I'm trying to upgrade or attempt to 6.5.5 to get things moving along.

I've got 2 issues:

1. I have no idea what the database password is as this was added by a person 9 years ago who no longer is available to as. Can I just change it here or does it need changing somewhere else?



2. My second query is. I've found an importer "threads_6_5_import" on the docs section. Will running this upgrade things to 6.5.5? or do I need to do more?

First I never used threads 6 but to upgrade you don't ever run install.php you need to run upgrade.php.
install will wipe it all.

Second you can goto your existing files.
includes/config.inc.php
open it in a editor and it will have the passwords dbase name etc.
in fact you may want to save it as a backup and print it out.

third the import script is to import threads 6 to threads 7

so upgrade to latest threads 6.
install threads 7 in a different folder than threads 6
import from threads 6 to threads 7.
then upgrade to latest threads 7

note the upgrade or install or import notation because there is a install and a upgrade script . plus a import script.

And I would backup everything,every step of the way.

Missed this part.

none of the scripts will create a dbase , or dbase user and password.
the UBB script can only modify the dbase once it knows how to find it and login.
That is why you need to know what it is named and login info and the path to the dbase.

usually the dbase is created by you in the host control panel for the site.