Setup Wizard Prompts User to Overwrite Database During Upgrade

Platform Notice: Data Center Only - This article only applies to Atlassian products on the Data Center platform.

Note that this KB was created for the Data Center version of the product. Data Center KBs for non-Data-Center-specific features may also work for Server versions of the product, however they have not been tested. Support for Server* products ended on February 15th 2024. If you are running a Server product, you can visit the Atlassian Server end of support announcement to review your migration options.

*Except Fisheye and Crucible

Symptoms

During an upgrade, the user is taken through the setup wizard. After configuring the database connection, a message appears indicating that tables already exist and will be overwritten.

Cause

The confluence-home directory has not been correctly identified, and a new confluence-home directory is created. This begins a new installation process.

Resolution

Confirm that confluence-init.properties is pointing to the existing confluence-home directory. If it's successful, the upgrade will happen automatically. There should be no Setup Wizard.

The following structure is a good practice for home and installation directories:

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The entire HOME directory is outside the confluence-2.7.4-std or confluence-3.1.1 directory, all in the directory C:\Confluence.

Here's the structure inside the HOME directory:

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The confluence-home directory is the same in both confluence-init.properties files:

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For UNIX users, the same best practice applies. Be sure to specify the absolute path of your confluence_home directory in confluence-init.properties.

Updated on April 8, 2025

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