my moodle is 1.9.7 and has alot of data - how can I upgrade it to the latest moodle and have all the data in the same place- ie sections and headings
Backup properly first, then update your moodle to 1.9.19, then follow instructions to upgrade to 2.2 and then further to 2.9. Backup at each stage, and I mean not just the database dump but also moodledata folder and the working moodle code. Best if you can do it on a clone of your site. This should transfer most of the content. There are several forum threads about such a big jump, so you may want to read them to educate yourself about various pitfalls that others encountered. Each moodle site is different, so there are some differences even if the general procedure is the same.
Thank you Robert. Would you know anyone who could do this for me?
Sorry, no. It is not that trivial and requires full access to your site. You might ask a local Moodle partner for a quote or post the job offer here:
https://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?id=7232
https://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?id=7232