Restoring Forums Backup Manually

ClassicMan · Post by **ClassicMan** » Tue May 24, 2016 10:00 am

Hello,

I'm new to setting up forums and have successfully setup my forums.

To backup my SQL databaase I've been using 'MySQLBackupFTP' and have been backing up regularly. I now need to restore using my latest backup. How do I do this?

I have tried using the phpBB3 'Maintenance' but my backup is not showing. I did copy my backup file into the 'Store' folder using 'Filezilla'. I tried this both as an SQL text file and as a gz file.

How do I manually restore the backup or is there a third party program that will do this?

I'd be grateful for any help with this.

Thanks.

Post by **JimA** » Tue May 24, 2016 10:29 am

You should use a program like phpMyAdmin to import your database back-up to your database.
This program is specifically designed for database administration.

If it is too big to import manually, try using BigDump.
See this article for more info: Knowledge Base - Using Bigdump to restore large database dumps

Post by **Mick** » Tue May 24, 2016 11:25 am

I'd be inclined to use phpMyAdmin to back up the database and, as Jim said, use BigDump to restore the database. The relevant section of this has the relevant settings for a phpMyAdmin backup.

ClassicMan · Post by **ClassicMan** » Tue May 24, 2016 7:14 pm

Thanks Jim and Mick, I much appreciate your replies.

I tried for hours to install MyphpAdmin without success. I installed Apache 24 and it's working but when I install the phpadmin folder it just won't be recognised. I've followed endless tutorials and done everything as explained.

I haven't tried the Dump approach yet but I'll give that a try and see if I have more luck with that although it's only a very small database file (102 KB).

Thanks again.

Lumpy Burgertushie · Post by **Lumpy Burgertushie** » Tue May 24, 2016 8:21 pm

why and where are you trying to install phpmyadmin?

your host will have that or some other program already installed for you to use to administer your databases.

with a database that size you don't need bigdump or anything else besides phpmyadmin.

bigdump is mainly used when your database is too large to use phpmyadmin or other php based programs to restore .

robert

ClassicMan · Post by **ClassicMan** » Wed May 25, 2016 9:37 am

Robert, thank you for your advice.

I checked with my host and you're right, phpmyadmin is available with my package and I'm able to login and use that. Wonderful.

Just for reference and in answer to your question. I was trying to install phpMyAdmin on a local server on my root C:/ drive as I didn't realise it was included in my host package.

I had been following the many online tutorials to install a local web server (Apache) on my C:/ drive then to install phpMyAdmin there. As mentioned in my original post I had successfully installed 'Apache' there but just couldn't get phpMyAdmin to work even though I followed several tutorials.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

david63 · Post by **david63** » Wed May 25, 2016 9:44 am

ClassicMan wrote:I had been following the many online tutorials to install a local web server (Apache) on my C:/ drive then to install phpMyAdmin there. As mentioned in my original post I had successfully installed 'Apache' there but just couldn't get phpMyAdmin to work even though I followed several tutorials.

Rather that trying ti install Apache on your PC it is far easier to install XAMPP (or similar) - all done, and configured, in a few minutes and it includes phpMyAdmin

Post by **Mick** » Wed May 25, 2016 9:58 am

Knowledge Base - Installing and Setting Up Your Own Web Server.

PCTalk · Post by **PCTalk** » Fri Oct 14, 2016 6:51 pm

I have also been trying to restore a database with no luck. In my case, I have a 4.7MB database on a website I will be closing that I'm trying to restore to another website so I don't lose the information.

I've tried using the phpbb restore function as well as phpMyAdmin with no luck. Is 4.7MB too large for phpMyAdmin?

Lumpy Burgertushie · Post by **Lumpy Burgertushie** » Fri Oct 14, 2016 9:14 pm

the problem is not phpmyadmin but php itself.

the default upload filesize for php is 2MB. many hosts never get around to changing the default settings.

so, the answer to your question is go ahead and use bigdump just to be sure that is not the problem.

JimA wrote: See this article for more info: Knowledge Base - Using Bigdump to restore large database dumps

robert

PCTalk · Post by **PCTalk** » Fri Oct 14, 2016 9:22 pm

Lumpy Burgertushie wrote:the problem is not phpmyadmin but php itself.

the default upload filesize for php is 2MB. many hosts never get around to changing the default settings.

so, the answer to your question is go ahead and use bigdump just to be sure that is not the problem.
JimA wrote: See this article for more info: Knowledge Base - Using Bigdump to restore large database dumps
robert

Thanks! Actually, I continued reading and decided to try something else and have now been able to transfer my forums from one website to another with no problem!

I will list the steps I took in the hope that it helps someone else. What follows is the closing post I made to the Tech Support ticket to my host:

After several unsuccessful attempts at moving the forum databases, I have FINALLY succeeded ... on my own.

For your future edification I will inform you how to do the same thing.

In the source phpbb forum, perform a database backup by going into "ACP/Maintenance/Backup"

Copy the resulting file from the source Forum/store folder to folder on your local system.

Install phpbb on the destination website, create a database for the new forum, and SAVE THE CONFIG.PHP FILE! Then go into phpMyAdmin and DROP all tables.

Using phpMyAdmin, select the destination database you just emptied and select IMPORT.

Click on Browse next to "Location of the text file " and select the database file you just saved onto your local system.

Click on "Go" in the lower right corner to import the database.

Copy all forum files and folders from the source to the destination or you may lose some valuable data.

Replace the just copied Config.php with the one you saved earlier and make sure all the database information, username, and password are correct.
When finished, the destination forum will still need to have its parameters checked to make sure nothing is missing.

Lumpy Burgertushie · Post by **Lumpy Burgertushie** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 12:40 am

that's good. glad you got it worked out.
however, if your database is bigger than 2MB and your host has not changed the default php setting then phpmyadmin will error out because your import file will be too big.

also, there is no need to drop all the tables of your new phpbb database before you import.

the import process will drop them first before it imports the old tables.

also, using the built in backup in phpbb is not very good once your board gets a lot of posts/members. depending on the server, it may time out trying to make the backup and not give you an error message letting you know.

just a little FYI for whoever might come along.

robert

PCTalk · Post by **PCTalk** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 7:23 pm

Lumpy Burgertushie wrote:that's good. glad you got it worked out.
however, if your database is bigger than 2MB and your host has not changed the default php setting then phpmyadmin will error out because your import file will be too big.

also, there is no need to drop all the tables of your new phpbb database before you import.

the import process will drop them first before it imports the old tables.

also, using the built in backup in phpbb is not very good once your board gets a lot of posts/members. depending on the server, it may time out trying to make the backup and not give you an error message letting you know.

just a little FYI for whoever might come along.

robert

Good points for a different host. Mine accepted the 4.7 MB database without an apparent hiccup. I will try to find out if anything is missing.

I tried importing without dropping all the tables and nothing changed. Once I started dropping the tables before I imported, it started working as I felt it should. In other words, with just an import, the destination forum looked the same, just a newly created phpbb forum. After the drop then import, the destination forum suddenly looked exactly like the source forum.

I must be really lucky. I compared the built in phpbb backup with one created by phpmyadmin and they were the same size.

BTW, I've modified my steps above after transferring my second forum. If you don't retain your original config.php from the new forum, it could lead to all sorts of problems!

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