From Moodle Version 3.1 TO V3.7.2 OR even V3.8.2

From Moodle Version 3.1 TO V3.7.2 OR even V3.8.2

by Kathleen Zarubin -
Number of replies: 7

A 'General Question' - My organisation has an educationally-based Moodle 'account' with multiple courses all still built on / housed on (ie they are still using) Moodle Version 3.1. 

I am being told it is a BIG JOB to upgrade/move to a more recent version of Moodle and to be fair for all the courses across all the departments, it probably is a fair amount of work ... (plus the time for the many many 'teachers' to get up to speed with a more recent version of Moodle. ) and 'they' say things like ... "Oh it is a compatibility issues ... "  or "People will 'loose' stuff like plug-ins they currently using etc .."

BUT - in general, would it be possible to 'zip - download  -save - export' a current course built-in  Moodle Version 3.1. - and then (just) - 'import - upload- unzip it' into a more current version of Moodle (either V3.7.2 OR  V3.8.2)?  (sorry my 'terminology may not be 100% correct but I hope you know what I mean) 

I do appreciate that through this process there maybe some 'formatting' (?) issues or even other anomalies - but I am happy to work through these as 'a test case' ...   

My question is 'overall' Is this doable? - OR - in reality woud it be better / faster / less hassle to just start again in a more current version of Moodle overall.  

Thank you .. 

Average of ratings: -
In reply to Kathleen Zarubin

Re: From Moodle Version 3.1 TO V3.7.2 OR even V3.8.2

by Ken Task -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers

Yes, upgrading from 3.1 to 3.8.highest would be a 'big' job in that along the march upwards PHP and MySQL/MariaDB would have to be upgraded to minimum versions required by newer Moodle code.

IF .... IF ... one has done that sort of thing before, then really only a few bumps.

Then there is the moodle itself ... got tons of plugins (themes are plugins)?   Have you checked https://moodle.org/plugins/ to see if your plugins have a compat version for destination version of Moodle ... 3.8.highest or 3.9.highest?

Also one cannot 'hyperjump' from 3.1 to destination version ... in current server as admin level, go to Site Admin Menu -> Server - Environment.   Update the component.   Then, after updating, use the moodle version drop down list to choose a version of Moodle higher than you have ... one at a time ... note the chart it produces ... bascially, it's your road map for upgrading.

One could make course backups in the 3.1 - full backups ... or no user backups ... and should be able to restore to a 3.8 or 3.9 ... depending upon plugins.

How many courses does your site have?   If just a few could do course backup/restore ... but if you have 100's or 1000's of courses then only the use of a command line tool called moosh would that be accomplished in 'acceptable' time.

Can ya get a new server spun up with 3.9.highest?   IF so, try the backup/restore route to see results - after checking plugin/compat.

Sooooo ... the answer really is ... 'depends'! smile

'SoS', Ken


Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Ken Task

Re: From Moodle Version 3.1 TO V3.7.2 OR even V3.8.2

by Kathleen Zarubin -
Hi @Ken Task ... Thank you! Fab response ... my take-aways are ...
1. "They" are not 'kidding' - it is a big task ...
2. "Can ya get a new server spun up with 3.9.highest?" - I think this could be the way to go AND just being with 'some of the courses" (IE "MINE" lol)
3. Lots of the 'how to do stuff' is way above my pay grade in a) Ability /understanding b) Access/permissions ....

sooo - IF I can convince 'the powers that be' to - "Spin up a new server with 3.9 highest" ... (is that what I would ask them to do?)
and 'offer' my courses (only 9) and myself as test dummies .... THEN ...
It could be 'interesting' .. and doable ... takign all above into account - being prepared for 'whatever' ... and ... it depends - lol 'correct' ??? smile
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Kathleen Zarubin

Re: From Moodle Version 3.1 TO V3.7.2 OR even V3.8.2

by Ken Task -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers

Sorry ... can't really answer that for you ... 'depends' again ... like who are these ' ... powers that be'?  Are they server techs with some (am thinking linux) experience?  Are they 'ivory tower' admin types?

Who installed the server you are using now?  Where is it hosted? (local/remote)  Who has been administering server operating system?

What to tell them ... if you go that route, take stock of addon plugins you are using in your courses and have them install the plugins (compatible for version) prior to your attempts to restore.   Your restores (fingers crossed) will restore without issue.

