Help with moving a website on old droplet with PHP 7.0 and Ubuntu 16.04 to a new one

Hello,

What I could suggest here is using the WordPress 1-Click App on the DigitalOcean Marketplace. It is a great choice for setting up your new environment with Ubuntu 22.04:

https://marketplace.digitalocean.com/apps/wordpress

The 1-Click App will install WordPress, MySQL, and all the necessary dependencies for you. It will also create a new MySQL database and user for WordPress. You can then migrate your WordPress files and database to the new Droplet.

1. Create a New Droplet Using WordPress 1-Click App:

   • Visit the WordPress 1-Click App page on the DigitalOcean Marketplace and set up your new Droplet.

2. Migrate Your WordPress Files:

   • Upload your WordPress files (from the Updraft backup) to the new Droplet. Use SFTP to transfer files to the /var/www/html directory or wherever WordPress is installed.

3. Importing Your Database:

   • To import your database, first create a new database and user on your new Droplet. You can use the MySQL command line for this:

     mysql -u root -p
     

   Then, run the following SQL commands:

   CREATE DATABASE new_wp_db;
   CREATE USER 'new_wp_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
   GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON new_wp_db.* TO 'new_wp_user'@'localhost';
   FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
   EXIT;
   

   Note: Replace new_wp_db, new_wp_user, and password with your own values.

   • Once your new database is ready, import your backup. Assuming your backup file is named wordpress_db_backup.sql, you can import it with:

     mysql -u new_wp_user -p new_wp_db < /path/to/wordpress_db_backup.sql
     

   • Adjust the new_wp_user, new_wp_db, and the path to your backup file as necessary.

4. Update WordPress Configuration:

   • Edit the wp-config.php file to update the database name, user, and password.
   • If needed, use a plugin like “Better Search Replace” for changing URLs in the database.

5. Testing Your New Site:

   • Temporarily modify your hosts file for testing the new site with your domain name. Point the domain to the new Droplet’s IP address.
   • Check the website thoroughly to ensure all functionalities are working.

6. Update DNS and SSL Configuration:

   • After successful testing, update your domain’s DNS settings to point to the new Droplet’s IP.
   • Set up Let’s Encrypt for SSL on your new Droplet. Ensure HTTPS is functioning properly. You can run the following command to set up Let’s Encrypt:

     sudo certbot --apache -d example.com -d www.example.com
     

7. Final Checks and Monitoring:

   • After DNS changes, keep an eye on your site for any potential issues and be ready for any troubleshooting.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Best,

Bobby