I've been working with WordPress MU (Multiple User) for about a year now. The Multiple User version of WordPress allows an unlimited number of separate, different, individual blogs to all co-exist within one WordPress installation. For me, it is an ideal solution for creating single property web sites, and most recently individual blog/sites for each agent.
For some reason, the automatic upgrade button in MU wasn't working for me. (And I found this discussion on the WPMU forums http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic/13506 after I already performed a manual update on 3 MU communities).
For the record, here is the system I use for manually upgrading WordPress MU
1. BACKUP. If you don't want to bother with backup plugins, simply use Tools -> Export to make a copy of any blog you especially want to protect. I tend to export blogs for the properties currently on the market, and take my chances with the ones that have already sold and closed. Then FTP into your host and download copies of the folders named wp-admin, wp-content, and wp-includes. Then download the core files from root folder.
After the downloaded copies are safely stored in a holding folder on your computer, you can move on to the fun stuff.
2. Download and unzip the newest version of WordPress MU. The current general release version of MU is 2.8.6, although MU's developer Donncha made the BETA of 2.9 available last month. (As always, pay attention to where the newly unzipped files and folders are placed on your computer, few things are more annoying than not being able to find a file you just unzipped.)
3. FTP back into your WordPress MU host, and delete the folders named wp-admin and wp-includes. Don't delete the wp-content folder. This is where all your themes and plugins are stored.
4. Upload the new wp-admin and wp-includes folders.
5. Upload the new core files, overwriting the existing core files
6. Log in to the primary admin blog of your MU community. You will see a notice to "Please visit the Uprgrade Site to update all the blogs in the community. Click the Upgrade Site link.
7. Click the Upgrade Site button, and MU will whisk through all the blog sites in the community, five at a time.
8. All Done!
I haven't had any problems upgrading MU in this manner. Your mileage may vary. If you do run into a hiccup, you can always restore your previous version by FTPing into your host, deleting the new wp-admin and wp-includes folders, and re-uploading the previous wp-admin and wp-includes folders that you download to your computer prior to the upgrade. (You didn't skip that step, did you? :-) )
After you upload the previous wp-admin and wp-includes folders, then re-upload all the core files from the previous version.
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