New forum - UK Web Hosting | Dedicated Server Windows and Linux VPS Forum

**MonteJon** · #1 (**permalink**) 12-08-2007, 21:53

Help !
I currently have a forum with Informe.com running version 2.1 of the phpBB software which is free and as a result not up to much !

I now have over 200 members and anticipate having well over 500 by christmas 2007.
However, I am fed-up to the back teeth with both the forum software and the style and the fact I have no access to any of the files so cannot change anything.

I am looking for a paid hosting service that I can move to.
The problem is I know nothing about what I need to do and require a host who will take me step by step through the set-up. I also don't know what to do about the current url of my forum, if I move will I lose it ?

I've tried several other hosts before coming here and all they did was send me details of their price plans.
I need a host who will help me, I'm not paying out good money to be told what I already can see.
So, are you the ones ?
I'll await a reply and pray !
Thanks,
Jon

**WelshTom** · #2 (**permalink**) 12-08-2007, 22:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonteJon

Help !
I currently have a forum with Informe.com running version 2.1 of the phpBB software which is free and as a result not up to much !

I now have over 200 members and anticipate having well over 500 by christmas 2007.
However, I am fed-up to the back teeth with both the forum software and the style and the fact I have no access to any of the files so cannot change anything.

I am looking for a paid hosting service that I can move to.
The problem is I know nothing about what I need to do and require a host who will take me step by step through the set-up. I also don't know what to do about the current url of my forum, if I move will I lose it ?

I've tried several other hosts before coming here and all they did was send me details of their price plans.
I need a host who will help me, I'm not paying out good money to be told what I already can see.
So, are you the ones ?
I'll await a reply and pray !
Thanks,
Jon

Hi. Firstly, I'd just like to say welcome to the forum, and sorry for the long delay between a reply!

From reading your post, I gather you have obtained a free forum from Informe.com? If this is the case, you will not be able to keep your URL, unless you own your own specific domain name, (I.E yourforum.com).

If you do not already own a domain name, you will not be able to keep your old website address. However, I do believe that all hosting packages eUKhost come with a free domain, so you will be able to choose a new address for your forum (I.E yourforum.com).

eUKhost are extremely reliable, and friendly, so they are more than likely to help you transfer your forum onto the web hosting account.

I suggest you get a linux shared hosting plan (rather than a windows one), as they are more reliable. You can find these plans at http://www.eukhost.com/packages.php

If you need any more help, feel free to ask any member of staff at eUKhost, or you can add me on MSN (msn@trwilliams.net) where we can discuss further.

**jc8654** · #3 (**permalink**) 13-08-2007, 11:52

Just to echo Thomas, the support staff here are really amazing and will help you sort stuff whether it be something simple or complicated. I'm sure we'll get a comment from Mark (the boss man!) or someone else from eUKhost soon regarding this.

**eUKhost.com** · #4 (**permalink**) 13-08-2007, 13:19

Hello Jon,

We can definitively take you step-by-step to help you start your forum. You can either get your domain name transferred under our registration and continue to use the same domain name or you can choose a new domain name and start a completely new forum.

Please feel free to ask once you signup and we will guide you to ensure that your forum is relaunched successfully.

You may also refer some tutorials from http://www.eukhost.com/support/ as we have some high quality flash tutorials available in our support section and some FAQ's in our knowledgebase.

Make sure that you signup for the cpanel - Linux hosting plan only and not for Windows.

**MonteJon** · #5 (**permalink**) 30-08-2007, 21:17

Wow ! I did'nt expect such a swift and helpful reply from you all, I'm sorry I've not replied sooner !
I must say I'm impressed by the quality of the posts and feel quite re-assured.
I've had a look at some of the tutorials and I actually understood them . . . Whatever next !
So, you're now in joint first place as far as me choosing a new host goes.
I'd just appreciate a few more answers if possible.

Why choose the Linux hosting plan and not windows. I'm currently using XP and don't really want to change [I told you I was'nt too well informed . . . ]

I'm confused about your mention of transferring domain name etc.
How much of "wysifauthoring.informe.com" would I be able to keep ?

How many forums do you actually host and what forum software is the most popular ?
[as in IPB/vBulletin/phpBB etc]

I have been informed [rightly or wrongly] that the minimum system requirements I require for vBulletin are :
PHP - 4.4.2 / 5.1.2
My SQL - 4.0.16 / 5.0.19

What are you able to offer with regards to these ?

I await an answer with interest.
Thankyou all so much once again for all your help !
Jon

**flesso** · #6 (**permalink**) 30-08-2007, 21:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonteJon

Wow ! I did'nt expect such a swift and helpful reply from you all, I'm sorry I've not replied sooner !
I must say I'm impressed by the quality of the posts and feel quite re-assured.
I've had a look at some of the tutorials and I actually understood them . . . Whatever next !
So, you're now in joint first place as far as me choosing a new host goes.
I'd just appreciate a few more answers if possible.

Why choose the Linux hosting plan and not windows. I'm currently using XP and don't really want to change [I told you I was'nt too well informed . . . ]

I'm confused about your mention of transferring domain name etc.
How much of "wysifauthoring.informe.com" would I be able to keep ?

