Upgrading to UBB.classic(TM) 6.3 from UBB.classic(TM) 5 Series Licensed Version

Please note that your UBB.classic(TM) 5 series board must be running and operating normally before you upgrade. Do not attempt to upgrade to UBB.classic(TM) 6.3 software if your current board does not function correctly!

****IT IS VERT IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS STEP BY STEP AND IN ORDER, ESPECIALLY STEPS 6 THROUGH 13!****

SPECIAL NOTE: You cannot upgrade to UBB.classic(TM) 6.3 from the older UBB.classic(TM) freeware versions 5.10 to 2000d; you must first update to the latest full UBB.classic(TM) 5 series, then update to UBB.classic(TM) 6.3. The latest UBB.classic(TM) 5 series is available in the UBB.classic(TM) Members Area.

Note on uploading files: All files must be uploaded in ASCII mode (text mode in the Fetch FTP client), EXCEPT for the files that end in .jpg or .gif that are in your non-CGI directory!


1.  Go into your existing UBB.classic(TM) 5.x control panel and turn your UBB.classic(TM) message board off.  This option is listed under General Settings >> Miscellaneous Options.


2.  Upload all files in the "cgi-bin" folder of the zip file into the directory your UBB.classic(TM) software currently uses (it may or may not be called "cgi-bin"). If you are installing on a Unix system, permissions for all of these files and your CGI directory must be 755. If you are unsure of the location of your CGI directory, go into the Primary Settings>>Configuration portion of your existing UBB.classic(TM) control panel.  There, you will see the name of the current CGI directory your UBB.classic(TM) is using.

  NOTE: All files that you upload to the UBB.classic(TM) CGI directory must be uploaded in ASCII mode.  Do not use your FTP client automatic mode.  Use only ASCII mode!


3.  Upload the contents of the variables folder from your zip file into your UBB.classic(TM) CGI directory. If you are installing on a Unix system, the permissions on these files need to be 777.

  NOTE: All files that you upload to the UBB.classic(TM) variables directory must be uploaded in ASCII mode.  Do not use your FTP client automatic mode.  Use only ASCII mode!


4.  Upload all files (including the subdirectories shown) in the "noncgi" zip file folder into the non-CGI directory that your UBB.classic(TM) software currently uses. (The location of your current non-CGI directory is also noted in the Primary Settings>>Configuration portion of your existing UBB.classic(TM) control panel.)  These files do not need to have special permissions set.

  NOTE: All files that you upload to the UBB.classic(TM) noncgi directory that end in ".jpg" and ".gif" must be uploaded in Binary mode.  All files that you upload to the UBB.classic(TM) noncgi directory that end in ".pl" and ".html" must be uploaded in ASCII mode.  Do not use your FTP client automatic mode!

  ****Do not upload the contents of the Members directory.****


5.  Check Perl paths for these three files: ultimatebb.cgi, cp.cgi, and ubb_upgrade.cgi.  None of the other cgi files requires a Perl path. Use the same Perl path that your current UBB.classic(TM) scripts use.

  You can test your permissions now by uploading ubb6_test.cgi (located in the help directory of your zip file) in ASCII to your UBB.classic(TM) CGI directory and running the tests. There is more documentation on this file located in the help directory "ReadMe.txt" file, including information on troubleshooting errors it may produce.


6.  Open a browser and run ubb_upgrade.cgi in your UBB.classic(TM) CGI directory. Once this script completes successfully, you will be prompted to log into your NEW control panel. Use your existing administrator user name and password.


7.  Use your existing administrator user name and password to log into the UBB.classic(TM) control panel.  Under the Maintenance drop-down menu, select the "Upgrade your UBB.classic(TM)" option.  Read the information on the screen that appears.  This Upgrade function performs basic checks to ensure your board is operating properly, and updates the Wordlet(tm) lists with new entries.


8.  Hit the "Upgrade Your UBB" button at the bottom of the page.  NOTE: There are ADDITIONAL STEPS to perform.  They are in step 11, but you MUST complete steps 9 and 10 first!


9.  If you have archives and you want to import them, click on "Miscellaneous," then click on Import UBB5 Archives. Read the cautions and when you are ready click the import button. You will be prompted when the import is completed.


10.  You must now review and configure all of the Primary Settings, under the Primary Settings drop-down menu.   Read, review, and set all of the Primary Settings carefully and in order top to bottom.  There are ELEVEN different options.  If you do not see all of the options in the drop-down menu, use the scroll bar on the drop-down menu.

  You will be prompted after each configuration screen if you forgot to finish a required item.  Note: The Configurations Settings screen should already be accurate.  Please check it just in case!


11.  Under the Maintenance drop-down menu, there are three functions you will need to run: "Rebuild Search Index", "Rebuild Forum Stat Files", and "Update Member Posts Histories".  These options must be run in that order.  They may take some time to complete.  Do not interrupt them!


12.  Your board is now set up and functional. You can continue to navigate around the control panel, make forum settings changes, customize your Wordlet(tm) lists, and review the rest of the UBB.classic(TM) features.  You can visit the new location of your board by clicking the link in the upper right hand corner of the control panel, labeled with the name you have given your board in Primary >> Configuration Settings.  (This text is immediately below the Infopop light bulb and logo)


13.  The UBB.classic(TM) 6.3 software has two new URLs for the control panel and board.  To access the board, use ultimatebb.cgi.  To access your control panel, use cp.cgi.



Move Kit:

Inside your help directory you will find a "movekit" directory. You will find an Ultimate.cgi and forumdisplay.cgi script that you can use to redirect your users from your old board to your new board. Open these two scripts in a text editor, put the new URL into the field marked $newurl, save, and upload in ASCII.

Cleaning up:

You can delete the following files immediately after you confirm that your new board is running correctly:

noncgi/*.html (except index.html)
noncgi/Forum*/ANNC/
noncgi/Forum*/forum*.threads (but not forum_*.threads!!)
noncgi/Forum*/private-*/ANNC/
noncgi/Forum*/private-*/forum*.threads
noncgi/forumindex*.cgi
noncgi/dailyindex-*.file
noncgi/Archives/*
noncgi/ubbdiagnostic.file
members/pindex/
members/OldMembers/


You may also delete the following files:
cgi-bin/UltBB.setup
cgi-bin/mods.file
cgi-bin/forums.cgi
cgi-bin/Styles.file


After your UBB.classic(TM) 6.3 community has been running and you are sure anyone that has bookmarked threads has been redirected you can delete all of the old HTML files. This will save you a lot of space!

noncgi/Forum*/HTML/
noncgi/Forum*/private-*/HTML/
