Step By Step WordPress

Jim,

I'm going to document my every move in getting my regular html site onto Wordpress. When I'm done I'll write the steps in as simple a matter as I can, and if you want to, use it on your site so people can ask you more particular questions instead of "step" questions. If it doesn't drive you crazy, please answer the questions in any order you like but number your answers incoordination with my questions. Here goes....

Considering there's stuff you have to download for the making my regualr website into a Wordpress website

1) Can I do this transition to wordpress using Windows ME? I know it's old but I just don't have any problems with it, and I haven't had any time to work with my new computer with XP Pro. (Forget Vista)

2) Are there any well known operating systems that would be difficult to use for this transition?

3) How much RAM do you think I need?


3) What should I make sure my Webhost has in place before I start this transition?

4) What do you think of this question to ask my webhost - Is there anything I should know before I transfer my site to wordpress?

Thanks a bunch Jim,

Roger

__________________
Nutritional Deficiencies Cause Many Medical
Diseases

Roger,

Who is your webhost - I can then answer in greater detail.

I'll walk you through the entire process - no worries! Just remember me when you start raking in the bucks, OK

Regards,

Jim.

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Jim,


1) I guess it's a different process for each webhost. I called my webhost and they said that on the control panel (where things like promotional options, preferences options, files options, logs, security, domains, software/services and that sort of stuff is located) under software/services is an option called Fantastico Deluxe. I went into Fantastico and saw a long list of "scripts".

So I guess the first thing for a reader intersted in wordpress should do is to call their webhost and ask if their webhost has scripts available to turn their site into a wordpress website?

My webhost is Bluehost.com

2) You say wordpress is great, but what is it? Why should anyone be interested in Wordpress to begin with? What can it do for me?


Thanks,


Roger

__________________
Nutritional Deficiencies Cause Many Medical
Diseases

I don't have an account on bluehost, but my hosting companies do have fantastico although I have never used it. I'll have to play with this to guide you correctly.

Why use Wordpress? Oh, I can give you reasons all day login why you should use a CMS (content management system) like Wordpress, but I'll mention a few.

For starters, your competition (big business with big bucks) will / is using some type of content management system that was either built by their staff or is freely available, such as Wordpress. I'll bet you a bottle of Magnesium Asportate that you can't find a big site that is static and ranking in the top ten for their term.

To compete, your site has to be dynamic. If it isn't, you'll be spending all your time making changes to individual pages, correcting errors, adding content and more.

Automate all that and you'll have time to concentrate on your content. Without good content, forget about having a successful long-term site!

Another benefit are themes, literally thousands of them to chose from and they are all free! For those that get themes from sites other than Wordpress, watch out! I just came across a footer file that had obfuscated code that gave the creator full control of the links that appear on your site. This is the second time I've found code like this! I'll show you how to spot and fix these themes later.

Plugins – little add on programs are another major benefit, such as WP-DB-Backup, WP-Cache, Translation tools, adsense formatting tools, seo tools and so much more. These programs with the right Wordpress configuration will allow you to stand head to head with the big guys (and most times, beat them).

These are just a few of the reasons why you should use Wordpress. There are other CMS packages out there as well, such as Joomla, but my experience is with Wordpress.

We'll set up a temporary site and work on that; once it's completed and configured, we'll then make the switch and few minutes later, you're up and running! This is an important part and can really mess things up if not done correctly.

Not to worry - I'll guide you through this and in the end, you'll wish you had done it sooner. If not, I'll give you 100% of your money back – oh, that's right, I'm doing this for free

Do you have a spare domain? If not, then buy one and we'll use that to play with.

Regards,

Jim.

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Firewall Test Internet Speed Test Sitemap Generator

Jim,

I'll remeber you if I make the big bucks, and I'll remember you if I don't ;>
That Jim guy. Man, I should have stayed at the track. Cold beer, warm sun.
Now I'm stuck infront of this computer all the time.


Jim, I have a bunch of domains I'm losing money on. Let's use CO2Network.com. It's a site I already have up. If you want just a domain, let's use getafixedrateloan.com, both domains rented from 1&1.com.


