Restoration Help Needed- Database issues

[klra]

SMF 1.1.19

I had a shared server issue with one of my 2 forums using too many resources of the server so my host shut it down.

At the same time (I didn't see this) the host stopped doing daily backups of any of my files because I had excessive inodes due to email notifications of Cron jobs. Once I saw that I deleted the notification emails and the inode issue was solved.

But a scheduled backup had not begun.

At the same time I get direction from my host that some database tables are excessive and they suggested reducing them.

I wasn't sure what that meant and while looking at the databases I mistakenly emptied a few log tables.

This completely wiped out the forums reference for what was what.

Now I know I should have backed up before I went into the phpMyAdmin to look at the databases but I didn't.

It get's worse.

I don't have a recent backup - the last backup I have is a complete backup from a few years ago (another bad/lazy admin practice- thought the host was taking care of that).

I have scoured the web & these forums & found many manual backup & importing of backups posts using cpanel/phpmyadmin, but not with a SMF Admin database backup file.

So I'm lost & need advice on which way to go. I could uninstall the forums and maybe restore the database but I don't know if that will work with a fresh install & a database from a heavily modded installation.

Any advice is most welcome..... 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Your host should be able to restore a recent db backup from their server backups, but they typically only keep them for a few days, so you need to contact them asap.

[klra]

The host stopped doing server db backups of my section of the server when the inode issue arose. And the last backup they did got washed out in the next backup cycle.

They just contacted me & are going to see what they can do with my older SMF backups, but I'm still very worried that it's all lost.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

What is the most recent db backup that you have - file type, date, how was it made?

[klra]

I have db backups created by SMF but the Admin at my host says they are corrupt.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

If you used the SMF admin backup, and especially if your db is large, it's very possible the backups are crap.  Do you know which tables you trashed?

[klra]

If you used the SMF admin backup, and especially if your db is large, it's very possible the backups are crap.  Do you know which tables you trashed?

I pretty sure these got emptied-

smf_log_topics
smf_personal_messages

[Kindred]

well, that's not the end of the world then...

log_topics is only a log. it can be reset or recreated - and people might lose their "what has been read/unread"

personal_messages is just that....  a record of the pms.  again, not critical - the users just won't get their PMs restored.

topics, messages and users are the things you really care about.

[klra]

How can I reset the tables?

The forums show a topic & post count but the topics & posts are not appearing.

The User list is complete & they can log in.

[klra]

I justs looked and it looks like the smf_messages got emptied too.

[Kindred]

then you are SoL...

You will have to restore from a backup and will lose any messages and users which ere added after that backup was taken.

[klra]

I have a backup that was created from the SMF Admin Section but my host Admins say it is corrupted.

Is there any way to unpack the file and then add the missing tables (one at a time) to the DB?

[Kindred]

Unfortunately, no...

That's what I meant by SoL...   The smf admin backup is know to be a failure point on many servers. Read the wiki on backups.

At this point, though  there us nothing that can really be done

[Kindred]

What?   That made no sense. This is a very specific issue to this individual admin.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I suppose it's possible that two forum admins have emptied smf_messages without having a useable backup, but, oh, I hope not.

[klra]

Currently I'm having a database pro look at the older backup file that I have to see if he can extract the tables for the missing smf_messages.

My plan is install a test installation and then import the tables to see if it will show the topics. If so, then I can export the topic list of the stickied topics and the member list & start over.

Also, if the SMF database backups are a known issue and basically worthless, the feature should be disabled by the SMF developer team so that Admins do not waste their time with it.

[Kindred]

1- the feature was fixed. but then ultimately removed from .21 sine there are better ways of doing it.
2- doing what you plan will fail.  The messages table points to the topics table, which points to other tables... restoring a single table will cause a whole load of errors and glitches

[klra]

What would be the minimum tables needed for me to recover the data on a test forum?

If the ones required are not corrupt then there is still a chance if the tables can be rebuilt.

[Kindred]

eveything except the log tables are required... the log tables can usually be rebuilt from inside the system once it's running

[klra]

Ok, we'll see what we can do.