New server might need tweaks to DB and PHP to be able to restore large courses ... max_packet_allowed .... time for a script to run ... memory a script can use ... etc.

Large course ... same word again ... depends ... many quizzes are 'large' in the sense of processing upon restore.  Large could also mean files ... are your courses sorta like 'flipped instruction' where tons of videos are uploaded to Moodle?

To restore via GUI Moodle must be able to accept the .mbz file ... so how large is your largest .mbz backup file.  Might also find out what is the largest .mbz file for your site.   Some courses on your server might have grown to the multiple Gig range.

These server techs that will be doing this ... they could sign up in these forums and ask away! smile

While your courses might be considered testing ... may as well assume success ... compare config of DB server (my.cnf) with the fresh install and tweak to handle the same amount of traffic old server did in advance of more courses/teachers and students.

You could gather info and to test waters for alternative of local staff doing the installs with someone contracted to do so by posting in Moodle's jobs.

https://moodle.org/mod/data/view.php?d=54

If you do that, be very specific.

Free software has never really meant 'free'. And one more take away from this experience ... don't wait too long to upgrade Moodle.  The longer one waits ... the more complicated it could become (or is).

'SoS', Ken

Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Ken Task

Re: From Moodle Version 3.1 TO V3.7.2 OR even V3.8.2

by Kathleen Zarubin -
OH Ken - all GREAT points and feedback above (much of it 'over my head' lol ) as to the - who they are - probably BOTH LOL ... anyway -

100% AGREE - re "don't wait too long to upgrade Moodle" !!! That is the basic 'root and branch' cause of the 'now' - and I 'worry' that this will just go into the whole 'too hard basket' - Until Moodle is up to version 18.2 ... (and/or 'we' / them/us - no longer even use Moodle so a whole new re-development will HAVE TO Occur anyway lol ... (such is life hey, when you are a tiny cog in a massive 'machine' smile - but I am trying to be the squeaky wheel' lol
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Kathleen Zarubin

Re: From Moodle Version 3.1 TO V3.7.2 OR even V3.8.2

by Usman Asar -
Picture of Plugin developers Picture of Testers

it will be a double jump, from 3.1 to 3.5 and then to 3.9, you cannot straight away jump to 3.9.

3.5 being LTS, I would suggest holding on to 3.5 until December and then jump to 3.9, as still not every plug-in out there has support for 3.9, but developers are reaching there.

If you want to upgrade to 3.9, then look into your plug-ins first (additional ones) and make a list, then go into plug-ins directory and see if all are supporting moodle 3.9.

good thing on your hand, you don't have to worry about courses as since moodle 2.0 (I believe) courses backed up in moodle 2.x can be safely imported into any version of 3.x.

if everything's arranged properly, it's barely a 5 minute or less (assuming PHP and DB are upgraded already to support latest moodle)

Average of ratings: Useful (1)
In reply to Usman Asar

Re: From Moodle Version 3.1 TO V3.7.2 OR even V3.8.2

by Visvanath Ratnaweera -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers Picture of Translators
Rhyming with Usman, coming from 3.1 to reach the current releases of Moodle (3.8, 3.9) you have to pass 3.5 anyway. Generally a shorter jump means less changes in system software (PHP, DBMS) necessary, more likely that third-party plug-ins still work, therefore easier. In the case of 3.1.->3.5, if you already run PHP 7.0 no change is necessary [1].

And you can take a long break there, since 3.5 supported till May 2021. [2]

[1] http://www.syndrega.ch/blog/#php-and-dbms-compatibility-of-major-moodle-releases
[2] https://docs.moodle.org/dev/Releases#Moodle_3.5_.28LTS.29
Average of ratings: -
In reply to Kathleen Zarubin

Re: From Moodle Version 3.1 TO V3.7.2 OR even V3.8.2

by Ken Task -
Picture of Particularly helpful Moodlers

Since your role is 'squeaky wheel', suggest to the server techs the use of 'git' for maintaining moodle core code.

Both contributors are correct in what they are advising about PHP versions/etc and hops.

Didn't really mention how.  Personal opinion ... the 'standard/documented' way *not* using git is more prone to human error ... especially when one isn't that familiar with updating/upgrading Moodle ... which is evident in that your site is currently 3.0.  If your techs use git ... much easier to update/upgrade core code - thus avoiding the issue of waiting too long!

'SoS', Ken

Average of ratings: -