Backup/Upgrade from VM 1.1.8

[HeartFreedom]

Hi,
I have a website on VM 1.1.8 and J1.5. It has 350+ products and it contains specs, pics and youtube videos links etc. I want to upgrade it to J1.7/2.5 and to VM2.
I want to take the backup of the data from my website and to install a newer Joomla template and newer VM and then insert the data from that backup!
Could anybody tell me how to do that?

Thanks!

[jenkinhill]

Use Akeebs to make a couple of backups (just in case), and run the migration process on one of those backup versions.

This is roughly what I would do - allow plenty of time.

1. First migrate that backup to to VM2.0.2  http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=95236.0
2. Make a new install of Joomla 2.5.1 and use Jupdate or similar to copy over the old articles etc (this will not copy VM2)
3. Make a new install of VM2.0.2 on the 2.5.1 site, installing the sample data
4. Copy over the images etc from the (still J1.5) site maintaining the file structure (Vm2 stores product images in a more sensible path)
5. Copy over the VM database tables from the J1.5/VM2.0.2 to the J2.5/VM2.0.2 using phpMyAdmin, making sure you use the same table prefixes as in the new installation.
6. Sort out any issues, then get configuring the new installation & testing before using Akeeba to move it to the live server directory (or do it this way http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=86923.0 )

[HeartFreedom]

is there any way that we may export the VM products (and their details) in some format from VM 1.18 and then Install a new J2.5 and VM2 and import those products right into VM2??
I dont want Joomla articles to be upgraded but just the VM products(product details, picts, youtube links etc) and categories.
any sugesstion? 

[jenkinhill]

Something like this:  http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=100673.msg333884#msg333884

[HeartFreedom]

I am trying to follow the steps from the post
http://forum.virtuemart.net/index.php?topic=95236.0

but I get some errors. (I have J1.5 and VM 1.1. Plz advice me on some points.

1) Do we have to install VM2 on existing VM1.1.8 ? By doing this there comes error and we can see blank page on backend.
or we have to install VM2 on new J2.5 installation?

2) On point no. 3 of above article, it is said "rename old com_virtumart folders".......
This thing seems confusing. If we install on new joomla then what is the purpose of changing the name of old com_virtumart?

3) On the point no. 1 of above article it is said to install on test server and on point no. 8 it is said again to install VM 2......