How would I migrate content from a Sharepoint Foundation 2010 Site on one server to another server?

Also, any custom features/web parts need to be installed on the target.

Can I migrate the content from the other Server to the new Server without the configuration settings?

I ask because I addressed the health analyzer report issues shown in the sharepoint admins site for the New server.
However, the old installation that I want to migrate shows several  health analyzer report issues.  Thanks,

Depends what the config is.  Do a test run.

Not sure how I would do a test run. Once I copied the site onto the new Server I would know the answer but that is not a test.

What are you suggesting? Please clarify.

How is copying the site to the new server not a test?  You are seeing if it works correctly, right?  if it works, leave it.  if not, delete it and go back to the drawing board.

oh, you are going from TEST to PROD.....thought it was the other way around.  sorry.

what config is different?

From my post above -

I ask because I addressed the health analyzer report issues shown in the sharepoint admins site for the New Production server.
However, the old installation that I want to migrate shows several  health analyzer report issues, including  updates needed - Sharepoint Foundation installs out of date databases that need to  be updated - does that make sense to you? Some other reported issues as well.  Don't want to migrate these analyzer issues -

Isn't there a way to migrate the content and not the configurations etc.

Thanks,

If you want I can send you a screen shot of the Health Analyzer Report of the Test Sharepoint Site tomorrow AM.

All you have to do is detach your content db from test and attach it to the live db server.

Then in central admin create your new web application and attach the content database.

This is the simplest way to migrate a web application's content without configuration.

You will have to configure the production farm and create the enw web app first.

I would not recommend doing what lucey stated, it's even more dramatic than doing a Site Collection restore.

Yes please send the screen shot.  Were either of the environments upgraded from MOSS?

In my experiences, alot of the Health stuff doesn't really affect things.

this works great for me why not try it and see if it suits your situation
Ach1lles; you should focus on your own solution and not on making recommendations re mine there can be more than one solution to a problem

I understand.  However, if he is worried about moving just one site collection, I'm sure there would be greater concern in moving multiple site collections in a content database.

Yes, moving content databases is one way to move content.

Achilles -

Health Report attached

Attached to here
spointes.txt

luceysupport

I have set up the web application - Sharepoint Site
Please explain how I would:
 detach your content db from test and attach it to the live db server.

 and attach the content database.

This is the simplest way to migrate a web application's content without configuration.

luceysupport

I will need to keep the Sharepoint site running on the test server.

The txt is empty.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc262792(office.12).aspx

You will need to backup your content database and restore it to the new prod server.

Then in central admin on the prod site, click the manage content databases link and then add content database. Enter the database name of the database you restored.

Will test solutions early this week.

update?

Will test later today.

luceysupport:


Why did you suggest the following after previously telling me I should detach the content DB from the test server and  and reattach the content database on the Production Server.
Aren't these two different ways of moving the content DB? Please clarify. Thanks

"You will need to backup your content database and restore it to the new prod server.

Then in central admin on the prod site, click the manage content databases link and then add content database. Enter the database name of the database you restored."

I told you not to detach the database from the existing server because you said you wanted to keep this site working.

Instead you can backup the dbs and then restore them to the new server.

If the content dbs are not going to be used on the test server then you can detach and attach to the new server, but be aware this will screw up your test server.

Thanks for the clarification.

When I attempt to restore the Content DB to the Production server I get the following message -

Access to the path C:\name of folder\spbrtoc.xml  is denied to account AD\PGBD$. Ensure that the Sharepoint Timer service and Microsoft SQL Server service accounts have full control permission on both the file share and the underlying folder."

Makes no sense to me since there is no Account    "AD\PGBD$"   I am logged in as   AD\myusername (administrator).
PGBD is the name of the server.  Do you know where  the  account   "AD\PGBD$" came from?
Thanks

It's the network service account
 
Look at the sptimer service change the account it is running under to one with more permissions

OK. Changed to the administrator account.

Now I get the attached error message. How could login fail for the administrator. They have full control.

