Only for Experts

  • Clearly this plugin requires you to know in detail how to work with databases and back end WordPress. The free version is flaky and fails with very unclear log feedback. I thought it would be simple but its not. I got about two stages into the install process when migrating a site and the installer showed failed connection then worked then reported a wp-cofig file already there – yes of course the installer had just placed it! So I removed it and the installer ran then it jumped back to the start of stage 3 with no warning and no feedback log. Then it failed to connect – then I gave up. Leaves me with a half installation and no site. void unless you are an absolute expert – and if you are I would think you could do it without this plugin?

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

  • Some feedback for your benefit – As a portion of services I provide for my clients I build and maintain websites. It may be about 25% of what I provide to them, so I am not doing it all day every day. Duplicator is a great tool, but like you say it requires at least some comfort with using cPanel and the like to set up a database. Not much more, however.

    For a lot of my customers for whom I’ve built a site I suggest they use either basic backup services or managed backup services provided by their host for any routine backup. Of course, this is suggested whenever I am not routinely managing their site. These are usually accomplished without any interaction and reverting to a past backup usually requires one button click or two. So, for those who are not comfortable with the technology used in website building, it is a great option. Even discount hosts tend to have a reasonably priced solution. A few, however, I thought were too high.

    Hope that helps.

    Thread Starter Brian Homer

    (@brian-homer)

    Thanks for that. I just could not get the free version of Duplicator to work. In the end my first site to migrate is quite quiet so I went back to an old BackUp Buddy backup and used Import Buddy to successfully restore it to new cPanel hosting. Because the hosting I was recently forced to go to doesn’t support Cron jobs it has been much more difficult than it should be. I’m now faced with manually downloading 2 busier sites and manually uploading them to the Cpanel hosting – not looking forward to it! And now Duplicator failed on the quiet site I have no confidence that it would work for theses busier sites. With Cron available BackUp Buddy is very good.

    Hey @brian-homer,

    Sorry things didn’t go smoothly. We didn’t see you reach out for help on any of the forums… wish you would have reached out; as we would have tried our best to help you get going. Typically in most cases, we are able to get users around issues like the one you had. As you can see we have lots of 5 stars so the plugin overall is of solid quality, however, there are certain hosts and environments that we can’t always anticipate what issues might arise. Typically before giving a one star most WordPress community users will reach out for some help as software in this open system ecosystem requires input from the community to help make the software better and there are lots of moving and complex requirements needed when migrating a site.

    Hope you can reconsider your vote.

    Cheers~

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • The topic ‘Only for Experts’ is closed to new replies.