How To Clone Wordress Websites

[clonemybusiness]

I want to take an existing self-hosted Worpress website and copy it exactly to another domain name, not just once, but dozens of times.

I have looked at software like http://wordpresscloner.com and http://www.wpmanagerdx.com

But these won't do what I want for two reasons...

1) They only appear to copy blogs to the same server

2) They only appear to copy the Wordpress functionality, not the pages and page content. Is this true, though? Do they also copy all the database content?

I used to copy websites in such a manner using MS FrontPage which was great, all I had to do was fill in the new domain name and login details, then click Publish and it was done. A perfect clone.

But now that Wordpress is around and has so many benefits, I want to have the same ability as MS FrontPage, but applied to Wordpress sites.

I'd be grateful for any advice and ideas.

---

Hi, I just found this:- http://wptweaks.net/

It seems to do what the expensive software does and it works across different domains. (unlike the others).

Still doesn't copy content, though.

[Vita_Vee]

You can use this software to copy the blog settings and design and for the content you can use the export and import functions of wordpress.

You find them in the "tools" section of your wordpress administration panel.

[clonemybusiness]

Hi Vita, thanks for that.

I have been trying for the last few hours and 'nearly' succeeded.

What I achieved:-

Backed up the source website http://www.mindandmoneymatters.com using the backup facility in CPanel, backing up database and 'home page' separately.

Installed WP on http://www.my-lifestyle-matters.com (the target website) including ALL the plugins that were installed on the source website. (If any plugin on target site is not installed the restore fails)

Restored the source backups on the target website using the backup facility in CPanel.

The target site is then a clone of the source site in every way, including domain name and login details.

I managed to change the domain name in the WP dashboard of the target site, but I can only log in at target_site/wp-admin using the Uname/Pword for the source site.

Then, not surprisingly, I am taken to the WP Dashboard of the source site.

The home page of the target site ie http://www.my-lifestyle-matters.com shows a white screen.

And now the source site has become scrambled!

I'll see if I can restore the source site via it's backup.

So, it nearly works, but it seems that since the target is a perfect clone as the source, the login urls and passwords have also transferred and confused themselves.

I'll try it all again, but I'll use test sites with no plugins. (They take too long to load and configure)

[Vita_Vee]

There's also another thing you will have to deal with.

Usually your database name and user name are prefixed with the username you use to login in your cpanel.

So for example if your cpanel username is superuser
then your database name will be prefixed with superuser_

You will hence have 2 different database names and database_user names on your source and target sites.

So I believe you will have to change the settings.php or config.php file of the target site to reflect the new database name and database_user name.

Vita Vee

[clonemybusiness]

I tried again using backup and restore from WP Dashboard. tools/Export.

This exports a .xml file which can be imported into another website.

It works and it's fast, but...

The plugins, plugin and Widget settings are not saved nor imported. There's always a catch!

So I'm back to trying via cpanel.

[Vita_Vee]

You could use http://wptweaks.net/ to clone the settings and the export/import xml feature of wordpress to copy the posts, pages and comments?

[clonemybusiness]

I think I have cracked it!

Vita, thanks for your tips.

The databases have to be changed to the new domain name, as you suggested. I have moved one site successfully and written a procedure.

Let me test it again from scratch following the written procedure, and then I'll post the procedure.

I must say I spent weeks searching all over the 'net in Wordpress forums for the answer to this problem and have never found a clear-cut and simple method, clearly explained. If all goes well, I should be able to provide that in a few hours more of testing.

[josher]

Hello Everyone just noticed that my product was mentioned here so I signed up and wanted to mention to that I'm running a WSO that's still active. Currently selling for $15.

http://wptweaks.net/for-warriors-only/

Alternatively I can help you clone or move sites for a small fee.

[Mo_Taqi]

Thanks for the heads up josher

[xerxes]

Anyone ever install multiple wordpress sites ALL using the same database?

I thought this was very cool:

http://www.optiniche.com/blog/392/multip...-database/

Cheers!

[Mo_Taqi]

(09-18-2009 06:53 AM)xerxes Wrote:  Anyone ever install multiple wordpress sites ALL using the same database?

I thought this was very cool:

http://www.optiniche.com/blog/392/multip...-database/

Cheers!

Nope, I haven't tried it yet.. looks interesting..



Best,

[jv619]

(09-18-2009 06:53 AM)xerxes Wrote:  Anyone ever install multiple wordpress sites ALL using the same database?

I thought this was very cool:

http://www.optiniche.com/blog/392/multip...-database/

Cheers!

Yes, I have done it a long time ago. I stopped doing it after it became necessary for me to move some of the blogs to another hosting provider and getting a backup of each blog's database tables through phpMyAdmin. Since most webhosts provide unlimited MySQL databases, I just create a separate database for each blog, making backups much easier.

Good luck if you decide to do it.

