Drupal Tutorials and Blog Posts

Updating Drupal 7 to the Latest Version

July 2, 2011 | Written by Steve Burge

Updating a Drupal site is vital for security.

In this tutorial we're going to show you how to update your Drupal 7 site from one minor version to another. That means from 7.0 to 7.2 or 7.2 to 7.4. and so on.

Unfortunately moving between major versions such as from 5 to 6 or from 6 to 7 is a much bigger topic and too large for a single tutorial.

Before you start, please remember one thing: backup, backup, backup, backup, backup, backup, backup, backup your site!

Step 1: Check for Available Updates

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To get started with updating your Drupal site, click on "Configuration" and then "Available updates".

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This page will show you an updates you need to make. They will be marked in red as in the image above. If there are updates, it is worth putting your site in maintenance mode at this point to avoid any problems for your users as you update. Instructions for doing that are here.

Step 2: Download the Update Files

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Drupal will show you a link to download the files for the new update.

Step 3: Upload the Update Files

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Unzip the files that you've just downloaded.

IMPORTANT: Delete the /sites/ folder from these unzipped files. Do not upload the /sites/ folder as this will overwrite any custom work that you have done. Make sure that you leave the exisiting /sites/ folder intact on the server.

Then open up your FTP program or file manager and navigate to your existing Drupal site files. Simply upload the new files over the top of the existing ones.

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Once the upload is complete, you can refresh your "Available updates" page and hopefully it will now be marked in green rather than red.

Step 4: Run the Update Manager

Drupal Updates

Click on "Modules" and then click on "Always run the update script each time a module is updated".

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Click "Continue".
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Click "Apply pending updates".
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You should now see a page saying the update has been successful with no errors.
Click on the "Administration pages" link and go "Configuration" then "Maintenance mode" to put the site back online.

 

 


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Comments  

 
#1 Damani 2011-07-11 14:42
I am currently running the updates, and it has been on the run updates section for a while now.... it does not tell you it is running the update or anything... it is just there blank... with only the left menu being displayed and the word "updating" at the top

How long is the process supposed to last, for 12 updates?
 
 
#2 loving 2011-07-26 08:53
thx for the info but why everyone staying away of the real useful information people need or want to see? thats drupal 6 upgrade to 7. or d6 with cck/views upgraate to 7.

that the real info who might just set you on the top.
 
 
#3 steve 2011-07-26 10:43
Hi loving

Why? I think you know the answer to that ;)

It can be a mammoth project to move from D6 to D7.

However, it's something we're willing to undertake, perhaps in a series of tutorials here on the blog.
 
 
#4 rsmkung 2011-07-28 12:57
"Then open up your FTP program or file manager and navigate to your existing Drupal site files. Simply upload the new files over the top of the existing ones."


I wonder why we should " upload the new files over the top of the existing ones."

After uploading the new files, do we need to delete the existing old files?
 
 
#5 iowawebco 2011-07-28 18:34
Hi rsmkung,

Good question. Uploading the new files over the top of existing ones replaces the old ones that have the same name, but not any others. So there's no need to delete existing old files because they are replaced (deleted and new ones put in their respective places if you want to think of it that way).

Kind regards,
Nick
 
 
#6 rsmkung 2011-08-08 19:54
Unless the "writer" has some videos to
show people that using his method is "right" for updating Drupal 7.

ON YOUR RISK TRYING OUT THIS UPDATE PROCEDURE! God bless you.
 
 
#7 iowawebco 2011-08-08 22:32
Hi rsmkung,

Try it on a test site if you're not sure ;) Or you can create one single folder with a single file in it to test FTP the same folder name with a different file name.

Kind regards,
Nick
 
 
#8 steve 2011-08-09 06:56
Hi loving

Try ostraining.com/blog/drupal

We've started to publish a series of free tutorials on moving from Drupal 6 to 7.
 

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