Duplicator Migration

Use the popular Duplicator plugin to migrate your WordPress site to MagicWP. This method offers flexibility and control over the migration process while maintaining the reliability of a proven tool.

About Duplicator

Duplicator is a free WordPress plugin that creates a complete backup of your site and allows you to migrate it to a new location. It's trusted by millions of users worldwide and provides:

Complete Site Backup: Backs up your entire WordPress site
One-Click Restore: Easy restoration process
Migration Wizard: Step-by-step migration guidance
Database Management: Handles complex database operations

Prerequisites

Required Software

WordPress: Version 4.0 or higher
PHP: Version 7.0 or higher
MySQL: Version 5.6 or higher
Duplicator Plugin: Latest version installed

MagicWP Setup

Hosting Account: Active MagicWP hosting account
Site Created: New site created in MagicWP dashboard
Domain: Domain pointed to MagicWP (for final migration)
Subdomain Access: Temporary subdomain for testing

Installation and Setup

Install Duplicator Plugin

Access WordPress Admin
- Log in to your current WordPress admin dashboard
- Navigate to Plugins → Add New
Search and Install
- Search for "Duplicator"
- Click Install Now on the official plugin
- Click Activate to enable the plugin
Access Duplicator
- Go to Duplicator in your WordPress admin menu
- Click Create New to start the backup process

Creating Migration Package

Step 1: Package Configuration

Package Name
- Enter a descriptive name (e.g., "Site Migration to MagicWP")
- Choose storage location for the package
Storage Options
- Local Server: Store on current server (default)
- Dropbox/Google Drive: Store in cloud storage
- FTP/SFTP: Upload directly to MagicWP server

Step 2: Scan Site

Run Site Scan
- Click Next to run the site scanner
- Duplicator will analyze your site for potential issues
Review Scan Results
- Check for any warnings or errors
- Resolve any compatibility issues
- Note large files that may cause problems

Step 3: Build Package

Start Build Process
- Click Build to create the migration package
- This may take several minutes for large sites
Package Components
- Archive File: Contains all WordPress files (.zip)
- Installer File: PHP script for restoration (.php)
- Database File: SQL dump of your database (.sql)
Download Package
- Download the archive file to your computer
- Download the installer file
- Keep the database file for reference

Migration Process

Method 1: Direct Upload to MagicWP

Upload Files to MagicWP

Access MagicWP File Manager
- Log in to your MagicWP dashboard
- Navigate to File Manager for your site
Upload Migration Files
- Upload the archive file (.zip) to public_html
- Upload the installer file (.php) to public_html
- Ensure files have correct permissions (644 for files, 755 for directories)

Run Duplicator Installer

Access Installer
- Visit https://yourdomain.com/installer.php
- Follow the installation wizard
Step 1: Deployment
- Accept the terms and conditions
- Choose deployment type (default settings recommended)
Step 2: Archive Validation
- Verify the archive file is accessible
- Check file permissions and ownership
Step 3: Database Setup
- Enter MagicWP database credentials
- Test database connection
- Choose database action (create new recommended)
Step 4: Update Configuration
- Update site URLs to new domain
- Configure new file paths
- Set up admin credentials
Step 5: Final Installation
- Review all settings
- Click Install to complete migration

Method 2: Manual Upload and Restore

Prepare MagicWP Environment

Create New Site
- Set up a fresh WordPress installation in MagicWP
- Note down database credentials
- Keep default WordPress installation

Upload and Extract

Upload Archive
- Upload the Duplicator archive to your server
- Use FTP, SFTP, or file manager
Extract Archive
```
unzip duplicator-archive.zip
```
Run Installer
- Access the installer.php file in your browser
- Follow the step-by-step installation wizard

Database Migration

Database Connection Setup

Database Credentials
- Host: Usually localhost or MagicWP database server
- Database Name: Your MagicWP database name
- Username: MagicWP database username
- Password: MagicWP database password
Database Creation
- Create new database in MagicWP (recommended)
- Or use existing empty database
- Ensure proper character set (UTF8 recommended)

Database Import Options

Overwrite: Replace existing database (use with fresh installation)
Merge: Combine with existing data (advanced users only)
Skip: Skip database import (for file-only migration)

File System Migration

Handling Large Files

Chunk Upload: Break large files into smaller chunks
Resume Upload: Continue interrupted uploads
Selective Upload: Upload files in batches

Permission Management

File Permissions: Set correct permissions (644 for files, 755 for folders)
Ownership: Ensure web server can access files
Security: Remove installer files after migration

URL Updates

Automatic URL Updates

Duplicator automatically updates:

Site URL: Main WordPress URL
Home URL: Homepage URL
Database URLs: URLs stored in database

Manual URL Updates (if needed)

-- Update site URLs in database
UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = REPLACE(option_value, 'old-domain.com', 'new-domain.com') WHERE option_name IN ('siteurl', 'home');

-- Update post content URLs
UPDATE wp_posts SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content, 'old-domain.com', 'new-domain.com');

-- Update post meta
UPDATE wp_postmeta SET meta_value = REPLACE(meta_value, 'old-domain.com', 'new-domain.com');

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Archive Creation Issues

Memory Limits: Increase PHP memory limit
Timeout Errors: Extend execution time
Large Files: Exclude cache directories from archive

Upload Problems

File Size Limits: Check upload limits in php.ini
Connection Issues: Use FTP for large files
Permission Errors: Set correct file permissions

Database Connection Issues

Incorrect Credentials: Double-check database details
Firewall Blocking: Ensure database server allows connections
Character Encoding: Use UTF8 character set

URL Update Problems

Serialized Data: Handle serialized PHP data carefully
Hardcoded URLs: Search for hardcoded URLs in theme files
CDN URLs: Update content delivery network URLs

Post-Migration Tasks

Security Cleanup

Remove Installer Files

rm installer.php
rm duplicator-archive.zip

Update Admin Credentials
- Change default admin password
- Create new admin user if needed
Security Scan
- Run security plugins
- Check file permissions
- Update security settings