WordPress How To: Update to WordPress 3.0.1

A maintenance release for WordPress 3.0, is now available for download (or upgrade within your dashboard).

“After nearly 11 million downloads of WordPress 3.0 in just 42 days, we’re releasing WordPress 3.0.1. The requisite haiku:

Three dot oh dot one
Bug fixes to make you smile
Update your WordPress

This maintenance release addresses about 50 minor issues.”

The major fixes include PHP 5.0.5 compatibility issues and export errors that users experienced. You can view reported issues that were addressed here.

Before you update we need to do a little housekeeping:

1. First save a copy of all your WordPress pages and posts to your hard drive. You do this by clicking on the Tools icon in the left sidebar and then Export. On the next screen click on Download Export File. You might want to create a new Folder on your hard drive where you keep all you Web site files. Name it WP Backup so you know to save all backup files for WP there (and you’ll know where to find them if you need them). It is a good idea to back up this file once a month anyway regardless if an update is needed.
2. Second, backup your WordPress database. There is a nifty plugin that makes this process a no brainer, WP-DBManager. This plugin is also a must have for repairing and optimizing your database (which you should be doing minimally monthly to keep things running smoothly).
3. To be safe, deactivate all plugins before upgrading.

Once you get the above tasks accomplished, follow the links in the nag bar (it’s called a nag because that yellow bar will be up there nagging you until you take care of the important issue noted) and update your site to the latest version of WordPress.

Then, don’t forget to reactivate and update your plugins. You’ll see with each WordPress update that plugin developers also update their plugins which you can also do with one click. You’ll see the now familiar yellow nag bar under the plugin name in the plugins area with a link to “upgrade automatically.”

If you find after an update that something is not working as it was, go through the systematic process of deactivating your plugins one at a time until you find the culprit. If the developer has not updated his/her plugin to work with the lasted update, find another plugin whose developer is on top of these things.

Updating should not be ignored or put off. When you keep up with WordPress, Premium Theme and Plugin updates, you are not only keeping up with technology, but you ensure your site is secure and functioning error free.

At your service,
Judith

Tags: WordPress, WordPress Plugins, wordpress tips, wordpress update

2 Responses to “WordPress How To: Update to WordPress 3.0.1”

1. Simon Bugler says:

   August 3, 2010 at 5:54 am

   Some great advice – I had, for the first time ever, a problem updating wordpress using the auto update feature. The key to my problem seemed to be plugin based – I deleted all those that weren’t being used and deactivated the rest and then the update worked without a problem!
2. Judith says:

   August 4, 2010 at 9:37 am

   Hey, Simon:

   Glad things worked out for you! By just following these simple steps the majority of hiccups can be avoided and/or solved. The thing is to also check that all your plugins have been tested to work on 3.0. This can be easily determined by visiting the WordPress plugin archive.

   Thanks for stopping by!