I achieved this within 30mins or less. Here’s how to go about it:
The first thing you need to do is download the latest phpbb, and install on a subdomain (I name mine phpbb, like this: http://www.mysite.com/phpbb).
Then download the Smf 2.0 to Phpbb converter here: http://dicky.askmaggymae.com/files/SMF_20B3_to_phpBB3.zip
Now upload the zip file to the root directory where you installed phpbb (in my case: http://www.mysite.com/phpbb)
I suggest you upload the zip file directly, then extract from your cpanel file manager in order not to mess up with the folder structure.
Now point your browser to where you installed phpbb, in my case: http://www.yoursite.com/phpbb/install/index.php and then click on the convert tab, and a list of converters will come up, you’ll see smf 2.o listed there. Just continue from there following the instructions listed.
During the convert there’s a stage where phpbb would be asking for the path to your smf 2.0 board, simply enter it. In my case smf was on: http://www.mysite.com/forums, so I entered: ../forums. Initially my smf was installed at: http://forums.mysite.com, I kept getting errors, so I just moved it with my cpanel file manager to: http://www.mysite.com/forums. And the whole process went smoothly.
But if your smf is on the root, just enter this value there: ../
If you follow the above instructions, you should get your smf converted to phpbb without a glitch.
Now it’s time to convert to BBpress (the mighty bbpress).
Download the latest version, and install exactly where you want it to be, in my case I installed it on the root which is http://www.mysite.com. You must install bbpress using the same database with the phpbb you just converted.
Now download the phpbb to bbpress converter here: http://members.lycos.co.uk/wmnkhayal/files/phpbb3tobbpress%20converter.tar.gz
Extract the zip on your desktop, and you’ll end up with two files.
Upload the phpbb3tobbpress.php file to the root directory of your phpbb (in my case: http://www.mysite.com/phpbb)
copy the other file which is: _phpbb3_pass.php to your newly installed bbpress plugins directory. Copy this to bb-plugins folder and not to my plugins.
Now point your browser to where you installed phpbb, and add the link of the converter at the end, in my case this was: http://www.mysite.com/phpbb/phpbb3tobbpress.php and follow the instructions to convert your phpbb board to bbpress.
As simple as that. I’m no expert, so anybody should be able to do this. Anyways I’m available to questions.
Welcome to bbpress!
