Import SharePoint Site before creating a Site Collection

Question

I've exported a number of sites from one SharePoint server. I have created a web application (url http://jps) but have not yet created a site collection. I am attempting to import these sites on another server, and have three questions.

1) Do I need to create an empty site collection to import to?

2) If I export the top-level site collection, will the import add all of the subwebs beneath it or do I need to export and import each sub web and then use the Site Content and Structure page to manage?

3) I am getting an error when running the following command:

stsadm -o import -url http://jps/gpwkspace -filename "E:\Backups\JPsExport\jp_gpwkspace.dat" -includeusersecurity

The site http://jps/gpwkspace could not be found in the Web application SPWebApplication Name=SharePoint - jps80 Parent=SPWebService.

Answer 1

1) Yes, create a blank site or whatever, it will be overwritten but you need to have something present (there might be a stsadm parameter to avoid this, but it's straigthforward to create an empty blank site through stsadm or central admin so ...)

2) Export > Import at the site collection level will export and then import everything underneath.

3) Do you have a valid web application (I guess so, jps80) and at least one site collection (see my first answer) even if it's a blank site ?

Answer 2

Export is used to export subsite from a site collection and not the whole site collection.

I think backup and restore is what you are looking for (?)

Create a site collection (empty site) and restore the backup. This will import all the sub sites.