turn off live site and set it up for local access

[Randa]

Zen cart version 1.35h and php version
Here is the problem.
I had a site that was live on the internet and selling products. The site was purchased by a different company.
I would like to work on it from a local IP address and see the backend so I can make changes. What files would I change to do so? Its on a Linux server and The Apache server remains offline.

[schoolboy]

Many years ago I installed xampp server on my local machine (not on an internet server) and played around with Zencart Version 1.3x
I did a FRESH install of ZC onto the xampp server.

You are wanting to work with an existing setup that you say you no longer own.

But it's not just the FILES you need... you also need the database that the files were "connected" to... If you don't have that database - or cannot get a copy (backup) of it, then you will not be able to configure a "clone" of that store.

So... unless you have copies (backups) of BOTH the files AND the database, there's not much you can do.

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We create "clones" (copies) of websites quite often, where we copy all the files to a new domain (usually set up using cPanel).

Using cPanel, we then create a new database, add a userto that database, and then through phpMyAdmin, we "populate" that database with the backup from the original site.

Then, we MODIFY the two configure.php files (one is in /includes ... and the other is in /admin/includes) to point to the new domain, and the new database and user.

Now... There is a LOT MORE TO THIS !!!

If the site "connects" to the database, what we see at the start, is an exact copy of the original site, but on a different domain URL.

There is a LOT to change from this point, and basically we have to either "edit" or "delete" data that is not relevant to the new website.

Many such changes are done in the PHP files, and several are done in the database (by using phpMyAdmin).

We usually encounter SCORES of errors, most of which are flagged in the log files (/logs folder), and each error needs to be properly fixed.

This can take a few days sometimes.

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If you are experienced in php and in mySQL databases, and know how to use phpMyAdmin, then you can have a go at this.

As you are not working with a live website, you can play around quite a bit, and if things go pear-shaped, delete everything and start again.

A problem (amongst many) you may incur is the version of your ZC store... It is possible that it will be incompatible with the php and SQL versions on the server. In such a case, your time is essentially wasted.

My advice would be to simply start afresh on a new install of ZC, on a server that is fully compliant. You will probably spend LESS time on a new install than you will playing around with a redundant site's code.
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