We need HELP badly...

[Novice]

Our coin club just lost the member that had control of our forum. We were using SMF ver. 1-1-21. I have an August backup that has the data and structure but, can't seem to get that version of the program to install. And even if I could I'm guessing I would have trouble doing a restoration.

We are using GoDaddy and it has Linux hosting. I know it will work because it let me install the latest 2.0 version.

I need someone to come to our rescue that understands the terminology. I'm sure that this will be a simple fix for someone other than us.

[Antechinus]

Do you have any file backups? In particular, Settings.php?

You don't actually need to install 1.1.21, and frankly it is probably better if you don't. It's starting to show its age with newer versions of PHP, and is impossible to patch effectively.

If you can import the old db backup, and if you have a copy of Settings.php with the required info in it, then you can use a 2.0.x upgrade pack to go straight to 2.0.10. It contains all the files needed, so you don't actually need all the 1.1.21 files.

[Illori]

is the backup you have from the admin panel? if so it is possible it is not complete. the admin panel backup is known to not do a full backup. it is possible you may be out of luck.

[RVB]

is the backup you have from the admin panel? if so it is possible it is not complete. the admin panel backup is known to not do a full backup. it is possible you may be out of luck.

Good to know.. what is backup from admin panel including ?

[Illori]

it is a database backup, but due to the size of the database or the hosting restrictions it may be part of the database or almost nothing at all.

[margarett]

The first thing to do is to import the backup you do have and see what's inside.

Try to import that backup to a new database in phpmyadmin.

But you got me lost. Is the forum still running? Or that user shut down the forum before he left?

[Novice]

All of the program files are gone from the website including the current settings file. I have an older one. The original hosting was cancelled and the domain name was parked. All we have now is the backups from the Admin panel and a new hosting plan with a new domain name that is the same other than being a (.com) it's (.org). I used MySQL and uploaded it into a new SQL file and it worked except for an error that popped up in one of he search files, but it looked as though it was all there.

Is there any hope for our recovery?

[Antechinus]

Ok, Settings.php isn't essential. Best thing to try is to install 2.0.10 to the new hosting. If that works, gut the database (drop all tables, but keep the db itself) and import the old 1.1.21 backup to that database. IF it has all the data and structure, the following should work.

Grab the upgrade PHP and SQL files from the 2.0.10 large upgrade pack (upgrade.php and upgrade_1-1.sql) and upload them to your forum root directory. Run the upgrade script (go to yourdomain/forumfolder/upgrade.php). This should convert the 1.1.21 database to 2.0.10. Since you will already have the 2.0.10 files in place, you should end up with a working forum.

[Illori]

you also need the 2.0 sql files as well, or you will not really be upgrading the database to 2.0.

[Novice]

I have 2.0.10 up and running now. Terminology check here (your dealing with an idiot). You want me to erase all of the files in the current database but not erase the the database itself...correct? Then do an upload of the most current backup I have with the data files and structure into this empty new database. Where are the 2.0 sql files? Is this the file on SMF.org that upgrades from 2.0 and earlier?

[Antechinus]

Not files. Tables. Use the option that says "Drop tables" and make sure all of them are selected.

Required upgrade files are in the attached zip. Upload them to your forum root directory.

[Novice]

Done Dropped and ready to upload backup. In format specific option: should I choose one of them or NONE?

[Antechinus]

None should be ok. Try that first.

[Antechinus]

Well actually it will depend on what your old database was running, but I'm assuming it was standard MYSQL.

[Novice]

The are in there now and I got an error. I attached it to this message. Also, I see the Upgrade.PHP file that I need. Do I need to add all of the upgrade sql versions or just the 1.x?

[Antechinus]

Just upload all the files that were in the zip I attached. I bundled them up for you.

Regarding that error: did you drop all tables, or did you just empty all tables. They had to be dropped, so the remaining database was just an empty shell.

[Antechinus]

I have to run now. Things to do. BBL.

[Novice]

I selected Drop. I uploaded the Upgrade Files (upgrade.php & all of the version.sql files. I ran the upgrade and it began with the admin disabled I chose the recommended backup and maintenance mode then clicked continue. Attached is the screenshot of what took place and what it was needing.

[Antechinus]

You can't run the upgrade script until you have successfully imported the database content. The upgrade script does the db upgrades, but needs content to work on.

About that duplicate key error: is that on the first run through the import process? Or did it stop, and then you tried again?

[Novice]

It completely died and I'm in the process of starting all over. The version GoDaddy has for me to install is 2.0.10. Once I get this one going, I'll do the Upgrade Files import, Dump the working files then import the August backup of the original site. If any of these steps are out of order please advise.

