This common text is used in both the install and upgrade articles. 1 numbered parameter, the possible values are:

• install (default)
• upgrade
• update

Extract the SMF archive and upload the files to your website

The SMF install archive contains files that need to be copied to the correct place on your web site before the installer can be executed. Wherever the files are located on the server -- that's where your forum will be located.

There are two ways to do this. Extracting before Uploading is often the simplest way to do it. If your host provides the tools for it, you can try Uploading before Extracting.

You will need to use either FTP (in binary mode How do I use FTP ) or the tools in in your hosting account's control panel (for more information on the control panel supplied by your hosting service, please see the documentation provided by your hosting service)

SMF can be uploaded to the site root, or to a directory on the site, such as www.yourdomain.com/forum

Extracting Before Uploading

This is the way most people do it. It's easy, but can take longer. First, extract the archive -- usually by right-clicking the archive and selecting the "Extract All" option. A new folder should be created, with all the files and directories in the correct places, when the install archive is extracted. Second, set your FTP client for binary transfer, select all the files and folders and copy them to the directory where you want to locate your forum.

Uploading Before Extracting

Some control panels, such as cPanel, give the ability to extract an archive right on the server. This can be a quicker than waiting for all the extracted files to copy via FTP. First, upload the file via your account's control panel. Second, select the extract option to extract the archive to the desired location -- the directory where you want your forum to be located.