Thanks Jim,

Roger

__________________
Nutritional Deficiencies Cause Many Medical
Diseases

Hi Roger,

If you don't have a directory for this domain set up, which it looks like you don't, then do the following:

Log into your 1and1.com account by visiting admin.1and1.com
Click on the Administration Tab (next to the Account tab).
Click on the Domains Icon
click on your domain getafixedrateloan.com (nice domain name BTW)
next to Destination you'll see Edit, click on that
Under Home Directory, choose Create New Directory
type in /GFRL and select OK

Now that we have created the directory to house our wordpress files, we're going to set up a MySQL Database.

Click on the Administration Tab
Click on the MySQL Administration icon
Click on the New Database tab, it's hard to see and right under the MySQL Configuration heading
You'll be prompted for a description, enter something like Wordpress and select MySQL 5.0
You'll see a summary of information, Database name, username, password, etc. - Write these down.

You're done at 1and1 for the time being. Now you'll download and FTP program.

Fantastico can automate things up to this point. However, it can't help you install plugins and themes, for this you'll need a program that will transfer these files to your server. Some hosting companies don't have fantastico, so we might as well do it ourselves (wasn't hard, right?).

The FTP program I use is FileZilla located at http://filezilla-project.org/download.php (actually, CuteFTP now, but FileZilla if free).

Download the recommended windows version of FileZilla and install it on your computer.

When you are at this point, let me know.

Regards,

Jim.

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Firewall Test Internet Speed Test Sitemap Generator

Jim,

At Destination and Edit I get Home Directory but under Home Directory there's no Create New Directory, only Forward Your Domain. If you choose that, they want a web address "Forwarding destination ... Ex. http://www.1and1.com". I don't see Create New Directory.

Roger

__________________
Nutritional Deficiencies Cause Many Medical
Diseases

Hi Roger,

I think you are in the Select Destination Type area.

Right under that is the Home Directory area which tells you the current directory, home directory and existing directory. What is the current directtory? I'm guessing / right? Under Home Directory, choose create a new directiry, then type in /GFRL and select OK.

If the current directory is something other than /, then stop and let me know what it is.

Regards,

Jim.

__________________
Firewall Test Internet Speed Test Sitemap Generator

Jim,
I called 1 and 1 and they said I have no hosting with any of my domains. The only way to do that directory stuff is to have webhosting. I do have webhoisting at bluehost. but I don't have any domains there. Anytime I put up a site I point the domain from 1&1 to Bluehost. I really don't want hosting at 1 and 1 because I have virtually limitless webspace at Bluehost until August 2010. I called Bluehost and they said there's a wordpress installer option in Fantastico Deluxe. Here's what's in Fantastico: (I see wordpress under the 2nd heading section - blogs
Fantastico

Navigation
Fantastico Home
Control Panel Home

Blogs
b2evolution
Nucleus
WordPress

Content Management
Drupal
Geeklog
Joomla
Mambo Open Source
PHP-Nuke
phpWCMS
phpWebSite
Post-Nuke
Siteframe
Xoops

Customer Relationship
Crafty Syntax Live Help
Help Center Live
osTicket
PHP Support Tickets
Support Services Manager

Discussion Boards
phpBB2
SMF

E-Commerce
CubeCart
OS Commerce
Zen Cart

F.A.Q.
FAQMasterFlex

Hosting Billing
AccountLab Plus
phpCOIN

Image Galleries
4Images Gallery
Coppermine Photo Gallery
Gallery

Polls and Surveys
Advanced Poll
phpESP
PHPSurveyor

Project Management
PHProjekt

Site Builders
Templates Express

Wiki
TikiWiki
PhpWiki

Other Scripts
Moodle
Open-Realty
phpAdsNew
PHPauction
phpFormGenerator
WebCalendar

Extras
Language
Side menu appearance
Email notifications
Installations overview


If I click on wordpress I get


Short description: WordPress is a personal publishing tool with focus on aesthetics and featuring cross-blog tool, password protected posts, importing, typographical niceties, multiple authors, bookmarklets.
Homepage: http://wordpress.org/

WordPress support forum
(We are not associated with the support forum)

New Installation (2.3.2)
Disk space required: 4.52 MB
Disk space available: 204787.5 MB


Current installations:
None


(See all thos MBs I have - 200 gigabytes.)


Thanks,

Roger

__________________
Nutritional Deficiencies Cause Many Medical
Diseases

Jim,

I did change the DNS on getafixedrateloan.com from 1 & 1 to Bluehost (ns1.bluehost.com ns2.bluehost.com)

Roger

__________________
Nutritional Deficiencies Cause Many Medical
Diseases