From Subfolder to Home Sweet Home: A Rooster’s Guide to Moving Your WordPress MU Installation

Howdy, fellow web chickens! I’m DomainRooster, your trusty guide to all things WordPress. Today, we’re gonna cluck about moving your WordPress MU installation from a subfolder, like “public/wp/,” to the home folder, where all the cool chicks hang out – the “public” folder. I’m not yolking around when I say this can be an eggs-tremely important step for your website. So, put on your farm boots, and let’s get started!

Part 1: Prepare to Migrate

1. Backup, Backup, Backup Our journey begins with the most important step: backup! You don’t want to end up with egg on your face if something goes wrong, so make sure to backup your entire WordPress installation and your database. Remember, even roosters can make mistakes.
2. Raise the Curtain: Maintenance Mode Inform your visitors about the upcoming relocation by enabling Maintenance Mode on your site. This way, they’ll know that the coop is being cleaned and will be ready for business soon.

Part 2: The Migration

1. Copy Your Files Now, it’s time to spread your wings and start copying your WordPress files from the “public/wp/” folder to the “public” folder. You can do this using an FTP client like FileZilla or through your hosting control panel’s File Manager. Make sure to copy all the files, including the hidden ones like .htaccess.
2. Update wp-config.php Once your files have landed safely in the “public” folder, you’ll need to make some changes to the wp-config.php file. Open it up in a text editor and update the following lines:

Replace “your-domain.com/wp” with “your-domain.com” and save the file.

3. Modify .htaccess Next, let’s tackle the .htaccess file. This file may be hidden, so make sure your FTP client or File Manager is set to display hidden files. Open the .htaccess file and look for the following lines:

Replace “/wp/” with just “/”, like so:

Save your changes and close the file.

4. Update Permalinks Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard and navigate to Settings > Permalinks. You don’t need to make any changes here – just click “Save Changes” to force WordPress to regenerate your permalinks with the new folder structure.
5. Search and Replace Now, let’s replace any instances of the old subfolder URL with the new home folder URL. You can do this using a plugin like “Better Search Replace” or by running a search and replace query in your database. Make sure to backup your database before you proceed, just in case.
6. Test Your Site Once the migration is complete, thoroughly test your website to make sure everything is working correctly. Check for broken links, missing images, and any other issues that might have cropped up during the move.

Part 3: Cleanup

1. Disable Maintenance Mode Now that your WordPress MU installation has a new home, it’s time to disable Maintenance Mode and let your visitors back in. Congratulations, your site is now live from the “public” folder!
2. Remove the Old Installation Once you’re confident that everything is running smoothly, you can go ahead and delete the old “public/wp/” folder. But be careful not to delete any important files or folders by mistake. Double-check before hitting that delete button!

3. Update Google Analytics and Search Console Don’t forget to update your Google Analytics tracking code and your Search Console settings to reflect your site’s new URL structure. This will ensure your site’s traffic and SEO data are accurately reported.
4. Notify Your Users (Optional) You might want to inform your users about the successful migration through a blog post, newsletter, or social media update. This way, they’ll know that the relocation went smoothly, and they can continue enjoying your site without any hiccups.

Conclusion: Well, there you have it, folks! You’ve successfully moved your WordPress MU installation from a subfolder to the home folder, like a true rooster champion. Now, your site is strutting its stuff in the big leagues, ready to crow with pride. Remember, whether you’re a fledgling or a seasoned pro, having a trusty guide like DomainRooster by your side can make all the difference. Until next time, keep on cluckin’ and peckin’ away at those web projects!

References:

1. WordPress Codex: Moving WordPress (https://codex.wordpress.org/Moving_WordPress)
2. Better Search Replace Plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/better-search-replace/)

Now, let’s take a moment to cluck about some humorous aspects of this migration journey:

• Did you know that roosters can be quite territorial? Just like moving your WordPress MU installation to a new folder, a rooster might move his flock to a new coop if he thinks it’s more suitable for his feathered family. Talk about a proud papa!
• If you thought moving your WordPress MU installation was tricky, try herding chickens! It’s said that getting a group of chickens to move in the same direction is almost impossible. Luckily, you had DomainRooster to help guide you on this migration adventure.
• Have you ever heard the phrase “pecking order”? In the chicken world, it’s a real thing! Chickens establish a hierarchy in their flock, and the same can be said for your website’s structure. By moving your WordPress MU installation to the home folder, you’ve shown your site who’s boss – you’re the top rooster now!

 

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