Questions about how to update FileZilla Server

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Questions about how to update FileZilla Server

#1 Post by maru » 2021-11-28 10:50

Hello.

I am a beginner.
Please forgive my lack of study.

I have questions about how to update FileZilla Server.

Currently, the latest version of FileZilla Server is 1.1.0, but please teach me how to install it when a new version is uploaded to the FileZilla's website in the future.
For example, when I upgrade older version of FileZilla Server,do I have only to reinstall new version ?

This time, as a test, I installed the new version (Ver 1.1.0) with the old version (Ver 0.9.60 beta) installed.
Since question as "Delete settings?" appeared during the installation of the new version, I selected "No" like the attached file (Figure1).
However, I am very worried because the information such as "user name" and "Native path" was not inherited from the previous version (0.9.60 beta) like the attached file (Figure1).

Is the above behavior of installation program a specification?

Please let me know if my installation method of the new version is incorrect.

Also, when I first started the new FileZilla Server version (1.1.0), a window like the attached file (Figure 2) was displayed.
In this case, which should I select, Yes or No?
I'm a beginner so I didn't know which one to select.
If I make a mistake in this selection, will FileZilla Server malfunction or not start?
If the window (question) like Figure 2 appears, had I better to press the Regenerate button in both the Security item of FTP Server and Security item of Administration ?

I would like know to the above points.
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Perry Diels
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Re: Questions about how to update FileZilla Server

#2 Post by Perry Diels » 2021-11-28 16:32

Hi Maru,

I have the exact same questions... I was also hesitating what to choose during the installation procedure.

Finally I updated from 0.9.60_2 to 1.0.1 and we could not use FileZilla any longer. After adjusting the firewall rules (Windows Server 2019) connection to the FTP server was working (somehow), but from outside the LAN (hence the Internet) it was not possible to see the folder listings. After doing quite some research I finally decided to revert to 0.9.60_2 (beta) which has been working fine since I initially installed it (2019). Now before installing the even newer 1.1.0 I am again doing some research, when I came across your post.

I also wish to find good information how to update a perfectly working 0.x version to the latest 1.x (which for sure has improvements and better security).

When I find some useful stuff I will post it here.

Best regards

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boco
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Re: Questions about how to update FileZilla Server

#3 Post by boco » 2021-11-28 23:52

This is an exceptional situation. FileZilla Server 1.x isn't a simple update from 0.9.x, but a completely new software, rewritten from scratch. So, it is essentially a change to a different Server software, with settings migration.
Settings will be migrated automatically, but only if you originally installed the old 0.9.x Server with its installation program, didn't move it manually,and if nothing has wiped that information from the Registry (looking at you, Registry cleaners!!!).

All executables changed, so, Firewall rules have to be redone. Router forwards should still be valid, provided they were correct before. FTP over TLS is now the preferred connection setting, everything has to be set up correctly.
The new Server lacks the option for fetching the external IP directly through the online service provided by FileZilla. Instead, you need to enter your external IP (if it is static) or a Hostname (domain name) resolving to that external IP.

Future new 1.x versions will be simple updates again, and you can simply install them over the old version.
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maru
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Re: Questions about how to update FileZilla Server

#4 Post by maru » 2021-11-29 05:08

Thank you for reply.
Thank you Mr.Perry Diels.
Thank you Mr.boco.

I tested it further in my environment.

First, I uninstalled the installed FileZilla Sever (ver1.1.0) from the Windows 10 control panel, and reinstalled the old FileZilla Server (ver0.9.60 beta) on the same PC.
Then, upon cofirming,the user name and shared folders information registered in the previous version (ver 0.9.60) proved to be restored .
I was surprised at this resurrection because I thought the information had already disappeared.

Also, I newly installed FileZilla Sever (ver1.0.1) on another Windows10 PC and registered some user names and NativePath in this FileZilla Sever (ver1.0.1).
After that, when I upgraded to FileZilla Sever (ver1.1.0), the user name and Native Path were inherited.

From the above behavior, it seems that FileZilla Sever (ver 0.9.x) and FileZilla Sever (ver 1.x.x) own user and folder path information separately each base version , I think.Is this my misunderstanding?

