I am trying to: validate my subscription and update the plugin. Currently it is version 2.4.2 I purchased an interactive subscription. Doesn't this cover views?
Toolset Interactive subscription does include views. You need to download it from your account's page and install it using plugins page:
=> https://toolset.com/account/downloads/
I tried using the PHP method of validating the subscription and that didn't work. My guess is that I have versions of the Toolset Types and views on the site which are too old to be registered this way. My Toolet types is version 2.3.5 and my Toolset views is version 2.4.2
I guess the question then is how do I upgrade these plugins to the latest and save the layouts and data that I built with these older plugins? Is there a risk of wiping out the templates and a post types that I have created by simply replacing the old plugin folders with the new plugin folders?
You should try to update your plugins manually for now.
*** Please make a FULL BACKUP of your database and website.***
=> Try to remove/delete the existing Toolset Types plugin
=> Download the latest Toolset Types plugins from your account's page: https://toolset.com/account/downloads/
=> Upload the latest downloaded Types plugin using plugins page from admin