[Plugin: WordPress Move] MOVE unsuccessful…

If you used the Change Domain Name tool, it makes changes on the installation you are using which is simply finding and replacing every single instance of your domain name in your database.

Ok…. what does that mean? With all due respect, that just provided me no understandable direction for anything. I really appreciate your response. I just need direction as I am not nearly as educated on your plugin. Again, no offense at all, just needing clean steps to remedy.

Thank you!

Well, neither your original post nor your last comment provided me nothing too ??

Did you use the Change Domain Name tool or the Migrate tool?

LOL! sorry!

Steps:
[1] I went into WordPress Move Settings, [2] completed the necessary ftp fields in addition to the default backup path you suggest on the screen. [3] Went to Tools Migration Assistant and [4] opted for “Change Domain Name”, [5] provided the two domain names, and [6] “Change!”

Now, I’m here with no existing site, just one wp-admin access and none of the last year’s worth of inputs. When I try to access the old domain it bounces me to the new domain with no content, plugins, themes, etc.

Make sense?

Yes, it makes sense, thank you ??

The problem is, you just used the wrong tool. As I said, Change Domain Name tool performs the domain name changing operation on your existing installation. What you were trying to do was to create another instance of your WordPress installation on a different server which will use a different domain name, right? If so, you should have used the Migrate tool (the one in the middle on the Migration Assistant page) and filled in the Change Domain Name text fields on that page, which would do exactly what you were trying to.

To revert everything back:

1. Point your new domain to your old server.
2. Use the Migrate tool this time but without filling in Change Domain Name fields.
3. After everything is successfully sent to the new server, go to the Migration Assistant page again.
4. This time, use the Change Domain Name tool but use your new domain as your old domain and your old domain as your new domain.
5. Once domain name changing operation is successfully completed, point your new domain to your new server.

After all these, you will have your old server using your old domain name and your new server using your new domain name with the exact same content your old server has.

Right now, the situation is:

Old Server is using Old Domain Name
Old WordPress Installation is using New Domain Name (This is the problem)

New Server is using New Domain Name
New WordPress Installation is using New Domain Name

You are seeing an empty installation when you visit the new domain, because it is pointing to your new server which has no content. Your old server has all the content but even though WordPress thinks it is using the new domain name, it actually isn’t.

Let me know, if you have any further questions ??

Added detail for step 1: both domains are on the same server… so there is no “old server”. With that information, now what?

Thanks!

Doesn’t matter, you can follow the same steps.

I swear I went through your steps exactly (without step 1) and I am in the exact same place. No new site, no old site. I just want out of this! Please advise!
Thank you.

Why are you skipping the first step? That’s the whole point…

Step 1 reads; “Point your new domain to your old server.”
Both domains are on the same server, so there is no old server. Again, you’re assuming I know what you are talking about. I don’t know your vocabulary, nor do I live in your mind to understand what you think you are saying. I’m frustrated because you are glossing over the details. I obviously need specifics so I can do EXACTLY as you think I need to do.

Hey, I’m just trying to get out of this. I appreciate your time and energy on the plugin. The way it was worded to me, I was doing what I needed to do. You explained that I was wrong. There’s a happy and sad path with UI development… I’m on the sad path right now. I’m not trying to piss you off, I’m trying to get out of your hair!

So, thanks again. I just need more specifics I guess. If both domains are on the same server, how do I point a domain at an old server?

Advanced processes like migration require at least some knowledge about how things work. I always try to do my best to help every single user out there asking for help, as soon as possible which is not something I have to do. However, if you cannot describe your situation clearly, unfortunately I cannot help you. Your first 3 comments were nowhere near being clear and when you told me that you skipped the first step, you did not even tell me the reason. I am here trying to help you but it is you who is going to make it faster and easier.

“Pointing a domain” is not from the vocabulary of mine, it is a phrase that is being used by everyone. Googling it returns over 40 million results and there are even videos showing you how to do it. I cannot tell you how to do it because the process varies from one hosting company to another. For these kinds of things, you need to refer to the documentation or the help guide provided by your host. If you are still not sure how to do it, open a ticket in the support section of your hosting provider and ask them whether they can do it for you or not. I would love to tell you how to do it in detail, but unfortunately (for obvious reasons) I cannot.

From the FAQ section of the documentation provided with WordPress Move:

6. Does WordPress Move take care of changing the whole domain name changing process?
No, it does not. WordPress Move just replaces instances of your old domain name in your database with the new domain name you provide. It is still your responsibility to point your domain name to the name servers used by your hosting company and make necessary configurations on the control panel provided by your hosting company. Before starting this process, please request assistance from your hosting company as some companies’ systems erase all your data without creating backups when you change your domain name. Also, do not forget that it is always a good idea to have a backup of your files and the database before starting operations like these.

Once you successfully point your new domain to your old account, please follow the steps 2, 3, 4 and 5, in that order. If you encounter another problem, just let me know so that I can assist you.

Guess what? If you do a Google search for, “Point your new domain to your old server”, only 1 result is returned. Awesome.

Can you try to explain to me what “old server” is?

I said Googling “Pointing a domain” returns over 40 million results. You can see them here.

By saying Old Server or Old Account, I mean your hosting account where your Old Site is hosted. 99% of the time, users migrate from one server to another which is why I’m using that phrase. Even if you migrate from and to the same server, Old Server and New Server are still valid phrases, they simply happen to share the same IP address.