Does FileZilla Server have username and shared folders(Native Path) information in the registry? or does it have it in an xml file, etc.?

If the base version is different, will the user name and shared folder information not be inherited?

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Re: Questions about how to update FileZilla Server

#5 Post by boco » 2021-11-29 11:32

FileZilla products do never use the Registry (the verrry ancient FileZilla 2.x offered such an option, but, it's long gone). They use XML files, for cross-OS compatibility.
FileZilla Server 0.9.x stored its information in the Program Files dir directly. As this clashes with the userspace separation of modern OS (where configuration data must not be stored in Program Files, ever), the new Server uses a very different path to store settings (profile directory of the user it runs under, usually SYSTEM). As you opted to not remove the old settings, they are preserved at the original location and reappear when the 0.9.x Server is reinstalled).
From the above behavior, it seems that FileZilla Sever (ver 0.9.x) and FileZilla Sever (ver 1.x.x) own user and folder path information separately each base version , I think.Is this my misunderstanding?
They are completely different programs and don't share any configuration. The old configuration is migrated to the new Server once, as applicable. Updates from 1.x to 1.x are simple updates, again.
If the base version is different, will the user name and shared folder information not be inherited?
When installing the new Server for the first time, settings will be migrated, under the conditions provided in my previous post.
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maru
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Re: Questions about how to update FileZilla Server

#6 Post by maru » 2021-11-30 05:47

Thank you for reply.
Thank you Mr.boco.

I tested it further in my environment.

I installed FileZilla Server (ver 0.9.60 beta) on a Windows 10 PC that I have never installed FileZilla Server.
After that, I registered some users and shared folders with FileZilla Server (ver 0.9.60 beta).
After that, when I installed FileZilla Server (ver 1.1.0) on the same PC, the information of the users and Shared folders registered with FileZilla Server (ver 0.9.60 beta) was certainly inherited. Thank you very much.

However, if you have tested the FileZilla Server installation several times before, like the PC I asked first, in some cases the information registered in the old version may not be inherited to the new version. You need to be careful about this point. (merely , there is a possibility of my lack of understanding of the "conditions correctly under which information is inherited" that Mr.boco taught me. I'm sorry.)

In the future, it would be nice if FileZilla Server could import CSV file format that we save by Microsoft Excel.(When we install FileZilla Server for the first time, we enter the username, virtual path, native path, and writable fields in Microsoft Excel in advance and save with CSV file format. ) With this function, we can rest assured if the inheritance of information from the old version to the new version fails.

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Re: Questions about how to update FileZilla Server

#7 Post by boco » 2021-11-30 16:52

The migration is done only once. Imagine a situation like yours where the old settings file still exists, in the old directory. Do you really want to have the new Server's settings being overwritten by the old, obsolete ones every time you install a new version of the 1.x server? I don't wanna, so, one-time migration is the way to go.
It is even possible to run the migration manually, search this forum.
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maru
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Re: Questions about how to update FileZilla Server

#8 Post by maru » 2021-12-02 08:30

Thank you for reply.
Thank you , Mr.boco.
I understand.

This time , based on the information of Mr.bernarddt introduced us in the past topic (posted on October 07, 2021),
I tested whether I could manually inherit the settings of FileZilla Server Ver0.9.60 beta to Ver1.1.0 or not in the following flow.
Please see attached file(Figure).

Please point out if the following procedure is incorrect.
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Re: Questions about how to update FileZilla Server

#9 Post by botg » 2021-12-02 09:38

You do not need to copy the old configuration into the new server's directory.

Make sure to stop the server prior to replacing its configuration files.

Consider running the conversion tool under the same user account the server service runs under, otherwise the ACLs on the files won't be correct.

maru
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Re: Questions about how to update FileZilla Server

#10 Post by maru » 2021-12-02 09:54

Thank you for reply.
Thank you , Mr.Kosse.
Thank you for pointing out.
I copied the old version of the xml file to a folder on the new server because I just followed the steps in the previous topic (excuse me).
Also, thank you for providing the correct information.
I am honored to be able to talk with a genius like Mr.Kosse.

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