Forum How I upgraded to 4.0 without down time/destroying my live forum.
 

First off I always tried upgrading on a test site, not my live forum, but got all kinds of errors. This is how I got to 4.0 live (for better or worse). Just thought this may help someone.

First off I downloaded my database in sql form. I used mysql administrator, it's free and pretty fast up and down.

http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/gui-tools/5.0.html

Then I used textpad (freeware) to go into the database and used the find/change to function to change the name of the database. For example find your_database change to your_database1. I also changed the charset/collations this same way as to not get a mixed collations error.

http://www.textpad.com/

Then I created a database with the new name and uploade the edited one.

Next I downloades a copy of my forum (3.8.4), changed the name, edited the config.php to the new database and uploaded it.

With this "test" forum up exactly like the live one I uninstalled all pluguns completely and reverted templates.

If you had a failed install on your live site you will need to install compareutility on the test site to see which tables were created by 4.0

http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=209890

Once you run it you can see which ones are not a part of your 3.8 vbulletin and drop all of those through your cpanel.

Then you upload 4.0 and run the upgrade, once it is up and running change the name of your old board to something else and name your new board as your old was. I did have one error this way, but it was to create a field in one of the tables but it explained where and the settings.

Yes it takes a little time, but not as long as you might think. There also might be easier ways, but I'n just an average schmuck trying to wade through it.

I know not everyone has problems, this maybe can help someone that has error's like I did.