Charles Lau dot Com

Like myself, you might need to transfer your blog from one server to another due to all kinds of reasons.

Possible Reasons of Moving Contents To Another Server

1. Technical problems with your web server configurations. I had problem displaying my site when there is no trailing slash at the back of the url. This is very bad because it will mean no contents found for the search engines to look for you when other websites linked to you.
2. Server downtime is very obvious. While server being inaccessible for certain timing is unavoidable, it shouldn’t be as obvious… If I couldn’t access my server very often, this is as good as I am paying money for no products given to me because my visitors can’t access it after all. This is usually due to the overload of the shared hosting of the server which that hosting company is trying to squeeze too much accounts into one server to save cost and make more money! No point going for this company anymore…
3. Limited Features in your account. While there are now so many companies providing easy access of the web hosting through a control panel, it is always good to provide as much flexibility as possible. Possible features include: FTP access, Cron job, PHP, Perl, CGI, MySQL, Password-Protect Directory, 404 error handling, Server Status, various program scripts for easy installation, fast speed internet access, high bandwidth, backup program, Web Statistics, Domain handling for addon and sub and redirect, optional SSL access and Email Accounts.
4. Unsatisfied Customer Service. Sometimes, the server is good but the customer service is really bad. For example, I wasn’t really satisfied with my answer with this current host when I ask him about certain thing and he just referred me to some tutorials without telling me anything… (But I can understand the situation because I asked a very sensitive question to him about other hosting company…) Another bad experience with a big hosting company where it is probably too big and they simply don’t help me to get it work (that trailing-slash url problem!)…

To Transfer Your WordPress To A New Host

1. Export all your tables in that database into a sql file and save it in your computer. (tutorial link)
2. Use FTP and copy out that directory where all your files reside in that old host and put it in your computer.
3. Buy a new hosting package from another company.
4. Create that same domain name to work with that new company’s server.
5. Set your DNS setting to that new company’s server.
6. While waiting for your DNS to work, FTP into the new server and copy all your files into the directory corresponding to your website directory.
7. Import your SQL file into that new company’s database. (tutorial link)
8. Done. Wait and see your new host being transferred.

Conclusion
It can be so easy using WordPress… Probably just some minor problems here and there.. But this program is super flexible for tweaking!