I'm obviously new to the whole web site thing, but am really not happy with my current web host due to complete lack of support and other things. I would like to switch HOSTS and have been researching how to do that. I have read it is as simple as switching a DNS "number" (probably not the correct term), but on the other hand I have also read you have to download your entire site to your computer and then upload it to the new server. Which one is it? I would really prefer not have to download the site, if only for the fact that there is a suspected virus on my current server and I don't WANT to unwittingly download it with the site to my computer. I just got the last worm/virus/Trojan out a couple of days ago! What I need to know is the simplest way to switch hosts with the least amount of site downtime, and is doable by me, the complete newbie. Also please write your answers so even I will understand. :-?Well, you will have to download the website files to your computer and then upload them to the server of your new hosting service.  How else would those files get transferred to the server of your new hosting service?  There's no magical way to avoid downloading them from the old host and uploading them to the new one.

What makes you think you have "virus on my current server"?  And, if you merely download website files, I don't see how that could install a virus in your computer.  Are there any executable files among your web page files on the current host server?  If so, why?  Is it something you put there?  If not, then don't download such file(s).  Be sure your're only downloading the files that make your site work, which should be files you created.  You do know which files these are, right?

Once you get an account with a new hosting service, they should send you an email with details on how to access your new account via FTP and what domain name pointer code you need to setup with your domain name registrar.  They should also send you info on how you can upload your files and view your pages (only you, no one else) before going live with the site.  So, you should do this before deactivating your site on the old host server.  

Once receive the domain name pointer code (this may not be the exact title of that code, but something similar), contact your domain registrar and change that code from the one for the old hosting service to the one for your new hosting service.  The change may not take effect for a day or two or longer.  But, once it does takes effect, the transition should be invisible to VISITORS to your site, and there should be no downtime.  

How can you tell when your site is being displayed from the new web server?  Make a slight change in a page and upload it either to the old web server or the new one.  Let's say you upload the changed page to the new server.  When you view the page in your web browser and see the change, then you will know the change in domain name pointer code has taken effect and you can then close the old hosting account if you wish to do so.




Good answer, soybean.Thanks.   I had asked someone to help me with some of the scripts, and when she tried to access the site from her computer she was stopped by Norton with a MESSAGE about the Downloader virus being present. Two days later when I accessed my own site suddenly my computer had this same virus. It's taken a lot of work to get rid of it, and I'm just hesitant to do something that could re-infect my computer.

I don't think there are any executable files, unless I missed something. I didn't put any in, but I also didn't design the website and haven't gone through every file.There is a downloader zlob that shows up with McAffee, Norton and AVG that is actually a false positive...

I'm not sure how the hosting co. runs their protection schemes but ask for someone like a supervisor to see where to go from here.

patio.  8-)One of the biggest reasons why I want to switch web hosts is that the supervisor, who is also the site designer, denies that there is anything wrong, and then when I tried to follow up with him several times he ignored my emails and support requests.A very good reason to switch...someone new who is eager for your business could POSSIBLY be of much more help in assuring your site is clean and also the transfer process itself.

Good Luck.How did you create your web pages?  You don't already have the files on your hard drive from when you created them?I bought the site already put together. It was done from a template, and I can go in and customize most of it. So no, I don't have the files already on my computer.Is this a Geocities web account?  Is your website's URL www.mysite.com or something like www.Geocities.com/~mysite/index.htm?  You've been using some type of online HTML editor, where you update pages via a web browser interface, right?  Looks like you've got some learning curve ahead of you in order to get into a much different mode of operation for your website.It's not a geocities site, but it does use an online html editor. The original seller and host is storefrontx.com.Do you have a registered domain name?  Have you thought about how you're going to manage your website with a new web hosting service?  As far as I know, you won't be able to take their template with you when you switch web hosts.  You'll have to either find another web host which provides an online html editor, if that's what you want, or learn the conventional way of developing web pages, which is to develop them on your computer and then upload them to your web server.  Either way, you'll have to download the files from the old host unless you just start from scratch with a new web host that offers an online html editor and upload all your photos again.