This file is not a valid backup file | Windows Plesk 8.6 to 9.5.4
The goal for me is to move my Windows Plesk 8.6 setup to Window Plesk 9.5.4 on a new server.
The whole process has been unacceptable. At every turn there has been errors. Every resolution proposed by Parallels and public alike simply creates a new errors. Apart from intermittent errors at almost every turn including when making backups, the most common/devastating are
1) pre9-backup-convert errors
Using the recommended procedure in cmd prompt:
"%plesk_bin%\pre9-backup-convert.exe" --source=<old backup file> --destination=<backup repository>
creates the error:
"Unexpected name of pinfo: news_dismissednews_dismissed".
The advice is to unzip the backup file, edit its contents (info.xml) and re-zip it back to a psa (and be careful that it doesn't get put back into muli-part archive either because that means that it won't work - zip the files into one structure using something like 7zip). Parallels advise that you need to find a remove the following tag from the file: <misc param="admin_news_dismissed" val="1" />
2) Backup Manager: "This is not a valid backup. Data cannot be restored from this file."
If you do manage to get to this point you'll then find that the backup files that are created for Plesk 9.5 cannot even be used. Plesk disowns them and can't work with them because they are filled with errors. It seems not even the Parallels crew know how to answer these. If you can find a forum that offers hotfixes or solutions, you may find that 1) the writer is poor at writing instructions and 2) the solution has already been debunked and doesn't work or shouldn't be used.
3) If you can get passed that and try to use the Migration manager from within Plesk 9.5, you may get to transfer data from a nominated source server (in my case windows server 2003 with plesk 8.6). But that would be too easy. You may be greeted with Host is not accessible. Oh, another error, that's much better!
I have disabled the firewall on both servers, another suggested fix, and this makes no difference.
So here I am 40 hours after trying to setup a new windows server 2008 with Plesk 9.5.4, not an inch closer to even being operating.
This has been a waste of my time, the server company's time, has been devastating to my clients, and is one of the most poorly implmented system I have ever dealt with in my 16 yrs experience with web and computers.
All I can think now is to roll back the 9.5.4 installation of plesk and to get plesk 8.6 setup on the new Windows 2008 server - which doesn't support apparently (according to Parallels) ASP.NET 4.
Shame, Parallels, shame.