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[wildweaselmi]

Here are the steps that worked for me to create a vBulletin test site for the vBulletin 4.0 RC4

Currently hosted on hostmonster (which I believe is awesome)

STEP 1 - Create a subfolder to host TEST site

My production site is hosted
/home/user/public_html/vb384/
http://www.sitedomain.com/vb384

My test site will be hosted
/home/user/public_html/vb40/
http://www.sitedomain.com/vb40

STEP 2 - Copy all files from production(LIVE) site to your test site.

copy everything from
/home/user/public_html/vb384/

copy to
/home/user/public_html/vb40/

STEP 3 - Create test database and assign admin user

Get logged into cPanel and scroll down to the Databases section
Click on MySql
Next to new database enter vb40 (or the name of your test database)
Click on Create Database
You'll get a message, created user_vb40
Click [Go Back]
Scroll Down to MySql Users
Select a user (I use the same db user assigned to my production site)
Select the database you just created
Click on Add and then click All Priveleges and then click Make Changes

STEP 4 - Copy production database to test database

Get into cPanel then scroll down to the Database section
Click on phpMyAdmin
Find your database for your production site on the left and click once on it
Now across the top find the tab labeled Operations and click on that
Find the input box located under Copy database to:
Enter the database your created earlier. For example user_vb40
Now click the radio button next to Structure and Data
Place a checkmark next to Add AUTO_INCREMENT value
Click Go
Once completed, verify you have the same number of entries in your production versus test database.

STEP 5 - Update config.php in test folder

Navigate to the location of your config.php in your test folder
/home/user/public_html/vb40/includes/config.php

Change the settings for the database name (and username if you changed that earlier)

STEP 6 - VERIFY your production site is working in test folder

In a web browser, navigate to http://www.sitedomain.com/vb40
Login using your admin ID
Put vBulletin Test site into Maintenance Mode
Go to the Plugin/Product Manager and on each modification you have, change to disabled.

STEP 7 - UPLOAD vBulletin 4.0 files (typically using FTP) and ensure all files get overwritten

STEP 8 - Run UPGRADE script

Navigate to http://www.sitedomai...all/upgrade.php
(note: this takes some time to get through all the different settings)