_ Initiate the UPGRADE If you get an error when you click NEXT then type URL in browser See your Config file for all this before you start

Are you sure you want to upgrade server to this version? You still have time to back out! BUT DON’T Instead this FIRST upgrade should be a TEST server (backup of live one) This would then allow you to avoid mistakes and suprises! I did a TEST one and made it available to only certain users to TEST IT OUT. ARE YOU SURE?

After you have CLICKED yes to the upgrade… Server checks are done – all should be OK. I have done this upgrade 3 times as a TEST run – this bits all OK. PLUGINS Check – here is the problem! I had non-standard PLUGINS – BOOK / NETWORK DRIVE ACCESS / HELP DESK LUCKY for me the BOOK one supports Moodle 2 BUT the other two? Not bothered about them since they did not affect any of the courses! No Turning BACK

PLUGINS BOOK plugin showing as missing from disk and non- standard NOTE this is before the BOOK plugin is copied over…

PLUGINS ADD your non-standard PLUGINS ADD all your non-standard PLUGINS Then do reload and CLICK on UPGRADE If you get any errors regarding the PLUGINS then make sure you are using latest one. If you are then you will just have to remove it to Upgrade. Once all problem PLUGINS are removed you will then be able to finalise the upgrade. If at anytime the page goes back to PLUGIN check page then examine the problem. Keep at it until upgrade goes ahead.

BOOK PLUGIN THE ONLY PLUGIN I WAS BOTHERED ABOUT WENT ON OK!

FINALISE the Upgrade TEST the upgrade and if any PLUGIN has config file then use your moodleOLD folder to get the settings (don’t just copy the file – the format may be very different). There are few other screens that you will see – showing you the settings… Check these.

ANY OTHER PROBLEMS? YES! SORRY ABOUT THAT… I’ll explain the problem I had. SOME OF THE LINKS to uploaded files did not show up as correct file formats (PDF / WORD…) SOME WOULD NOT EVEN LINK! BUT YOU CAN FIX THEM – IGNORE BOB THE BUILDER! SORRY ABOUT THAT… I’ll explain the problem I had. SOME OF THE LINKS to uploaded files did not show up as correct file formats (PDF / WORD…) SOME WOULD NOT EVEN LINK! BUT YOU CAN FIX THEM – IGNORE BOB THE BUILDER!

FIX IT… NEARLY ALL OF THE LINK PROBLEMS WERE A SIMPLE FIX Open to EDIT it then look for description If it’s missing type it in and save. If it’s already there just save and it will fix it. NEARLY ALL OF THE LINK PROBLEMS WERE A SIMPLE FIX Open to EDIT it then look for description If it’s missing type it in and save. If it’s already there just save and it will fix it. I will explain why SOME (uploaded files) links don’t get picked up…

FIX IT… OLD VERSION NOTE the attribute Summary OLD VERSION NOTE the attribute Summary NEW VERSION NOTE the attribute Description! NEW VERSION NOTE the attribute Description!

EXTREME CASE FIX… THIS LINK WAS MISSING TOTALLY LINK COPIED FROM OLDER VERSION – to fix it! LINK COPIED FROM OLDER VERSION – to fix it!

Config.php there is a new one There will be a new file (for upgrades) called config-dist.php Just open config.php that will hold your older versions settings Make changes to config-dist.php to match the older one Rename config.php and then rename config-dist.php to config.php There are many other settings now in the config file but I did not need to change any of these extra settings…

THAT’S IT…