… I need to understand how I can “mash” the old schema into a new db.
you cant.
You have the dump, thats good.
delete whats your on your site except for — SAVE your wp-config.php and your current theme, and the plugins.
Upload the 2.0.2 files from a fresh zip
Go into phpmyadmin and import that dump.
Your blog will be back.
——
Then, change to the default theme.
Then, disable all your plugins.
Then delete whats your on your site except for — SAVE your wp-config.php and your plugins.
Then go download 2.1.3 and upload those files to your site, with the following exceptions:
You do not need to worry about any of the js stuff inside wp-includes.
They have no effect on the upgrade process
You also dont need any images
Just the core stuff …
Then load wp-admin/upgrade.php in your browser
Then take a quick peek at your source to make sure you are upgraded to 2.1.3
Then delete whats your on your site except for — SAVE your wp-config.php and your plugins.
Then go download 2.3.3 and upload those files to your site, with the following exceptions:
You do not need to worry about any of the js stuff inside wp-includes.
They have no effect on the upgrade process
You also dont need any images
Just upload the core stuff …
Then load wp-admin/upgrade.php in your browser
Then take a quick peek at your source to make sure you are upgraded to 2.3.3
Then delete whats your on your site except for — SAVE your wp-config.php and your plugins.
Then go download 2.6.3 and upload ALL of those files to your site. (Compare the new wp-config.sample.php to your old wp-config.php and make the necessary changes.)
Then load wp-admin/upgrade.php in your browser
Then youre done.
I have done that all in less than 15 minutes on yahoo server. Of course, I’ve done a lot of upgrades. Once you know the routine, it’s very easy.
PS: I left out the yahoo specific bits about having to change db permissions and what-not to do upgrades on Yahoo only because you didnt have any problem with the last one that pointed to that being necessary.
What I’ve provided is full-proof (unless I typo’d and thats possible as I havent slept in quite a while). Youre version of WP wont play nice with a straight upgrade to 2.6.x
Go the incremental route.