How many forums do you actually host and what forum software is the most popular ?
[as in IPB/vBulletin/phpBB etc]

I await an answer with interest.
Thankyou all so much once again for all your help !
Jon

Windows is crap for web hosting to be totally honest with you. If you want to use forum software such as phpBB or vBulletin, or any other PHP/MySQL powered forum system then you would be best off with Linux as PHP and MySQL are only really designed for Linux; you will also encouter better uptime with Linux as Windows is less stable than Linux (it's a fact of life). 'wysifauthoring.informe.com' is a subdomain, so unless you have access to the DNS of informe.com you will not be able to host under the subdomain, so I highly suggest that you buy a new domain, however if you do own informe.com you will be able to transfer it over into the control of you're euk account, with ease; I won't go into the technical aspects of that now. We currently host over 6000 websites, most of which are running forums. All our servers are running PHP5 and MySQL 5.

**eUKhost.com** · #7 (**permalink**) 30-08-2007, 21:42

We also have some Linux Servers with PHP 4.4.7 and MySQL 4.1.21 so we can setup your account on one of this servers but if you have no problem with php 5 and mysql 5 then you will have your account setup on php 5 / mysql 5 server by default.

Windows is good for those who need ASP.NET and MS SQL. Those who don't need asp.net and mssql should not consider windows.

**WelshTom** · #8 (**permalink**) 30-08-2007, 21:57

You do not need to change your operating system on your computer to use linux web hosting.

**Frazer** · #9 (**permalink**) 30-08-2007, 22:07

"I'm currently using XP and don't really want to change" - no you would not have to change from XP on your PC. Linux will run on the server at eukhost and you will have little interaction with it.

"How much of "wysifauthoring.informe.com" would I be able to keep ?" - informe.com belongs to someone else and they own all the 'sub-domains' including wysifauthoring.informe.com. However you will be able to buy wysifauthoring.com and/or wysifauthoring.co.uk, or pick another name that's not already owned.

With regard to forum software, phpBB are just about to release version 3. Once you have chosen your host it will be worth downloading the latest version and having a look.

**MonteJon** · #10 (**permalink**) 30-08-2007, 22:11

Phew ! 3 replies in less than an hour whilst I've been looking through your customer testimonials, very impressed indeed ! [Thanks to all !]

So, I need to work out now which forum software to use, phpBB or vBulletin.
I'm going to check these out thoroughly and will be back in a week or so.

Thankyou all very much for your help !
Jon

**eUKhost.com** · #11 (**permalink**) 30-08-2007, 22:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonteJon

Phew ! 3 replies in less than an hour whilst I've been looking through your customer testimonials, very impressed indeed ! [Thanks to all !]

So, I need to work out now which forum software to use, phpBB or vBulletin.
I'm going to check these out thoroughly and will be back in a week or so.

Thankyou all very much for your help !
Jon

Glad to hear that

You may take a look at following links before making a decision on one of this forum softwares :-

http://www.eukhost.com/support/knowl...-or-vbulletin/

Which Forum software is best?

vBulletin or IPB?

(Forums)YaBB, phpBB or SMF?

Upgrade To Vbulletin?

Cheers !

**jc8654** · #12 (**permalink**) 31-08-2007, 00:21

Firstly, welcome to the forum!!!

Just thought I'd add a couple of things to this that I thought might be useful.

As said previously, linux hosting would be best suited to your needs. With eukhost linux hosting, everything in your account is easily updated and configured from a control panel interface (similar to that in XP). It's really easy to use and there's no need for in depth computer knowledge to do anything with it. If you do get stuck, there's always the tutorials which you've found or the 24X7 online support chat or email to get help. And there's all of us lot on here! We sometimes have our uses!

In cPanel itself, there is a nice little section called "Fantastico" which takes the hassle from creating things like forums, galleries, guestbooks etc. on the server. Within a few clicks, you can have the thing set up and working. PHPBB2 is the only one of the software you were talking about installed there so if you wanted VBulletin it wouldn't help, but it's a useful thing to know. And ultimately it's not that difficult to install something yourself and as I say, if you get stuck just shout.

Anyway, thought that might be some use but I would definately recommend eukhost. I've had problems with other companies but the support here is great!

**Brian** · #13 (**permalink**) 31-08-2007, 06:00

Support here is second to none. Ive been here for about 7(ish) years now, and have serveral websites. You should be able to back up the database on your PHPBB forum and bring it over to eUKhost. I have never used free hosting, so it *may* be disabled im not sure. Youll find that things are allot faster, secure, fun, and reliable here at euk than they would be at your free hosting. The support are usually very fast fixing problems, and we have a great community here too where you can bounce around and ask questions or whatever. We dont think any questionss are stupid, because we only know what we know because weve screwed up at some stage too!

Good luck!

**jc8654** · #14 (**permalink**) 31-08-2007, 09:59

This thread might be useful to you. It's not exactly the same, but my post on their would explain how to get people to move to your new website. If you get a new website address for it, you wouldn't need to do anything with DNS but you could change the link/ forwarder to your new site:

The thread: http://www.eukhost.com/forums/showth...0134#post20134

My post:

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc8654

What I would suggest about the time issue is you close the old forum down as said before and put a message at that page saying the forum is down etc.

Now, with eukhost they will give you a temp address to go to the website while the dns is propogating which will be something like http://84.84.84.84/~username. If you put this as a link on your old website (or a forwarder), anyone who hadn't had their dns updated would get the message and be able to click the temp link or getting taken to the new server automatically. Obviously you would have put the website up on the new server a.s.a.p. (it could be already set up before the change and you'd just have to import the database) which would minimise any downtime. Hopefully then it would be actually unavailable for around 1 hour max (it should be more like minutes really depending on the download and transfer of the database) even if people then had to maybe redirect themselves for the next 48 hours tops (but as I say, this could be done automatically with a redirect).

Hope that all makes sense.