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Going to upgrade WordPress 2.7.1 to 3.0.1 along with all plugins, any tips to do without trouble?

Edit: 7 September

Dashboard is showing "New version available" for both, WordPress version and for some plugins.

So i want to upgrade everything. then what should be upgraded first, WordPress or plugins?

And which update would be best for both automatic through dashboard or manually through FTP

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2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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You shouldn't have any trouble ... but before doing the upgrade I recommend you do the following:

Backup everything

  1. Back up your theme
  2. Back up all of your plug-ins
  3. Back up your existing database

This will allow you to "undo" the upgrade if needed.

Check theme compatibility

If you're using a commonly available theme, check to make sure it's compatible with WordPress 3.0.1 before upgrading. Chances are good that it will be, but if you can double check before upgrading you can save yourself a potential headache. I've seen people try to upgrade from version 2.0 to version 2.9 with themes that broke afterwards ...

Check plug-in compatibility

Some plug-ins might not work with the new version of WordPress. Check to see if they are rated as compatible before upgrading - if they're not, be prepared for a plug-in to potentially break ... so if it's an absolute necessity, look for a potential alternative in the event that it doesn't work.

I've had various calendar plug-ins fail on new version of WordPress ... so make sure you have an option available if something goes wrong.

Be prepared for everything to work anyway

I've upgraded several systems from 2.7.X to 3.0 over the past few weeks without any problems. So there's a very good chance that your update will go off without a hitch and these precautionary steps were a waste of time. But better to waste the time now than to have to fix a broken site after the upgrade.

Final suggestion

Upgrade your plug-ins one-at-a-time. If you're upgrading a whole slew of things at once, it can be harder to track down what caused any errors (if any do occur). Upgrading plug-ins one-at-a-time will help you isolate and fix any problems. If a plug-in doesn't work after the upgrade, you can always go back to the back-up you made earlier.

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  • +1 very helpful answer to me. My theme is custom made and very customized, So what should i do. And how to know any will work or not if i upgrade WP version.?
    – Jitendra Vyas
    Aug 20, 2010 at 19:37
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    John's answer below would be helpful - set up another WordPress site (either through a system like WAMP on your computer or just a dummy site online) with WordPress 3.0.1. Then install your theme and all your plug-ins to make sure they work with the new version. If all goes well, you're set. If something breaks, post another question here or on the WP support forums(wordpress.org/support).
    – EAMann
    Aug 20, 2010 at 21:01
  • @EAMann, @John P Bloch - Should i upgrade all plugins which are showing "Upgrade" message before to update wordpress version or after?
    – Jitendra Vyas
    Sep 7, 2010 at 15:49
  • If you're doing all of your upgrades at the same time (as opposed to waiting a few hours or days in between) then it doesn't really matter. I just recommend you disable plug-ins before upgrading WordPress because they might have compatibility issues over large WP version jumps.
    – EAMann
    Sep 7, 2010 at 16:16
  • @Eamann -Is manual upgrade always preferable over automatic update?
    – Jitendra Vyas
    Sep 7, 2010 at 16:23
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The one thing I would add to EAMann's answer is that you might want to set up a test version of the site so you can do a mock upgrade without any consequences. Then, if there are any issues, you know them before making any changes, and (hopefully) know how to fix them too. This is not a substitute for backing up often and well, though.

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    Ditto that. Set up a test site, install the latest version of WordPress, then use that test site to double-check your theme and the plug-ins you're using. If a developer hasn't verified that a plug-in is compatible with 3.0.1, this is a great way to check!
    – EAMann
    Aug 20, 2010 at 20:44

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