upgrade vs fresh install

I:bigups:'m looking for some advice please - I'm running my site on zen 1.3.7. I would like to use paypal website pro rather than the ordinary pay pal because I do alot of mailorders and want to get rid of my EPOS machine/merchant account etc. I'm not entirely happy with the site - I did some silly things with add-ons when I first installed and would quite like to do a fresh install. Given that I am stuck with a geriatric iMac that won't run winmerge or BBedit or firefox and all the other lovely helpers an upgrade looks daunting. My questions are:
is it possible just to add payments pro to my site - and how? or
How different is the 1.3.8 database - if I save the database contents in 1.3.7, then do a fresh install, can I import the contents - products and customers so I don't lose the info? Thank-you in advance http://www.zen-cart.com/forum/images/smilies/bigups.gif.
one slightly lost newish zenner
Toria
https://www.toriapilar.com

Yes, you should be able to import the database.

I feel the best way to proceed is to install a fresh version of 1.3.8a into its own folder with a new database. You can export the data from the live shop into the 'test" installation and make sure it all works before moving it and making it live.

Hello Afo
thanks for that. would love to do test install - unfortunately hosting package only allows one database - hence my question. in fact i'm thinking of having the hosts do the fresh install with some add-ons included (they are approved hosts etc). I just wanted to be able to hang on to my current customer data. (I'm going to send an email though just in case it goes belly up:D ). at this point, i figure I've nothing to lose
cheers
toria
https://www.toriapilar.com

Make sure you have a backup of your database before anyone does anything else.

Thanks afo :bigups:
have backed up - and backed up again! just in case. not taking any chances here - i NEED to get the site right this time - the old 'credit crunch' is killing me in the bricks/mortar shop - so want to generate a bit more on the web
cheers
toria
https://www.toriapilar.com

May I suggest that this might be an great time to switch to a decent hosting company which allows many databases, as do all of the Certified hosts?

steve, I am with a certified host company.
toria

Even the most basic of hosting packages provide for more than one database; Zen Cart Certified or not.

As to your update, after installing the new 1.3.8a version and verifying it is working correctly, do not delete the 'zc_install' dir. You will need that as after you import your previous database it will be required to update it to the newer database version. After that you can safely delete the 'zc_install' dir. and all should be well. :smile:

Hello website Ron, afo, anyone else out there
according to my hosting package, I should have 5 databases. According to phpMyadmin, I have no priveleges to create a database. waiting to hear back from my host about that one. In the meantime they (my host) did the reinstall and deleted the zc_install. I did my mods, reloaded the database and oops - need to re run the database upgrade. so far so good. I downloaded the fresh zencart to my 'puter, then uploaded the zc_install folder to the appropriate place on the server and tried to run it. I get as far as the terms and conditions page then I get a blank screen. any ideas. I'm stumped. thought it might be related to my old browser so:lamo: checked on a friends new 'puter - same thing.
it was all going so well :lamo:
toria
https://www.toriapilar.com

unfortunately hosting package only allows one database
May I suggest that this might be an great time to switch to a decent hosting company which allows many databases
I should have 5 databases

Actually you are allowed up to 10 databases, but this is Shared Hosting so you cannot CREATE new databases using phpMyAdmin. You create them in your web hosting control panel and you can then administer them via phpmyAdmin.

Vger

Thank-you Vger:hug:
that issue had me slightly confused but wasn't a huge worry. The difficulty now is just trying to run the zc_install to do the patch thingy on the database. I thought it might have something to do with the permissions on the cache and configure files, but that didn't fly either. so going to have a think overnight.arghh! it was all going so well!
cheers
Toria