Site update – guidance please?

[RSB]

Hello,
I developed a website several years ago (early 2009) using WP 2.7 and the StudioPress Corporate Theme. I now want to update the site.

Can I just update the content and continue to use the same WP version and SP theme? Are there issues/risk in doing so? If I upgrade WP will the old theme still function? For reference the site is http://alucida-llc.com

I would appreciate any thoughts or guidance.

Cheers,
RSB

[cdils]

Hi RSB,

Are you still running WP 2.7? I would strongly recommend bringing your installation up to date, both your WordPress install and the Genesis Framework - running outdated versions leaves you vulnerable from a security standpoint.

I'm not sure if the Corporate Theme you're running is the most current version. It looks like you've made some customizations, so you might want to hold off on a child theme update.

I can't make any guarantees that the updates won't impact your layout or customizations, so definitely backup your database and theme files before doing any updates.

I'd update WordPress first, then check your site. Then update plugins (if needed) one by one, and check your site. Lastly, I'd update to Genesis 1.9, and check your site. 🙂 Doing the updates in that order will help you pinpoint where things went awry (if they did).

Be prepared to spend some time tweaking just in case, but I would 100% recommend bringing your installation up to date.

Just my two cents,

Carrie

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[RSB]

Thanks for the guidance. From looking at other forum threads, it appears that a critical plug-in on my home page - Featured Content Gallery - has not been updated in several years and will not work with recent versions of WP.

So I'm thinking a three phase approach would be best:
1) As a short-term/temporary fix: Minor updates to the site content only

2) As soon as possible after that: Update and refresh the site (WP, plug-ins, Gemini, etc.) per your suggestions above. Use Dynamic Content Gallery to replace FCG (I believe DCG is compatible with Genesis and the Corporate Theme)

Does this sound reasonable so far?

3) I also want to rehost the site (it's currently with GoDaddy). Would you recommend: (a) making the WP/Gemini/plug-in updates on my current site (before rehosting), or (b) setting up the updated site with the new host (using a different URL, e.g. alucida-llc.net) and then switching to the new site to the current URL (alucida-llc.com)?

[RSB]

I'd be very interested if anyone has thoughts and/or guidance on this approach and related questions... Thanks!

Cheers,
RSB

[marybaum]

Update as many plugins as you can before something breaks, then update WP. Then update Genesis - then move your hosting. But you need to start the updating process yesterday - every minute you wait is a minute you risk getting hacked.

In fact, you might even consider building a new installation from scratch on your new host and just porting your content over from an exported xml file - don't even send the old WP, Genesis and plugins over there.

BTW, if you don't already, you might want to consider building a local install on your own machine, just to do your CSS and php mods before uploading them - that's how I build theme variations. My content rarely sees those local installs, although if I were smart, I'd write more html locally and then just paste it into the browsers - because I hate writing in the browser.

But then, you'd always have a reasonably up-to-date theme install locally you could just FTP anywhere, then import content as an .xml and you'd be set to go.

At any rate, by starting over, you won't have to worry about making your old plugins work, or possibly taking along any code from the old site that's already compromised - WP 2.7 is older than any version I've worked with, and I startled learning WP in summer 2010.

MB

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