Switching web hosts for my forum and need help.

Jay Ralston · #1 12-31-2011, 07:41 PM

Like the title says. I was given a Christian ATV site that is a forum similar to this one several years ago and had a guy helping me run it because I am very computer stupid. Last year he told me he no longer had the time to help any longer but was kind enough to switch everything to a web host for me. My site is currently through HostGator but I want to move it over to GoDaddy as that is also who the domain is through and when the move took place last year, my site has been hot hard by spammers of around 50 a day on average so I now have to approve any new accounts as a result. I'm not sure why it started the day Hostgator began hosting my site but it rarely happened prior to that.

Anyway, here is my deal. I am very computer stupid and I need some help. If someone knows how to help me switch everything over to Go Daddy to where they can also host my site, it would be much appreciated. If it is something really difficult to do, I am not opposed to even paying somebody to help me as I really don't know what I am doing at all. Go Daddy said all I need to do download all of the files from Hostgator to a computer and then upload them to GoDaddy. Problem is my Dell computer is not allowing me to do this for some reason and my Mac just died today so I have to send it in to Apple for warranty.

Again, any help or even advice would be appreciated.
Jay

bongomania · #2 12-31-2011, 08:33 PM

You really do have to download it from the old host and upload it to the new one. Some hosting companies will do that for you, but the fee is not cheap.

Get a new computer (fixing the old one will be a waste of your money) and pay a neighborhood kid who knows about computers to take care of the file transferring.

Unrepresented · #3 12-31-2011, 09:22 PM

What is exactly is different about Christian ATV use v. non-Christian ATV use that would require a specialized forum?

Inquiring minds want to know?

Jay Ralston · #4 12-31-2011, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unrepresented

What is exactly is different about Christian ATV use v. non-Christian ATV use that would require a specialized forum?

Inquiring minds want to know?

There's not really a whole lot that is different from a regular atv forum other than my site has a lot of Christian content added to it as well and the only rules I pretty much have is people to keep things clean as far as no profanity or dirty talk. I am also a pastor so I try and do a weekly sermon on there too where I preach chapter by chapter and verse by verse from the Bible. Eventually, all of the Bible will be covered. Anybody is welcome to join regardless of if they ride or not or are a Christian or not. I was given the site a few years ago and I have seen some pretty neat things happen from owning the website. It has become an extension of my ministry but with this site, I am reaching people I may never meet or know in this life time. SO it has been a blessing to not only myself but others as well.

L-A · #5 01-01-2012, 10:08 AM

All I have is a stupid comment: This is an incredibly wrong time to switch over to GoDaddy. They're catching lots of flak over their support of SOPA. On top of using breasts to sell web hosting.

Thousands leave GoDaddy over registrar's support for SOPA – RT

Jay Ralston · #6 01-01-2012, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L-A

All I have is a stupid comment: This is an incredibly wrong time to switch over to GoDaddy. They're catching lots of flak over their support of SOPA. On top of using breasts to sell web hosting.

Thousands leave GoDaddy over registrar's support for SOPA – RT

I had no idea about the SOPA thing. Thank you for sharing that with me. Maybe I will stick with Hostgator then. Do you know if Hostgator supports SOPA?

A.Diva · #7 01-01-2012, 02:05 PM

I am with Hostgator. Per their Facebook page, they oppose SOPA.

Pilgrim · #8 01-01-2012, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Ralston

when the move took place last year, my site has been hot hard by spammers of around 50 a day on average so I now have to approve any new accounts as a result. I'm not sure why it started the day Hostgator began hosting my site but it rarely happened prior to that.

Jay, I'm not sure that will stop if you move to a different host. If some group out there has your site as a target, I don't think you'll change it by moving.

Jay Ralston · #9 01-01-2012, 03:59 PM

I decided to stay. I also changed my domain registers over to Hostgator too once I found out about the SOPA thing.

A.Diva · #10 01-01-2012, 04:36 PM

Are you making use of Spam Assassin and your blacklist?

Jay Ralston · #11 01-01-2012, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.Diva

Are you making use of Spam Assassin and your blacklist?

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but probably not as I don't know how to use them? I am very computer stupid so I probably haven't done a thing with them.

MJ5150 · #12 01-01-2012, 06:06 PM

Hire a professional to manage your website. Or enroll in some training to learn what you are doing.

-Mike

A.Diva · #13 01-02-2012, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Ralston

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but probably not as I don't know how to use them? I am very computer stupid so I probably haven't done a thing with them.

Meh. You're not stupid, just don't know how to do it.

It's easy to learn.

If you call HostGator, I'm pretty sure they will walk you through setting up your Spam Assassin or any other parts of your Control Panel you are uncomfortable with. They've always been very helpful to me.

Pilgrim · #14 01-02-2012, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.Diva

Meh. You're not stupid, just don't know how to do it.

It's easy to learn.

If you call HostGator, I'm pretty sure they will walk you through setting up your Spam Assassin or any other parts of your Control Panel you are uncomfortable with. They've always been very helpful to me.

An excellent idea, and seconded!! Invest a few minutes in doing that and I'm confident you will increase your skills and feel more comfortable with the site.