Once an upgrade script is downloaded, execute it over your database.

Well I finally found the email of NOPcommerce president.

this is his email

[REMOVED]

His name is Andrey N Mazoulnitsyn

http://betterwhois.com/bwhois.cgi?verification=8762&domain=nopcommerce.com&submitbtn=Continue

PLease send an email to him now.

I will

I wont do that!... NOP is FREE.. Better to rely on our fellow users than to ask NOP laymen questions.

In the past, I paid thousands of dollars to create a storefront site. ... Im not that much complaining.. I want answers, and I have faith I will find them here if I am patient.

Once you got your site back in order, did you do all your backups? Soon I think somebody, somewhere will help us. Be patient carlos.

OK, let's get this resolved without all the yelling (no CAPS LOCK please), and the down votes.... :) ...

You are basically on the right track, you just need to pull the trigger.  Yes, you need to

1) Backup your existing database
- options:
a) use a tool like SSMS (SQL server management studio)
However, if you have your SQL Server DB hosted, then it's likely a FULL version and not EXPRESS.  I do not think you can use SSMS Express to manage it.
b) use the host's control panel to backup the database.  Most host control panels have a Database > Maintenance > Backup feature, that will create the backup (usually in .zip format), and save it on the host drive.  You can further FTP a copy to your local PC.
c) ask the host to do the backup for you.

If you are really concerned about loss of uptime, or loss of data, then it would be best to set up a new database on the host (either yourself, or ask them for assist).  Setting up a new DB is my recommendation.
Then "restore" the backup there (again, either yourself or ask host).  Then, later, when you get this new copy upgraded, all you need to do is change the db connection string in the web site  \AppData\Settings.txt

2) Upgrade the database.
Yes, you must run every upgrade.sql in sequence - e.g. 2.30-2.40, 2.40-2.50, 2.50-2.60, etc.
Yes, you need a tool like SSMS.  But, as per above, the free SQLEXPRESS may not work against host db.
Use this instead
http://www.albahari.com/queryexpress.aspx
Just download it to your desktop.  No extract is required.  (if using Win 7, then after download, right-click the exe file, and click Unblock button)
a) run QueryExpress
b) fill out connect dialog.  Use SQL Server authentication.
c) when query window opens, type
USE mydbname
(where mydbname is your database name :)
e) click the green arrow (run) button, or press F5
f) on menu click File / Open, and open one of the upgrade.sql files in the upgradescripts subfolder
  (verify the your db name is selected in the dropdown on the left nav pane)
g) click the green arrow (run) button, or press F5
h) repeat f & g for each upgrade.sql

3) Backup your existing web site
- options
a) use FTP and make local copy
b) use host control panel File Manager, and make copy on host.
c) ask host to back it up.

Similar to above, and my recommendation, is to instead create a new web site to run your tests first.  Most hosting plans allow for creating more than one web site even for basic plan.  The host control panel can do this, or ask them:
a) in host file manager or FTP, create a new folder in your host root - e.g. test.mydomain.com
b) in host web manager, create a subdomain - e.g.  test.mydomain.com
   point the subdomain to your new folder
c) Upload the new no source version of nopC to the new folder
d) Copy the \AppData\Settings.txt from your old web site (overwrite the one in test folder)
e) Edit the \AppData\Settings.txt to point to your new DB  (and new user / pwd if needed, though you should have granted prev user access to new db)
You can typically edit files in the host control panel. Or FTP the file, modify local, and upload.  Or, get FileZilla FTP program, and you can edit files, and it handles the download/upload for you.
f) Copy the \AppData\InstalledPlugins.txt  from your old web site (overwrite the one in test folder)

4) Test
a) Use a browser to navigate to your new web site - e.g. test.mydomain.com

5) Make it live
a) Use FTP program, or host file manager
  i. rename your live folder to backup.mydomain.com
  ii. rename your test folder to whatver the name of your live folder was

6) Smile :)

Regarding the tool your recommended for uploading the nopC upgrade; "http://www.albahari.com/queryexpress.aspx".

It don't state that is compatible with Windows 7?

Here is what it says "copy/paste".

Download

Query Express has a fully permissive free license with no conditions attached. Full source code is included, which you can use in commercial software. Compatible with the .NET Framework versions 1.1, 2.0 and above—no additional downloads are required if you have Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista.

Current version 3.9: last updated November 2007.

Download Executable [Right-click, Save As...] NO SETUP REQUIRED file size 100K
Download Executable + Source zip (Visual Studio.NET project) file size 100K

I went on and used it and it works fine. But, somewhere I messed up and now my test site dont work. :(

----------------------------------------------------------

AS it turns out, New York didnt mention that we have to delete the files in the web as stated in the readme.txt that comes with the upgrade files.

