PphBB 3.0.8 Upgrade

I was two versions behind production and I also wanted to see if I could install RSS & a mobile template Mod.


Upgraded to 3.0.8 which was the normal seamless experience.


Then entered the word of AutoMod.  Which as with most things sent to make life easier totally screwed me.  Firstly the app has a few 'update' file options.  Live, direct FTP or if they fail (because you have good security) then it will download the modified files and let you update at your leisure.


The download (zip, tar.gz or .tar) worked once.  And then all subsequent files appeared to be corrupt.  There are some posts on the forum with no obvious fix.


Tried FTP - #FAIL ! - it totally ignored (or maybe I mis-typed) the FTP path which resulted in the files getting splatted all over the structure.  Chaos, and a broken site.


Its OK, I have a backup - #FAIL #2.  Permissions all wrecked.  


Stop, slow down, think .. All the data is in the DB, which is safe, and I have many backups of.  Install a clean 3.0.8 and point the install to the old db.  Well this did'nt work as I'd expected - it wants to use a new db.  A quick google and just replacing the config.php from the screwed install got me working.  YAY.


Go to bed


Wake up to Bot hell .. I'd assumed (naively) that the .8 anti-bot would have been better, I'd enabled everything. Not the case so I went back and installed the tried and trusted Anti-Bot question mod.  


Again trying (stupidly) with AutoMod - #FAIL *sigh* - going off that very quickly.  


Manually made the changes and all is well.


EDIT : New and improved anti-bot registration installed - Peoplesign (which also required me to update to a 3.0.8 style)


EDIT :  Peoplesign didnt prevent all spam signups, wow they are persistent.  Reverted to the 'ask a question' default phpBB sign up options.  So far so good.