WordPress migration to new domain and environment with only zip file

Migration with domain change can be tricky and not for the faint of heart. It is much easier to keep the domain the same and port it over to a new environment and then changes the domain. Then, at the very most, it is just a matter of passwords for the database resident in the root via file: wp_config.php file.

Classicly there are two solutions, based on what environment you are going “to”.

If you have access to the WHM, then you have the lovely tool WHM >> Home >> Transfers >> Transfer Tool. This will do all the work for you.

If not, then you are in for a bit of a harder road, given you want to change the domain name at the same time. The method I have used in the past, is a 2 part solution.

1. Break up the full backup into full source files and the .gz file for the mysql database.

2. Import the database using the PhpMySQL CPanel tool. Make sure the database is empty and import the database directly via the import option.

   3. Using the Cpanel assign the database name and the password.
   4. Copy all the files to the HTML folder one for one. Typically this is called “public_html”
   5. While they are copying you are going to need to manually change the database domain name. There is a good website that explains all the areas you will need to change.

https://help.dreamhost.com/hc/en-us/articles/214580498-How-do-I-change-the-WordPress-Site-URL-

6. Then you will need to modify the wp_config.php, resident in the HTML folder as follows:

    /** The name of the database for WordPress */
     define('DB_NAME', 'site_wrdp1');
   
     /** MySQL database username */
    define('DB_USER', 'site_wrdp1');
   
    /** MySQL database password */
     define('DB_PASSWORD', 'password');
   

and place a rewrite code (since you are changing domain names)

    #Options +FollowSymLinks
    RewriteEngine on
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://www.newsite.COM/$1 [R=301,L]

Place that code at the top of the wp_config.php file.
Then you fire it up and see what happens. Usually it is the database user name and password that is the problem. Another good site, that covers a lot of this, in much more detail is:
https://wedevs.com/92444/change-wordpress-site-address/

Hope this helps…good luck