[Tutorial] ''How to backup&restore your forum in several different ways''

[ApplianceJunk]

Thank you for the info, it was very helpful. I still have a couple questions on backing up.

Number one and two work fine for me.
Is there any difference between doing one or the other?

1.Through ''Forum Maintenance'' in the Admin Panel
2.Through phpmyadmin at the Control Panel of your host

I don't really understand what is getting backed up here.

It is backing up everything, including photos, attachements, text in the post, etc.. Everything I would need to restore my forums just like they were?

Along with doing the Forum Maintenance backup in the Admin Panel I use my ftp program to copie all my forum files back to my hard drive.

When I copie my forum files back to my hard drive using my ftp program does that save the text and post that were created in my forums too?

Do I need both my ftp files and the two file I create using "Forum Maintenace" backup or just one or the other?

Thanks,

[greyknight17]

Probably not, but I have seen cases where users were having issues restoring the ones made from the forum....maybe forgot to backup the table structure? I usually recommend backing up using phpMyAdmin instead as it haven't failed me yet

The database is getting backed up. The database includes all your posts, members, etc. Attachments and images might have to be backed up separately...they should be in the Attachments and Avatars folders in cPanel/FTP.

No. Your database will have all the posts and members.

The PHP files you are FTPing are less important. You only need to worry about those if you have a lot of mods and themes installed. The more important part is the database. This includes ALL your posts information and memberlist which is the bulk of your forum.

[ApplianceJunk]

The PHP files you are FTPing are less important.

If I want to restore all photos from my image gallery I will need the /forums/gallery file/folder, right?

If I copy all files back to hard drive via ftp, export MySql database using Control Panel and Admin Panel "Forum Maintenance" I should be safe and have everything I would ever need to build my forums from scratch?

[searchgr]

Yes.

[Fiery]

Hello,

I am following up on old support topics.  Was everything resolved to your liking?

Thanks

[triple]

using phpmyadmin my admin i followed your instructions, saved ME_smf1 to my desktop.

now i try to upload the file to the import tab.

everything hangs, i try several times.

HELP?

[babjusi]

using phpmyadmin my admin i followed your instructions, saved ME_smf1 to my desktop.

now i try to upload the file to the import tab.

everything hangs, i try several times.

HELP?

How mb is your backup copy, because phpmyadmin has file size limits.

[SleePy]

Lets move this to Tips and Tricks..

[Ol' Wombat]

Concerning phpMyAdmin there seems no brief information about the ton of export options you can/have to check when exporting a database.

Same is valid for importing a database.

the DB tutorial (http://docs.simplemachines.org/index.php?topic=490.0) here on SMF is way too basic and of no help at all for noobs.

Now, where is a phpMyAdmin tutorial that actually *details* the steps needed, including all checkboxes on the way,  to successfully export/import a full database?

Anyone? 

[trekkie2444]

I just ran the restore.php script by [Unknown] and it screwed up and told me that the files weren't readable when I uploaded my backup .sql for the thing on there to my forum directory.

[Kat9119]

3. Select"SQL"-> for output format, Check "Structure" and "Add AUTO_INCREMENT" value. Check "Enclose table and field name with backquotes". Check "DATA", check use "hexadecimal for binary field". Export type set to "INSERT".

I don't have that option the only option I have is "Use hexadecimal for BLOB" I'm going to assume its the same thing.

Also, when I go to submit, there is a little exclimation point image next to it, that states the following:

The SQL compatibility mode functionality is affected by a known bug, see http://bugs.mysql.com/14515

is that normal?

[Ashu]

wow thanx guys....i was really fighting with the backup n restore problem.....i love this tutorial.....but i have a another problem....when i restored ma backup to another site its not working i mean after restoration when i click on any board it redirect me to ma hosting server....can anyone help me in this....pls

[greyknight17]

Did you use repair_settings.php? Looks like you might have skipped that part...Use repair_settings.php and make sure that the database information is correct. Then click on the Recommended values. Save the changes. That should restore your forum back to working order. Delete the repair_settings.php file once you are done.

@Kat9119: You can usually leave it as the default setting and export/backup the database that way. I suggest restoring on a test forum to verify that it works first.

[ckkapoor]

If i want to change my hosting place, so I want to re install my SMF Forums..?

:- I have many members so plzz suggest me how i change my host place without loss my all members..plzz help me as sson as possible

I didn't understant d 1st method sorry can you plzz explain me

Thanx in advance

[babjusi]

If i want to change my hosting place, so I want to re install my SMF Forums..?

:- I have many members so plzz suggest me how i change my host place without loss my all members..plzz help me as sson as possible

I didn't understant d 1st method sorry can you plzz explain me

Thanx in advance

Make a thorough backup of your database. Create a mysql database and user to the new host, don''t forget to grant the user full access and permissions to the database. Then upload all the forum files from the old server space to your pc and re-upload them to the new server space of your new host. After you do this, you can import the database from the old host to the new host. Open the settings.php file with a good php editor program and enter the new db info in there. As last but not least, run the repair_settings.php file and click on all the blue recommended values to update all the paths, urls and the other settings and when you are done, delete it. Like this, all mods and custom themes that you have will be preserved intact

Or, you can simply install a new smf at the new host and then import the database and do the thing with the repair_settings.php. Only thing, you will loose all mods and custom themes that you had.

Hope it helps

Should you run into more problems post them here or start a new topic

[L.G.S]

I don't know if it's just my host (they use Cpanel if it matters) but won't my database hit around 15mb in size it stopped working from the backup feature in the SMF admin panel. I've had to use the Cpanel backup ever since.

[thestir]

I want to thank you for this tutorial.  I built a site for a friend and it grew to a point that I wanted to move it his own hosting account.  Using this tutorial and the "How do I move my SMF board to a different host?" tutorial it went very well.

I used phpmyadmin to backup my database to a folder on my site, then downloaded both the database backup and the public html files.

I then pushed the public html files and the database backup to the new host, restored the database through phpmyadmin, and ran repair_settings.php.

The site came right up and seems to be working perfectly,
Thank you very much,
Scot

[jepot5]

just a note
if you are moving to a different server, i recommend number 2
number 1 will cause too many 1067 errors on every table that has settings for each members

[jvbucks]

Is there a way to just restore a certain forum?

[dpiffy]

I made a backup using "unknowns" php file, and saved it successfully. I then used Bigdump importer to put the file back on. THat didn't seem to work right. SO i ended up just going into my database on which my new server and database is for my new smf is at, dumped all the stuff in it, then used the import feature from the MySQL for that database, and it said it sucessfully imported all tables, etc. I tried going to my boards now.. and i get this error message:

: Unknown column 'a.attachmentType' in 'field list'
/home/content/d/p/f/dpfiffner/html/boards/Sources/Load.php
390


what is it actually saying is wrong? I've looked through the load.php file and looked for attachmenttype, i even went back into the sql database and found the field attachmenttype. but i dont know what the error means and what i have to do to correct this? any ideas?