Notes on migrating Joomla 3.9.28+ sites to Joomla 4
I have 8 sites, of which three started in Joomla 1.5. Others later, but only 2 recent ones.
The "garbage" which has been left behind is considerable ... much of to do with Akeeba's f0f, fof, and fef .... etc. Some of the removal has to be done by accessing the database using PHPmyAdmin.
The Community Builder mess
Only one web site [AS] uses this addon. It is a good add on, but as is often the case previous migrations have left some garbage which causes huge problems when upgrading to J4.
The culprit is the version 1.0 Community Builder Admin menu installed on 27 December 2012.
After upgrading to J4.2.6 which seemed to go ok, restarting gave a 500 error [Joomla's new red screen of death]. With little information, and after much crashing and frustration, the following was done on the 3rd January 2023:
- Uninstall Community Builder 2.7.3, and disable the version 1.0 Community Builder Admin menu as it refused to be deleted.
- Using phpmyadmin, the database was searched for ""Community Builder" using the exact option.
- This found records in xxxx_menu_type [1], xxxx_extensions [1], xxxx_content [1], xxxx_action_logs [5] - which were all deleted. Note that the content was the privacy statement - and that had to be deleted as well
- The search was repeated using the both words option.
- This found 12 records in xxxx_menu, which were deleted
- Lastly the search was repeated using the all words option which found loads of records in redirect links which were deleted.
- The Community Builder "Package Installer" has to be removed as well.
The upgrade to J4.2.6 went smoothly, and Community Builder was reinstalled.
All the data was available . . . nothing was lost.
JCE Cockup
Error 1364 when Checking In _wf_profiles is because JCE puts user ID in the Checked Field status - should be 1 for checked out !
The following Joomla Documents are relevant:
- https://docs.joomla.org/Joomla_3.x_to_4.x_Step_by_Step_Migration
- https://docs.joomla.org/Special:MyLanguage/Joomla_3.10_to_4.x_Common_Migration_Errors
However there is a lot more stuff, and a lot of other problems that are not covered - which are included here.
One note on web_links. Looking at its table before I removed it revealed a lot of assaults from .ru address !
Two pieces of advice are given:
- Use the "discover" function to locate stuff that may have to be manually removed
- Use the "database fix" function to make sure all the necessary tables and fields are there.
- Also use Akeeba's Admin Tools
Update Process from J3.9.28 or higher to 4.0.y
a) Remove plugins as below at 3.10
b) Update to 3.10.2
c) Check cleaning
d) Set update options to Joomla Next
e) Update to Joomla 4.0.3
f) Install Akeeba 9.0.6, Install Admin Tools 7.0.4, Delete Akeeba 8 - see also below
NOTED that in the sql scripts there are several entries tidying up some of the items discovered. However, a few files and folders have slipped though the net. See the article early-joomla-sites-manual-cleaning.
Plugins etc for removal at 3.10
// Akeeba Strapper
// Akeeba Strapper
// PLG_CONSOLE_AKEEBABACKUP
// Breadcrumbs adv
// plg_content_geshi
// System - P3P Policy - manual removal maybe required - files and database
// System - Browser Update Warning
// Responsive Table Editor Package
// manage.myJoomla.com Secure Plugin - after a 3rd partry clean up
// system nonumber framework - its now regular labs - which won't be ready till Xmas - well Tabs n Sliders,
// Search - Web Links Plugin 3.05 november 2005
// plg_finder_weblinks Plugin
// com_weblinks Component
// mod_weblinks Module
// PHPMailer Library
// JMonitoring - Akeeba Plugin
// Mavik - 3 no [convert to Sigplus if possible]. If going to keep, disable anyway.
// beez_20
// Beez3 - manual removal required - files and database
// Beez5
// atomic
// hathor - manual removal required - files and database
// bluestork
Database cleaning - jcomments mostly done !
// jcomments tables
// datatable modules - deleted record for JComments_Latest
// remove ?_jcomments*
// check for no copy tables [different prefix] - delete if got
// check for bf_ and jupgrade_ - delete if got
File cleaning - mostly done - BUT see above - e.g. simplepie
delete files from ../administrator/libraries/vendor
delete files from ../administrator/libraries/legacy
delete files from ../language/en_GB
Notes on Cleaning AFTER updating to 4.0
file_fof30 went ....
The Auto update of Akeeba Admin Tools 6 to 7 removes 6.
The Installation of Akeeba Backup for J4 at 9.0.5 gives ver 8 removal option after migrating settings.
Remove FOF Library 2.1.1 2013-12-13 16:04:25 OK
Remove FOF Site Library 2.4.3 2015-04-22 13:15:32 went - was it there ?
Library Uninstall: Manifest file invalid or not found.
Error uninstalling library.
Remove F0F (NEW) DO NOT REMOVE Site Library revAA17947 2016-05-12
Remove FOF30 Site Library 3.3.8 2018-11-26 Ok
Placing a Read_More in a table
Select the row after which to insert the Read-More, and in the Code Editor enter this ...
</tbody>
</table>
<hr id="system-readmore" />
<table border="0" style="width: 100%;">
<tbody>
Now do a backup !