Thanks
Picture-1.png

Moved backup file from shared folder to C:/     and  get a different error message (Attached).

Not clear what is happening here. "Timer job for restore operation was cancelled..."
Picture-3.png

Yes. I assumed you meant in Sharepoint.

What are the cmd lines to backup the content SQL db and restore on the other server?
Thanks

I would always use sql management studio, I don;t know the command lines off the top of my head.

OK. Hopefully, that will work.

Friend, you aren't following my suggestions either.  Mine were completely command line driven.

The very first response in this question contains two straight forward commands.  Backup the site, copy the file to the other farm, restore the site.

I've done this a thousand times in 2010 environments.  

If you remember, I only want to backup and restore the contents.
Can I use your instructions for the content DB only?  

If the answer is yes, then I could have been done with this after your first post.

I don't understand your comment.  By content you mean sites, right?  What other type of content is there?

A content db consists of one or more sites.

I don't want the configuration from the test server restored on the productions server.

What configuration?  Be specific.  Are you talking about configuration such as Seach, managed paths, list/library configuration, farm admins?  Be a bit more specific.

Also, i'm not sure why your think restoring a SITE would be more inclusive than restoring an entire DATABASE.

I answered this question at the beginning. From my post above -

"I ask because I addressed the health analyzer report issues shown in the sharepoint admins site for the New Production server.
However, the old installation that I want to migrate shows several  health analyzer report issues, including  updates needed - Sharepoint Foundation installs out of date databases that need to  be updated - does that make sense to you? Some other reported issues as well.  Don't want to migrate these analyzer issues -

Isn't there a way to migrate the content and not the configurations etc."



"Also, i'm not sure why your think restoring a SITE would be more inclusive than restoring an entire DATABASE."
Answer - In Sharepoint Backup, you have the option of back up and restore for the  Content and Config DBs separately.

Thanks,

Ok I don't think you fully understand how content databases work and what the config database is.  But that's ok.

Bottom line, what you are trying to do is move sites between environments.  You have two ways of doing this:

1. Like I suggested by using PowerShell commands to backup/restore your site collections
2. Like Lucy suggested, by backing up entire content databases, moving them, restoring them in SQL, attaching them to web apps

Either of these suggestions will NOT move farm level or web app level configuration settings into your environment.

You are correct. I don't  fully understand how content databases work and what the config database is.
However, I appreciate your helping me to understand this process a little better.

I will try your solution and let know if I have any questions. Thanks again.

ACHILLES:

Ran those commands and looks like some of the site was restored. Still need to restore webparts to be sure that all is restored.

HOWEVER, THE TEST SITE WHERE I DID THE BACKUP NO LONGER WORKS. DID NOT EXPECT THIS TO HAPPEN. A BACKUP OF THE DATABASE SHOULD NOT BREAK THE SITE. CORRECT?

THE ERROR MESSAGE IS ATTACHED.  
Picture-2.png

Achilles:

Please forget that problem.  When I did the backup apparently the  WWW service stopped. I started it and now its fine.  Thanks

Thanks for your help.
Since you both provided solutions, I split the points.

Achilles:

As you know, I followed your directions and used the scripts below to backup the db.bak and restore db.bak to a second server.
Must have been restored since Sharepoint Content from the other server now is displayed.
I expected this DB to appear when I went to SQL Management Studio under databases.
I also looked in all the MSSQL instance folders on the C drive.
Can't find it - where should it be?  Thanks

From management shell, run backup-spsite -identity "url" -path "path\filename.bak"
Copy the bak to the other environment
From management shell, run restore-spsite -identity "url" -path "path\filename.bak" -force

those commands don't backup databases.  They only backup and restore sites.  when you restore, it puts the site in the already existing db for the web app.

lucy provided steps for complete db backup/restore.  i also posted a technet article for moving db's.

Live and learn. I needed to backup and restore the complete database.

Based on your response, I chose the wrong way to solve my issue.
After restoring the sites by the Achilles method, can I now move the necessary database according to Lucysupport's solution?