To answer your last post. Yes the new files were dumped and the backup was uploaded and then I ran the upgrade.php file. The error occurred and I let the system set for at least an hour thinking something was going on that I could not see. I clicked try again and it told me that it had already been run once and I didn't know where to go what to do from that point.

About that duplicate key error: is that on the first run through the import process? Or did it stop, and then you tried again?
First Run

I wished you were here for about an hour. You could pull me out of the quicksand I'm in. I think you would laugh your ass off my ignorance and at least I would get to hear you do it.

[Antechinus]

OK, hang on a minute. Try not to talk about "files" when talking about database stuff. It just confuses the issue. Database tables just contain a/ structure and b/ data. I mean sure, you have to import from an SQL file, but that's kinda different.

In the context of an SMF forum "files" or "working files" are the critters that lurk inside the forum root directory (Sources folder, etc).

The upgrade files have nothing to do with importing. They're a completely separate process that you run after the importing is done and dusted. You don't worry about them until after you get a notice telling you the database import has succeeded.

Anyway, without being there it's a bit tricky to figure out exactly what's going on. If you have attempted to import once and the process failed, you would need to drop the database tables again before having a second go at it. Otherwise the second attempt will conflict with the stuff that was imported on the first attempt (giving errors about duplicate this and that).

IF the import process is timing out, there should be an option in the import panel that looks like this:

"Partial Import:
Allow the interruption of an import in case the script detects it is close to the PHP timeout limit."

Make sure that one is ticked.

There may be a limit on how large a file you can import from. This is near the top of the import page:

"File to Import:
File may be compressed (gzip, bzip2, zip) or uncompressed.
A compressed file's name must end in .[format].[compression]. Example: .sql.zip
Browse your computer:(Max: 8,192KiB)"

That example is just from my test server. IF your host has imposed a limit of 10 meg (just for an example) and your SQL backup file is 12 meg, the server will refuse it. The only way around that is to manually split the file down into smaller files, and then import those in sequence.

[Antechinus]

Question: how large is the backup file? And roughly how large was the forum at the time, in terms of posts, members etc?

That may give an indication of whether your backup is complete or partial. IF it's only partial, it may be useless anyway.

[Antechinus]

About that duplicate key error: is that on the first run through the import process? Or did it stop, and then you tried again?
First Run

Just saw this edit. Ok, that's a nuisance. The log_whatever tables (errors, search, topics, etc) can give trouble sometimes. The content from log_search isn't strictly necessary. You can always rebuild the search index in admin if you can get the rest of the process sorted.

The catch is that removing the offending content from the SQL backup requires manual editing. It's simple in principle, but depending on the size of the backup it can be a PITA.

[Kindred]

no no no no no....


first of all, you seem to be confusing DATABASE with FILES.

The database has tables and rows. It does not have files (well, not as far as you are concerned)
The forum itself runs from php files.

You should never install the version from your host control panel. Who knows what configuration they set there or how to import/fix things.
Use the standard install archive from our download link.

then, once 2.0.10 is installed THAT WAY - THEN drop all tables from the database and attempt to import the backup

once that is done, THEN run upgrade.php

[Antechinus]

I doubt if GoDaddy would have done anything to the installation pack that would cause a duplicate key error on an empty database. That sounds more like a fairly common glitch with content of log_**** tables to me. It does turn up every so often.

If GoDaddy have frigged around with 2.0.x I can see it possibly causing problems once the site is running, but I can't see how it would cause problems with a empty database (which by virtue of being empty, could not be frigged around with by the host, if you see what I mean).

I think at this stage it'd be best to find out how many meg the backup is. From that we could tell if it's complete or not. If it's a borked backup from the old SMF admin, no point carrying on with this. It's only worth proceeding if there's a good chance the backup is complete.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Was the original forum on GoDaddy?  They have a cpanel backup that saves a .sql file to a backup directory in your account (db_backup, iirc).  Have you looked in there to see if any backups were saved?  If so, they will be complete, and you should be able to import to a scratch db.

[Novice]

 Antechinus,

I finally gave up and was able to convince GoDaddy to help. It seems their new SQL servers are NOT as user friendly/compatible with any of the older SMF versions as their older servers were. This is why it would not let me do the program install like before. They did change me back to their old hosting and I paid $150.00 for a restore of the dead site. It is up and running and feel as though I gave birth as exhausted as I am. I want to thank you for all of your time and want to let everyone know that you are the Man! Thanks again!!!

[Antechinus]

They have probably updated their servers to use the current version of PHP, which 1.1.x can't really deal with (and it's not realistically fixable either). That shouldn't have prevented the database backup being imported though, since the database backup isn't directly affected by which version of PHP the server is running.

Anyway, it's running. Good.