Can I recover a board with just the database intact?

[TCGO]

Hello.
Our charity website was hacked and all that remains is the database. I believe the version was 2.8.3.

My knowledge is very basic. But we had a lot of information in the forums. Is it possible to restore the boards with only the database?

If it is possible could anyone point me to a tutorial on how to do it?

Any help/assitance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Greg
V.P TruckersChristmasGroup.org

[Mick]

Are you certain that’s a phpBB database you have as that version number never existed? I’ve also looked on your site and can’t find any evidence of a phpBB board only Wordpress. If you could post the correct link to where the board was that might help.

In answer to your question yes it is generally possible to recover a phpBB board from a good database.

[danieltj]

There is a link to a forum in your website's footer and I managed to use the Wayback Machine to see what was there. It returned one result in 2018 which clearly shows a phpBB 3 forum, although I’m not sure exactly what version.

You should be able to, as Mick says restore the forum from the database alone. Basically all you need to do is create a database in your hosting account and import the data using your database backup.

Download phpBB from the download section and then use the installer. You’d need to grab the files from the version the database relates to ideally as using a version that doesn’t match with your database backup will cause issues so if you can find out exactly what version you have that would help us help you further. One thing for sure is it definitely wasn’t version 2.8.

[warmweer]

You’d need to grab the files from the version the database relates to ...

In the database >>> table phpbb_config (that's assuming your table prefix = phpbb) >>> field: version
If you have a backup (files and database) check whether the prosilver version (.../styles/prosilver/style.cfg) is the same as the database version.

[TCGO]

Sorry my bad I believe it is 3.2.8

As for the style I’m 99.9% sure it was prosilver

[warmweer]

To fully restore the board (version 3.2.8) you need to upload the latest backup of the board files, ... that includes any extensions you were using (see the phpbb_ext table) (the extension versions you were using).
Your config.php will have to be edited to reflect the database you used (or will be using).

There are a couple of things you'll probably still need to do to get the board up and running, but one thing at a time: do you have a backup of the files?

[danieltj]

You can download phpBB 3.2.8 from the GitHub repository. I would advise that you also disable all of the extensions that you might have active from your database backup to prevent errors from appearing whilst trying to restore everything. All you need to do is once you've restored the database by importing it, you then need to look at the *_ext table where * is your database table name prefix. Usually that's phpbb_.

Change all of the extensions from a 1 in the ext_active column to 0.

That way it won't try and run the extensions that you might not have the files for. After that you can start to slowly turn them back on if you can find the correct versions that you were running for each of them. As long as your database backup is complete, it should be a fairly straight forward process to get your forum back online.

[GanstaZ]

You can download phpBB 3.2.8 from the GitHub repository.

Why from github, if there is phpbb 3.2.x.

[Mick]

upload the latest backup of the board files

all that remains is the database

You may find this Knowledge Base - Rebuilding Your config.php File handy as well.

Once you’ve got your board up and running again you are urged to upgrade to the latest version as there’s no longer any support for 3.2.x.

[danieltj]

You can download phpBB 3.2.8 from the GitHub repository.

Why from github, if there is phpbb 3.2.x.

I provided a direct download to the 3.2.8 zip from the GitHub repository.

Your link requires the OP to find the right version and then select from a long list of archives. It's just easier to use GitHub. Plus I always have it open anyway so it was much easier for me to find it.

[warmweer]

Why from github, if there is phpbb 3.2.x.

I provided a direct download to the 3.2.8 zip from the GitHub repository.

Your link requires the OP to find the right version and then select from a long list of archives. It's just easier to use GitHub. Plus I always have it open anyway so it was much easier for me to find it.

I have to agree with GanstaZ in this case.
the Github download/link does indeed contain the required 3.2.8 files but it contains a lot of extras which just aren't needed for a new member without any experience and may cause confusion.
+ the vendor directory is not where one would expect it to be (I can't find it in the github download).
The direct download contains all that is needed and nothing else, thus avoiding any possible mixups.

the direct link: https://download.phpbb.com/pub/release/3.2/3.2.8/phpBB-3.2.8.zip

[janus_zonstraal]

I think it is easier to use the latest files from phpbb (3.3.12) point the config.php to the database and do the database upgrade by going to www.yoursite.com/forum/install/

[warmweer]

I think it is easier to use the latest files from phpbb (3.3.12) point the config.php to the database and do the database upgrade by going to www.yoursite.com/forum/install/

True BUT there's possibly a style which needs a new version, same with extensions.
Basically the 3.2.8 should be in full working order before updating.

[janus_zonstraal]

True BUT there's possibly a style which needs a new version, same with extensions.
Basically the 3.2.8 should be in full working order before updating.

If there is a style missing than that style or extension is also missing in 3.2.8.
So no difference.

[warmweer]

If there is a style missing than that style or extension is also missing in 3.2.8.
So no difference.

True, in a sense that it's possible ...
BUT ... the OP has little experience with phpBB ( a conclusion based on the opening question) in which case solving problems after the upgrade may be a lot more difficult than fixing the 3.2.8 and only then upgrading.

The question is/was: Can I recover a board with just the database intact?
The answer is YES: but it will require some investigation to establish what exactly needs to be done (a simple file replacement may not be sufficient).