How do I migrate from another host to DreamPress?

Free migration offer

If you are migrating a WordPress site from another hosting company, DreamHost will transfer your site for FREE to a DreamPress plan. If you want DreamHost to move forward with migrating your site, please contact support with the domain name you wish to migrate. 

• Contacting support — future customers
• Contacting support — current customers

Your ticket will be then be passed to the Professional Services team to get you started.

The following steps guide your through how to manually migrate an existing WordPress site:

1. Export the WordPress MySQL database(s). View the following article for further instructions:
   • Backup MySQL
2. Download your entire WordPress installation. View the following article for further instructions:
   • FTP
3. View the Setting up a new domain article to add your site to DreamPress.
4. You can import your database through phpMyAdmin or through a SHELL user.
   • Option #1 - Import via phpMyAdmin - View the following article which explains how to import using phpMyAdmin:

   • Importing your database via phpMyAdmin

   • Option #2 - Import via SSH - View the following article which explains how to import using SSH:

   • Importing your database via SSH

   • Option #3 - Import using wp-cli

   • The wp-cli tool is handy for the MySQL dump and import. You can read about this tool in the following article:
     • WordPress wp-cli
     • Using the wp-cli tool is the fastest method.
     • To use the wp-cli tool, you'll need to make sure your DreamPress user has Shell access.
     • You can also visit the following articles for further instructions on how to change the user type and how to log in via SSH:
     • Enabling Shell Access
     • SSH

     After connecting via SSH with your DreamPress user, run the following command (replacing "backup.sql" with the name of the MySQL backup that you uploaded previously):

     [server]$ wp db import backup.sql

5. Import any necessary WordPress files (such as your custom theme, images and wp-config.php file) via FTP.

The database is now imported and your wp-config.php file links to the new installation.

Troubleshooting the new import

If your site does not display as it should at this point, you may need to flush both Memcache and Varnish cache. View the following articles for further details:

• Flushing Varnish cache
• Flushing Memcache using 'wp cache flush'

Below are examples on how to flush both via SSH:

Flush Varnish cache for all of your theme files

[server]$ curl -X PURGE "http://example.com/wp-content/themes/.*" 

Flush Memcache using the WordPress wp-cli

[server]$ wp cache flush

See also

• DreamPress overview
• DreamPress FAQs
• How do I add DreamPress to a new domain?
• Upgrading, downgrading, or deleting a DreamPress plan
• Importing an existing WordPress install into DreamPress