WampServer

I had an older WAMPserver installation (can't remember what version it was) and had a need for a newer PHP. So I figured I'd update WAMPserver too. I did see and understand the warning not to use old extensions. A no-brainer. After uninstalling the older WAMPServer and installing the new one I wanted to install a extension for an older MySQL, 5.1.36 to be specific, in order to retrieve my old data, which I do have backed up. So as couple of times before I clicked on the tray icon, selected MySQL->Version and clicked "Get more..." Guess what I came to realize?

There are no extensions for this version of WAMPServer.

At least there is no indication that there is. They are listed nowhere. Clicking the "Get more..." takes me to [www.wampserver.com] which in turn redirects me to [www.wampserver.com]. At no point any information is given about what is happening, where I'm being redirected and why. The final landing page is in french and I get the feeling the download overlay was supposed to open by itself, only it didn't. And even if it did, that's not what I want! I want information on the available extensions, and if there is none, I want it plainly stated to me.

If there are no extensions available for WAMPServer 2.5, could you please state it somewhere on the website?
If there are, could you please tell me where to download them? Could you please list them on the website too for others to find?
Could you please provide some information according to above to the folks who click "Get more..." like I did, and are confused by where they land?
Could you please tell me what is the latest WAMPServer version you have extensions for?
Could you please tell me what version of WAMPServer these extensions [sourceforge.net] are compatible with?
Could you please make all this key information available on the website for others to find? It isn't right that you have to dig through this forum to find possibly outdated answers to such basic questions.

I have flagged this post to someone higher up the food chain, as I think you make some good points!

This is all I can suggest for now:-

If you have a backup of the \wamp\bin\mysql\mysqlx.y.x folder from your old install, you can copy and paste the mysqlx.y.z folder from the old install to the new install, restart WAMPserver and it shold be available on the wampmanager menus for switching. As MySQL and Apache/PHP talk via TCP/IP they are not so effected by the changes in compiler as are Apache and PHP, which, I believe is the reason for the removal of the ADDON links.

If you have an Exported backup of the data, you should be able to Import the backup to your new version of MySQL.

If you cannot use any of these methods to get to your old data, tell me and I will post a HowTo for manually installing a mysql version into the WAMPServer environment. This method does depend upon you being able to find the MySQL Server version you want to install from somewhere like here MySQL Community Server Archive as a zip and not a windows installer.

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(Windows 10 Pro 64bit) (Wampserver 3.3.4 64bit) Aestan Tray Menu 3.2.5.4
<Apache versions MULTIPE> <PHP versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Versions MULTIPLE>
<MariaDB versions MULTIPLE> <phpMyAdmin versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Workbench 8.0.23>
Read The Manuals Apache -- MySQL -- PHP -- phpMyAdmin
Get your Apache/MySQL/mariaDB/PHP ADDONs here from the WAMPServer alternate Repo
-X-X-X- Backup your databases regularly Here is How dont regret it later! Yes even when developing -X-X-X-

I downloaded 2.4 and reinstalled it, then reinstalled the MySQL 5.1.36 extension which I found at sourceforge. That way I got my data back. Now I just have to export/import 60+ databases one by one, which takes time. Can't do it by exporting databases in batches, the MySQL server keeps "going away." I'm going to install 2.5 next, because I need the newer PHP version. Thus my issue is resolved, but this procedure has by no means been convenient.

Hi Triskal,

I understand your frustration with the situation you have found yourself in, but to be fair to everybody here, your situation is one of your own making.

If you have 60+ databases and their content is important to you, you should really have been backing them all up on a regular basis.

The first thing when upgrading any software is to make sure you have an exit stratagy i.e. some way of getting back to where you started cleanly and simply should the upgrade prove a problem.

The second thing when upgrading any software is to ensure you have Current backups of all your data in a format that could then be restored to the new release.

This may be of some help with your multiple backup problem. I use MySQL Workbench, that has the ability to backup Multiple databases all in one go. Can be downloaded here

Be careful to download just the workbench, it does come as part of a package as well that includes a MySQL Server instance. You dont want that or you will end up with 2 MySQL Servers on your system and that will cause you majour confusion.

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(Windows 10 Pro 64bit) (Wampserver 3.3.4 64bit) Aestan Tray Menu 3.2.5.4
<Apache versions MULTIPE> <PHP versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Versions MULTIPLE>
<MariaDB versions MULTIPLE> <phpMyAdmin versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Workbench 8.0.23>
Read The Manuals Apache -- MySQL -- PHP -- phpMyAdmin
Get your Apache/MySQL/mariaDB/PHP ADDONs here from the WAMPServer alternate Repo
-X-X-X- Backup your databases regularly Here is How dont regret it later! Yes even when developing -X-X-X-

> but to be fair to everybody here, your situation is one of your own making.

You are right.

I would still like to have some solid information on how to add other mysql and php versions in 2.5, though.

Since the respective communities Apache, MySQL and PHP have over the past few years been moving MSVC compilers from MSVC6 through MSVC11 and the incompatibilities between some of those compilers, the process of adding older versions of Apache and PHP specifically has become much less simple.

Because in the WAMPServer configuration Apache runs PHP as a module of itself the version of compiler used to compile them both has become very important i.e. PHP compiled with MSVC6 will not run with an Apache compiled with MSVC11 and visa versa.

Also with the move to Apache 2.4 from Apache 2.2 and the change in linkages between Apache and PHP many older versions of PHP which were compiled before Apache 2.4 was even a sparkle in the eye of the Apache team, and therefore do not even have php module that run with Apache 2.4. i.e. the php5apache2_4.dll

Basically you can still do the switching of Apache and PHP versions but you need to know more than most users do to do it successfully, and as this forum is manned by volunteers I guess they took the view it was simpler to remove the ADDONS feature, at least untill there are some MSVC11 compiled addons, as it would cause more problems that they could cope with.

Unfortunately many users of WAMPServer think that because installing Apache/MySQL and PHP via WAMPServer is so easy, that the software it installs must also be easy to use. Many never even consider looking at the Manuals and Tutorials available for Apache and MySQL in order to learn how to use these industrial strength tools, they just expect it all to be simple as falling off a log.
So when anything becomes a little more complex than 'Falling off a log' it is often better to withdraw the feature, at least temporarily, rather than suffer the wrath of users that expect life as a Website and Database administrator, which is basically what all users of WAMPServer have volunteered to become, to be easy.

However, it is possible to install versions of Apache/MySQL and PHP manually, I have HowTO tutorials for all 3 if you are interested. They are a couple of years old now but should be perfectly adequate if you would like to see them I can send them via a Private Message. It would be useful to get your feedback if you do actually use them.

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(Windows 10 Pro 64bit) (Wampserver 3.3.4 64bit) Aestan Tray Menu 3.2.5.4
<Apache versions MULTIPE> <PHP versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Versions MULTIPLE>
<MariaDB versions MULTIPLE> <phpMyAdmin versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Workbench 8.0.23>
Read The Manuals Apache -- MySQL -- PHP -- phpMyAdmin
Get your Apache/MySQL/mariaDB/PHP ADDONs here from the WAMPServer alternate Repo
-X-X-X- Backup your databases regularly Here is How dont regret it later! Yes even when developing -X-X-X-