Well I have now got everything migrated from my old server to my new server and as far as I can tell everything works. Since I wasn't changing my ISP, DNS, it was was a relatively easy task after I completed some preliminary stuff. One thing before I installed the OS on the new machine I set the new hard drive partition structure up identical to the old one. For that I used a
partition tool on a
bootable CD. That way once I got the OS and all updates installed I basically had to just drop files onto their respective drives and install services again. I copied all my directories from the server onto a USB drive and began the task of migration. In a text file I saved
some path varibles information for Apache, MySQL, Perl, PHP, and ImageMagick. Apache, Perl, and ImageMagick I actually reinstalled form the latest versions available from each products website but was careful to make the new installs mirror the previous ones from the other server. Both
ImageMagick and Perl (
ActivePerl) actually offer to make file associations and set the path variable during their install routines but out of a habit that comes from usually dealing with zipped archives I always decline the option and do it myself. With
Apache I got it from their binary offerings and instaledl it but declined to let it install itself as a service. I use
this page as a reference but during the install I chose a different directory and partition that matched the old servers directory structure and declined the offer to install it as service and did that after I added it to the path variables on the new server. I then pasted in my web directories and configuration files from the old servers Apache installation. As far as PHP and MySQL went since each offers a zipped version and my versions are nearly always current. I just used the files from the old server and pasted them to their proper places in relation to my other folders on the new server. I forgot about the my.ini file for MySQL from the old server and ended up having to create on of those again for the new server, but it wasn't that big of a deal really since the web is full of information on
that task. I have always kept my php.ini file in the same directory with the PHP program so it made the trip alright. Of course all this came after installing WindowsXP again so it had begun to be a very long task and even with all the tasks I have talked about being done I still had programs that I use for other server related tasks to install as well as migrate a mailserver program and antivirus subscription type program to the new machine. Each of which had it own steps related to configuration. Finally however I finished and was doing post install clean up things like defragging the disks and setting them up to scan before the next startup. I hadn't tested any services if everything had been done right they would start automatically with the next reboot. Well everything just seemed to work after the next boot so I assume I basically did everything right. All said and done it took about half a day to complete (at least half a day) but really when it all worked there was a feeling of satisfaction which is really the motivation for this site to begin with. Computers tech really really as a hobby trying to make devices do things, to control them actually, in ways that seem amazing, to me anyway.
Now this post isn't really intended as guide but more as an account of how one Joe Sixpack type approached the task. Some understanding Apache, MySQL, Perl, and PHP is assumed but not to much though just a little bit. A stubborn attitude about completing things one doesn't understand all that well is a requirement. There are probably better ways to go about it but this worked for me.