Steps:
1. Backup your existing database
2. Execute upgrade.sql script over your database
3. Remove all files from the previous version except App_Data\Settings.txt and App_Data\InstalledPlugins.txt
4. Upload new site files
5. Copy back App_Data\Settings.txt and App_Data\InstalledPlugins.txt files
6. Ensure that everything is OK

Notes:
1. If you stored your pictures on the file system, then also backup them (\Content\Images\) and copy back after upgrade
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In my case, I do store my pictures on the file system. but, I have them available to upload so no problem there.

But, Step "4". "Upload new site files". Where do i get them? The upgrade is "Upgrade.sql" and that small "Readme.txt that I copy/pasted above.

I dont know where I get the new site files after I delete almost the entire site.

Yes, QueryExpress works fine on Win 7

I never mentioned the word "Delete".  My recommendation was to create a copy, and work with the copy.

The current stable no source version of nopC is always at its CodePlex home page
http://nopcommerce.codeplex.com/
The big purple Download button

New York wrote:

Yeah, I know you didnt mention that.. but the "Readme.txt" file that comes with the upgrade script does.
Right now, I am sooooo confused!.. Even my hosting provider is confused. I was contemplating deleting all the files in the site... but that didnt make sense?

Please excuse me for my ignorance;
Does that mean that I download the 2.65 version of nopC and upload that after I update the database with the upgrades?

Regarding copy; I am working on a test site. Yikes! if I was not. LOL
_____________________________________________________________

Dear New York,
Do you mind telling me those step by step instructions so that it fits my circumstances?

1: I am upgrading 2.40 to 2.65 (step by step)
2: I have my database and site backed up.
3: I already created a test site: "http://shippersmall265.com.mytempweb.com" (with database too)
4: I already have that "QueyExpress" thingy.
5: I already have that QueryExpress" thingy connected to my dataqbase.
6: I already have all my upgrades 2.50 - 2.60 - 2.65 downloaded and they are looking at me on my desktop in zip files.

Now what do I do? :(

1: Im just being patient and waiting for answers. I hope I dont die before I get those answers? hehehehehe

It doesn't really matter if you download 2.65 and set it up in a NEW folder prior to upgrading DB.  You just won't be able to use it with your data until the DB is upgraded.
Alternately, if you want to check/test things along the way, then install 2.65 to a NEW web site, and run it to set up a new sample DB  (navigate to new web site url, and go thru install process).   Now, you can play with 2.65 and ensure that it installed properly as a web site.  I.e. you should do this exactly the same way you first installed your existing nopC version; if you ran into issues then, then you should handle them proactively (e.g. sometimes one has to manually create a DB rather than letting Install to it).

So, RE:
   3: I already created a test site: "http://shippersmall265.com.mytempweb.com" (with database too)
Clarify " (with database too)"  - Did you create sample data as per above?

In any case, my recommendation (without repeating all the details), and I've put the 2.65 install first for your peace of mind :)

Download 2.65 and install it as a new web site (sub domain), and create the Samples DB.  Test it.
Backup your existing DB
Setup a new production DB and restore your backup there.
Connect QueryExpress to new DB and run scripts
  "USE newdb"
  run each upgrade script in sequence
Edit new 2.65 web site
  modify Settings.txt (db settings)
  copy InstalledPlugins.txt
  copy your images
Test it
Make it live (as per above 'rename ...  rename....')

New York wrote:

Regarding db too; I have a mirror of my complete site right now. Site and database on the mytempweb that I referred too.

So: If I am getting this right; I run the upgrade on the db and the site is irrelevant. It will not work until I upgrade the site by uploading the new 2.65 on the site and then Copy back App_Data\Settings.txt and App_Data\InstalledPlugins.txt files. And in my case copy back my (\Content\Images\) into to new 2.65 site.

After I copy the above mentioned folders into the new 2.65 site, it will then look like my site.
The site files dont come with the upgrade, I get it from a new install.

When running the script on the db, I got error: "A transport-level error has occurred when receiving results from the server. (provider: TCP Provider, error: 0 - The specified network name is no longer available.)" Does anybody know what that is?

I tried it again and it was successful. going from 2.40 to 2.50.
Going from 2.50 to 2.60 It completed with errors.
"Unclosed quotation mark after the character string"

Despite the error going from 2.50 to 2.60, I went ahead and did the upgrade from 2.60 to 2.65.

Now the question is, will it work? Should I have stopped when I got the error?

re: The site files dont come with the upgrade, I get it from a new install.

Correct.  The "upgrade" is just for the database.


re: "Unclosed quotation mark after the character string"

Strange.  It would have been best to post additional info here at that time - e.g. it should have 'pointed' to the place in the script where the error occurred.
Hard to say whether all is well.

New York wrote:
Starting all over again.

1: I my hosting provider used my .bak database file and restored my database.

2: I am now uploading nopC 2.65 files to the domain via filzilla in to the root.
3: Im am going to  Execute upgrade.sql scripts 2.50, 2.60, 2.65 over my database.
4: I will copy the specified files. App_Data\Settings.txt and App_Data\InstalledPlugins.txt
5: Then I will copy my images folder up.

Is that the correct way to do it?