How to migrate WHD from one Windows system to another Windows system

5/10/2019 4:34 PM

1/30/2025 4:39 PM

When migrating WHD from one Windows Server to Another Windows Server, it is important to take note of the following points:

• The original WHD Server and the New WHD Server must be on the same version.
• The OS of the New Server must match the System Requirements of the version to be installed.

All data and settings are saved in the Database.
For WHD that use default PostgresDB, it is best to migrate using the Database File Backup and restore it to the Database of the new Server for a cleaned migration.
However, for WHD, for customizing language and font, it would be best to include the configuration folders.
This is the same with WHD, which uses 3rd party Databases like MSSQL or MySQL.

To Backup the Data to Migrate:

For WHD that uses default Postgres DB

• <WebHelpdesk>\conf
• <WebHelpdesk>\bin
• Database
  1. Log in to WHD as an Admin
  2. Go to Setup > General > Databases
  3. Click the "Backup Now" button
  4. Wait for it to finish
  5. Database Backup is saved on the Backup Folder path.

For WHD that uses 3rd party Databases like MSSQL or MySQL.

• <WebHelpdesk>\conf
• <WebHelpdesk>\bin
• Database
  • For MSSQL and MySQL DB, backup should be done not in the WHD but performed directly on the Database Server.
  • Please get in touch with your database admin or database support for further inquiries.

Web Help Desk

N/A

1. Install the same WHD version on the new server and complete the installation.
2. Ensure that the default browser is the latest version of Edge, Chrome, etc. Otherwise, the next step will not work. Latest version of WHD does not work with Internet Explorer anymore.
3. Once prompted for the WHD Database:
   • 
4. Populate the following information:
   •  WHD that uses 3rd party Databases like MSSQL and MySQL:
     1. Select the database to use.
        • 
     2. Add the Details of the MSSQL and MySQL databases information.
     3. If unsure, check the backup and look for <WebHelpdesk>\conf\.whd.properties file.
     4. Open it on a notepad. This contains all of the DB connection.
     5. However, the DB admin password is hashed and should be provided.
     6. For the Admin account, use the WHD account use to login on the WHD as an admin.
     7. Click Test Connection and Next if there is no issue.
   • WHD that uses default Postgres Database:
     1. Create a temporary Database Name, Database admin, Password, and Admin Account.
     2. Take note of the details. 
     3. Click Create and complete the initial configuration.
5. Restore the Database:
   •  WHD that uses 3rd party Databases like MSSQL and MySQL:
     1. Connecting the WHD to the existing database should restore the database as a whole. No further steps is required.
   • WHD that uses the default Postgres Database
     • Restoring WHD database backup on WHD 12.7.8 with PostgreSQL13 embedded database.
6. For any customized Fonts and HTML, copy the files from the bin and conf folder backup.
   • Customize the Web Help Desk GUI language and labels
7. Complete the migration on the network side by updating the new server's IP or routing the WHD DNS to the new WHD server.
8. If the new server will be used and a new Server DNS Name will be added, change the WHD server name with the new hostname or IP of the new WHD server:
   • WHD > Setup > General > Options > General Options > Server DNS Name
   • Make sure to restart the WHD after applying these changes.