Upgrading WP, Adding BP & Multiple Domains

I've been running a blog via WP 2.6.1 in a sub-folder on one of my domains i.e. mydomain1.com/blog, which I plan to move to mydomain1.com

I'm also planning to update from WP 2.6.1 to WP 3.3.1 and I'd ultimately like to add WP and/or BuddyPress to multiple domains (all separate entities & topics i.e. mydomain1.com, mydomain2.com, mydomain3.com) so, I've backed up my current blog's Database & Files and disabled my plugins but have a few questions:

1) Do I need to upgrade my hosting account to the required versions of PHP and MySQL BEFORE I update from WP 2.6.1 to WP 3.3.1??

2) Currently, I go to mydomain1.com/blog/wp-login.php to administer my one blog. Where will I go to administer WP and/or BP on multiple domains after adding them?

3) My current theme doesn't appear to be available in the WP Theme Directory, how will updating to WP 3.3.1 affect my current them?

4) What else should I be concerned about before upgrading from WP 2.6.1 to WP 3.3.1?

Thanks!

 

1) If you PHP version is lower than 5.2, then yes you need to upgrade. If your MySQL is lowed than 5.0, then you need to upgrade
2) Don't know, haven't tested
3) Your old theme probably will work, but it may not support the latest features such as widgets. It actually depends on the theme
4) Back up everything before installation in a way you could quickly revert back to original if something goes wrong. Another thing, get someone who knows little bit programming, so he/she could fix the errors, if they occur at the upgrade procedure.

 

Yes, you need to be running the latest versions of PHP and SQL. WordPress 3.3.1 will not function correctly on older versions.

• PHP version 5.2.4 or greater
• MySQL version 5.0 or greater

First of all you skipped a step. You need to install the multisite functionality. You then create your new sites within the network dashboard. BuddyPress will operate as a network activated plug in. You can access the new sites either under the main network admin, or through thier respective dashboards.

Be prepared that your theme may not work with the latest version of WordPress. You've skipped quite few updates going back a couple of years. You will probably have a few plug ins that are outdated or degraded as well.

Don't try and update all at once. If you try to go from 2.6 to 3.3.1 in one update, you will almost surely break your blog. It's not recommended to skip more than one update at a time.
Source:http://codex.wordpress.org/Upgradin...1.5.x.2C_and_versions_2.0_-_2.6.5.2C_to_3.3.1

 

1) Before I update WP?
2) Anybody out there who can help with feedback on administering WP & BP on multiple & separate domains, I'd appreciate your feedback!
3) Cool, thanks...I emailed the contact I found in the source code.
4) I've backed up my current blog's Database & Files and disabled my plugins...But unfortunately, I AM the someone I've got that knows a very little bit about programming so I'm sure I'll be back for more so take it ez on me. lol

 

1. YES
2. If you mean custom domains, check this out: http://premium.wpmudev.org/project/domain-mapping
If you just mean the normal structure of each new site being on a folder or subdomain, you don't need to do anything. That's how it works.

You set it up to do subdomains or folders when you activate the Network functions. You will probably have to do subdomains since you have an existing site with a folder structure already on it.

 

1. Great, thanks!
2. Yes, I mean custom domains i.e. mydomain1.com, mydomain2.com, mydomain3.com, etc

Where do I get multisite functionality to install?

So, after I install multisite functionality, I can administer all domains from one location the "Main Network Admin" and there I'll find each sites respective sites Dashboard?

So, where is Main Network Admin located?

I've been running a blog via WP 2.6.1 in a sub-folder on one of my domains i.e. mydomain1.com/blog, which I plan to move to mydomain1.com then I'd ultimately like to add WP and/or BuddyPress to multiple custom domains (all separate entities & topics i.e. mydomain1.com, mydomain2.com, mydomain3.com)

Well, that kinda put a snag in my progress. lol "So, what exactly is a "major release"? The example in the link you sent me to says "if you plan on upgrading from 2.5 to 3.3.1, upgrade to 2.7 first, followed by 2.9, and finally 3.3.1.". I plan on adding multisite functionality (custom domains) & BuddyPress where users can create & promote image/audio/video portfolios & files; and upgrading from 2.6.1 to 3.3.1.

That said, so what versions do you recommend I upgrade?

 

http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

Your root domain. Where ever you have WordPress installed, it's the same admin.

Major releases are like 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0. You've missed quite a few of them.

Don't skip more than one at a time. If you're running 2.6.1 and we are now on 3.3.1, you've missed about 32 updates.

So the most you can skip is, you need to go from 2.6.1 to 2.6.3, check it. And then from 2.6.3 to 2.7, check it.
http://wordpress.org/download/release-archive/

And even still, there is no guarantee that you will be able to go through 32 updates, and what you have for theme is going to continue working.

It would almost be simpler to start from scratch with a fresh install of the latest version and import your old blog posts.

 

That sounds like the best advice yet - and you can import the pages, categories, tags, attachments along with the posts. Just export and save from your existing site, then import to the new install.
You might want to take the opportunity to consider a new theme as well - particularly if the one you are currently using does not support widgets.