Upgrade Guide
Contents
Who Should Read This Guide
This guide is meant for users using the in-built Web Upgrader (a step-by-step upgrade/data migration wizard), which is the default and recommended method of upgrading OrangeHRM. However technical users who wish to manually configure OrangeHRM can refer the OrangeHRM FAQ.
Overview
This guide describes how to upgrade previous OrangeHRM to OrangeHRM 2.2. It is intended for experienced administrators and novices alike. After upgrading, you will be able to use the new functionality while preserving your data.
Upgrade
Backup files
Rename your existing OrangeHRM installation directory to avoid it being overwritten by files from the new version. Your existing OrangeHRM installation would be under the document root of the Apache HTTP Server. See Copying files for information on locating the document root.
Example: If your old installation directory was:
C:\Program Files\xamp\htdocs\orangehrm2
you can rename it to:
C:\Program Files\xamp\htdocs\orangehrm2_bak
Copying files
Copy OrangeHRM-ver-2.2.zip into the document root of the Apache HTTP Server.
Notes
If you used XAMP for Windows, document root is
<XAMP Installed Location>\htdocs\
ex. C:\Program Files\xampp\htdocs
If you used XAMPP Linux AMP stack, document root is
<XAMPP Installed Location>/htdocs/
Extracting
Extract OrangeHRM-ver-2.2.zip into the same folder. (i.e. Extract here). This will create a new directory named orangehrm2 under the document root of Apache.
Web Upgrade
Using a JavaScript enabled browser goto http://<webhost>/orangehrm/upgrade.php
Where <webhost> is localhost
if it is installed in the machine you are currently working on, IP
address if it is remotely hosted (i.e. external to the machine you are
using.
See Web Upgrade.
Web Upgrade
Web upgrade will be briefly described here.
Welcome Screen
It will state which version of OrangeHRM will be installed and briefly what it would be doing to install OrangeHRM
Click [Next] button in the Welcome screen to proceed with the installation
License Acceptance
Here you will be provided with a copy of the GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE and to continue the installation you will have to accept the license. If you decline simply discontinue the installation and delete all OrangeHRM files you posses.
Click [Accept] button in the License Acceptance screen if you accept the terms and conditions of the license. Then you will be taken to the next page of the Web Upgrader.
Disclaimer
Upgrader has been tested for most scenarios, but we cannot be sure whether we have covered all scenarios. Disclaimer there to let you know that we are not responsible for the actions of the upgrader. To continue the upgrade you will have to accept the disclaimer. If you decline simply discontinue the upgrade.
Click [Accept] button in the Disclaimer screen if you accept the the disclaimer. Then you will be taken to the next page of the Web Upgrader.
OrangeHRM 1.2/2.0/2.1
Enter the relative location of the previous installation of OrangeHRM in the textbox. This should be the directory that you renamed your previous installation to in the Backup files section.
You can only upgrade from version 1.2 or later to the current version.
Click [Next] button in this Screen to continue.
Example
If your previous OrangeHRM version was installed under the same parent directory as OrangeHRM 2.2, and you renamed it to orangehrm2_bakin the Backup files section, you should enter orangehrm2_bak.
Backup Data
Database backup file should download in a little while after Backup Data screen loads. Save this file safely. Please do not save the file in the same location as installation of OrangeHRM. The file could be deleted.
If the download doesn't start immediately click the link to download the Database backup file.
If you do not save this file you cannot continue with the upgrade.
Select [Downloaded] tick box and click [Next] button in Backup Data screen to continue.
Database Creation
Enter the relevant information about your MySQL database server
and database users.
Click
[Next] in Database Creation screen to continue.
Notes
Privileged Database Users and OrangeHRM Database Users
Database users could be assigned different rights. There may be users who can't create databases, users or perform certain database operations but are allowed to view data in the databse. A privileged user is a user with rights to perform all database operations.
OrangeHRM database user doesn't have to be a privileged user. OrangeHRM database user only needs the rights to INSERT, UPDATE, SELECT and DELETE.
Since the database user details are stored in the file in plain text it would be a security threat to have OrangeHRM database user to be the Privileged user.
Make a wise decision!
System Check
Here the Web Upgrader will check whether the Pre-requisites are available.
If all responses are in green you can safely continue. You have installed the correct versions of the Pre-requisites and configured them to work in harmony.
See below for all the possible color codes

Rare occurance where all three states are in the same screen.
Click [Next] button in the System Check screen to continue.
Notes
Maximum Session Idle Time before Timeout
Maximum Session Idle Time before Timeout is checked to ensure that users don't get logged out within a short period such as less than 15 minutes. As a precaution it's not possible to continue installing OrangeHRM if the session times out in less than 2 minutes.
How to Fix
You will have to change session.gc_maxlifetime in the php.ini file. (Default session.gc_maxlifetime = 1440)
Important
It is still possible that some other php application running in the same server is overriding session.gc_maxlifetime value in the php.ini file at runtime. This will be the case if you are running OrangeHRM in a shared host. Workaround is available but beyond the scope of this document.
How to enable InnoDB support in MySQL
To enable "InnoDB" please open "my" (or "my.cnf") file in a text editor and search for "skip-innodb" and add the leading "#" restart the MySQL database server to enable InnoDB.
ex:
.
.
.
skip-innodb
.
.
.
should read as
.
.
.
#skip-innodb
.
.
.
(in XAMPP for windows my.cnf is found in C:\xampp\mysql\bin\my.cnf)
(in XAMPP for linux my.cnf is found in /opt/lampp/etc/my.cnf)
Upload
Upload the Database backup file downloaded in Backup Data screen. Without uploading you cannot continue.
Notes
Upgrade will begin immediately. Once you click [Next] there is no way that you can stop the upgrade from starting. You cannot roll back the upgrade as well. Click [Next] only if you are sure that you want to upgrade with the given configuration.
Upgrading
Here you will be shown the progress of the upgrade. Once the upgrade is completed the [Next] button will be enabled. Click [Next] button in the Upgrading screen to continue.
If an error occurs during the upgrade the whole upgrade will be
aborted.
Click [Clean Up Upgrade] to go to previous pages to correct the
error and start the upgrade again. See screenshots
Following are sample screenshots of the Installing screen

Installation has just started.

Installation in progress.

Installation has finished successfuly.

Installation has been aborted due to an error.
Upgrade Notes
After the upgrade is complete, you will see a screen with important information.
Please go through it carefully and take note of any actions you need to take.
Click [Next] button to continue.
Registration
If you want be up to date on news about OrangeHRM, please provide your e-mail address and a name that the e-mails should be addressed to. It will be much appreciated if you register here, then we will know how many users have successfuly upgraded to OrangeHRM 2.2.
Even if you have already registered during a previous installation of OrangeHRM, it's all right to register. We will be considering the last registration when sending updates and news.
You can also provide your comments.
If you want to receive updates or newsletter select the tick box [Updates/Newsletter]. Click [Register] to send the information.
If the registration is successful you can click [Login to OrangeHRM] to Login to OrangeHRM.
If you don't want to register click [No thanks!].
Notes
If the sending of registration Information fails an error message will be shown. Click [Retry] to send the details again or [Skip] to skip this step an you will not be registered.
Login into OrangeHRM
Now use your username and password used for older OrangeHRM installation to login into OrangeHRM 2.2.