Geekette's Blogette

Last Updated: 10/17/08

I'm working in a test WSS 3.0 environment and I would like to be able to move a subsite with subsites to another environment.  There are several ways to move a WSS 3.0 site.  The first one I tried almost worked.  I will document my attempts (and reason each attempt was or was not successful here. 

SharePoint Designer

The technique:

• Create a placeholder for the new location of the site
  • Use WSS 3.0 browser
    • Create a site using the Blank Site template.
• Create a backup of the site to be moved
  • Use SharePoint Designer
    • Open the site to be moved
    • On the Site Menu - point to Administration - Backup Web Site - Check Include Subsites
    • Creates a .cmp file
• Restore the backup to the new location
  • Use SharePoint Designer
    • Open the site (new location)
    • On the Site Menu - point to Administration - Restore Web Site
    • Use the .cmp file 

Limitations:

• The site hiearachy for the new location must be the same as the original location. 
  • For example: If you have
    • Portal Site - Projects Site - IT Projects Site - Project A Site - Project A Documentation Site - Project A Final Dcoumentation Site
    •  you cannot move it  to  move it to
    • Portal Site - Project A Documentation
• There is a size limitation of 25MB

• Create a Site Template
  • Using WSS 3.0 Browser:
    • Save the site you want to move as a template – include content
    • If moving to a different site collection:
      • Go to Site Gallery (at top level)
      • Save the template to a good place in the file system (like your desktop)
      • Go to the root site of the Site Collection of the new location
      • Go to the Site Gallery
      • Upload the saved site template (.stp file)
    • Browse to the parent site of the new location
    • Create a new site with the template you just uploaded (Select a template – Custom tab)

Limitations:

• Subsites are not included

STSADM Export / Import

The Techique

• Use STSADM command line tool
• Export the subsite to a .bat file
• Import the .bat file to the new site location
• Must have the following permissions:
• login account for SQL server for SharePoint databases
• Site Collection Administrator for new location (?and maybe original location)

Results

• Subsite and subsites were restored
• Used -includeusersecurity parameter and SharePoint groups and users in these groups were moved

Limitations

• STSADM is not user friendly with error messages.  Check the Application Event Log.  The message received in the command window may not be indicative of the true problem.