@rj Yes I think so! Though I cant say i've duplicated a site with 9,000 users. is there something im missing?

when you say 'delete the site and all files' - that would delete all the member's images and any other files they uploaded. so yes, you need to keep the data folder.
you can test the process by creating a parallel elgg installation - perhaps on a subdomain. 

Its all good we have now moved away from elgg and moved to oxwall. Its so much more advanced.

My issue was my elgg site couldnt handle the traffic, it maxed out our cpu's and alot of features we expected to find from a social network platform werent there. Oxwall can handle the same traffic but literally only users 5% of our cpu's so theres tons of room for growth. Its also jam packed full of features.....

Creating a forum plugin wouldn't be too difficult. And there has also been some discussion about not limiting the discussions in Elgg community just to groups:

http://community.elgg.org/discussion/view/1072212/discussion-vs-groups

found a way to delete posts on hypeforum, only problem is it allows anybody to delete anybodys posts, now to fix that and i will be happy

any help on my last post would be greatly appreciated, as i no what not i do