Forum recovery from files?

[Anaror]

So I had some forums using phpbb. I no longer have access to my old web hosts files.
I was wondering if it's possible to recover my forums from just a hard back up of all the files?
Basically i just copied and pasted my forums from my web host to my desktop and everything is backed up there. Unfortunately I did not think to do database back up with the most recent data when I did that (the one built into phpbb) I only have an old one. Is there anyway to make a restore file out of that data, or another way to recover the posts and forum structures?

Just for cross reference I also posted this question here:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 509AAcufKh

[grzesag]

In my optinion if you have backup of the phpBB application (files and folders) and database (I am not sure if you had SQL backup or something else) you are in the position to restore your forum. You can restore only to the point of the latest backup you took.

In your situation I would try to install Apache, PHP and MySQL on yout local computer, install phpBB (if you know what version you had on yoyr old web server), update database from your backup, copy any files e.g. avatars, and MODs. I think this is very generic approach - but this is how I would do if I was in your position. What other users think?

Let me know if you need more help

[Oyabun1]

If you only have an old backup of the database you will only be able to automatically add the members, posts, and forum structure from when that was made. Anything not in the database that you have in hard-copy you would need to manually enter.

If you want to set up a home version of the forum for development purposes there are instructions here, Running phpBB3 on localhost

[Anaror]

hmm ok. I don't see how I could possibly enter posts and what not with the same dates and stuff. And I imagine from what your saying, if I wanted to use my computer as a host using apache and what not it wouldn't help me create a back up, because the information was stored in the sql database? Hence in no way would copying and pasting any files from my backup truly help me recover that structure or posts right?

[Oyabun1]

If you don't have the posts, members and structure in the database backup then it's going to be difficult. You may be able to write, or find someone to write, a script to capture the data and insert it in the database, but the effort involved would be huge and may surpass the effort of just manually entering them all.

If the structure of the board - categories and forums, was in place when the backup was made then that is stored in the backup, if not then that has to be recreated.

The suggestion to install a local copy was just to see exactly what was in the backup and to decide on what posts needed to be manually entered, presumably not all will still be of value. Many people find doing development work on a home computer easier than dealing with an installation on a remote server.

You can change the Unix time stamp for a post through an SQL query, but again if there are a number of posts that becomes a big task.

[Anaror]

Alright, thanks so much for all your help guys.

It looks like I'm back to scratch with this thing as It'll be easiest just to start over. Never again will I forget to make frequent backups of my forums database.

[Lumpy Burgertushie]

if you have any database backup ( sql usually ) file then you have at least part of the old board.

the actual files make no difference at all.
you can start with all new files and just import your database backup file to a new blank database and have your old board back.

as has been said, it will only be the posts, members etc. up to the exact moment that the old database backup was made, but that would be a start anyway.

robert