JV

[Mo_Taqi]

Hey JV,

Thanks for the heads up, really appreciate that

Best,

[xerxes]

(09-21-2009 05:18 AM)jv619 Wrote:  

(09-18-2009 06:53 AM)xerxes Wrote:  Anyone ever install multiple wordpress sites ALL using the same database?

I thought this was very cool:

http://www.optiniche.com/blog/392/multip...-database/

Cheers!

Yes, I have done it a long time ago. I stopped doing it after it became necessary for me to move some of the blogs to another hosting provider and getting a backup of each blog's database tables through phpMyAdmin. Since most webhosts provide unlimited MySQL databases, I just create a separate database for each blog, making backups much easier.

Good luck if you decide to do it.

JV

Thanks for the feedback JV. I thought about doing it for a split second, but I agree...I think it's best to keep separate databases.

[myniche]

(09-10-2009 10:25 PM)josher Wrote:  Hello Everyone just noticed that my product was mentioned here so I signed up and wanted to mention to that I'm running a WSO that's still active. Currently selling for $15.

http://wptweaks.net/for-warriors-only/

Alternatively I can help you clone or move sites for a small fee.

Josher, will your cloner also copy the content database?

When it clones the plugins and settings, are they activated or do you have to activate them after cloning?

It would be great to see a clone job on video!

[jv619]

(09-29-2009 05:26 AM)myniche Wrote:  Josher, will your cloner also copy the content database?

When it clones the plugins and settings, are they activated or do you have to activate them after cloning?

It would be great to see a clone job on video!

Josher's product is not actually a cloner but the step-by-step procedures on how to clone an existing blog. One of the procedures is to backup/copy the content database. Yes, the plugins and settings are activated when you're done cloning. Just make sure the plugins and themes that were in the original blog are uploaded to the site.

What I did was create a base blog on a subdomain of an unused domain with only one sample post but with all the miscellaneous pages, i.e. Contact Us, Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, Sitemap, etc. and with all plugins and themes uploaded to their respective subdirectories. I then activated the theme and plugins. I then use this blog to create clones on other domains using Josher's procedures. It usually takes me less than 10 minutes to start a new blog. If you use All-in-One SEO plugin, you have to make changes to the set up to reflect the info of the new site.

Regards,
JV

[thriftgirl62]

It looks like you guy were a year ahead of the pack. Bill McRea just released his "Never Fail Listbuilding System" and says he would have released it sooner but \ he only recently discovered the best way to make a cloneable sites using Wordpress - thanks to Keith Baxter.

Whether that means anything or not a year later, I don't know. But just in case...at least you know you must be doing something right if you're that far ahead of those two - not too shabby!!

[oddaljen]

The best way to clone WP is by following procedure steps that kottar has mentioned here
This is the best way, because it is completely FREE, no additional plugins no nothing.
For reference, here are the steps:

Quote:Step One: Compress your entire WordPress install into one zip file, then move it to the new directory for the new domain.

Step Two: Create a new mySQL database, and attach a user to it with all privileges

Step Three: Backup your SQL database using phpmyadmin

Step Four: Import the backed up SQL database into the new database in phpmyadmin and check to make sure that all tables have been imported.

Step Five: Enter the new database details into your wp-config file, plus add the following line of code to the file (see video for where this goes)

Code:

define('WP_HOME','http://example.com');
define('WP_SITEURL','http://example.com');

Step Six: Save your file, and test your new domain. If its working, then all is good. If not, check for spelling errors.

The Quickest way I know about is by using a plugin called WPTwin. I advice you to go and look at the videos on the official site. It is amazing.


This is some Excerpt description:

Quote:If you use wordpress, you should check out this
new tool. It clones your ENTIRE blog in seconds,
so you can move it to anywhere you want... back
it up...

Or if you do a lot of blog set ups, you can
automate them and save a ton of time.

Also, it comes with some "already cloned" stuff
you can "one click" and deploy. Nice.

Check it out.

Click the link below now:
https://fladlien.infusionsoft.com/go/wptwin/x74e3d/

This is also the ultimate backup tool. takes
a second to back up a blog completely.

The real cool feature though is "deploying"
your clones - this will save you hundreds
of hours.

Links above are my affiliate links, but I really like the software.
Basically what I have done with it is built some blank WP sites for various purposes (one for adsense, one for affiliate, one for IM marketing,...) with all usual stuff pages (ToS, Privacy...) included and all plugins and themes included and set up. When is time to build a new site, I just grab one of blanks and deploy it in a minutes ready to go, just add some niche post and it is done.
If you like the plugin and consider to buy, please click through my link. I'll appreciate it! Thanks!

[Jack]

This really is amazing software. I picked it up the other day and it is totally true. You can clone (duplicate, make an exact copy of) any wordpress site in seconds and upload it as another site.

Jack

[apollo23]

Might be looking for a software to move my blog. But the price of Wptwin is $97 as compared to Wptweaks of $15 is too much to stomache.

Serously if you are IT savvy, zip and unzip a blog should be a piece of cake.

IF i need to buy, will consider Wptweaks.

Anybody have better experience to share about Wptweaks?