Phpbb database backup

Clark · 06-18-2005, 02:24 AM

I have added quite a few mods and my db has therefore had some new tables or so. How do I back up? Would the normal backup through admin cp save everything? If I go through myphpbb admin do I only tick 'structure and data'? Nothing else? What does drop table and all that do? What is the difference between the ways of backup? Thanks in advance.

dojo · 06-19-2005, 06:17 AM

well don't empty or drop tables unless you want the data gone

The empty function means you still have the table, but the info is gone, thus you can repopulate it with some info and drop means you'll delete the entire table.
I usually do the backup from the admin panel in phpBB. Still from time to time I go to phpmyadmin and select export. Then I select all tables and let it do the job. I am learning this stuff too so perhaps we'll have some other people contribute ideas in here

Clark · 06-19-2005, 06:20 AM

Thanks sir, do you have any mods added? I am kinda worried for long term upgrade or convertion...

dojo · 06-19-2005, 06:44 AM

I'm a woman

I know, tricky name

I try to install some mods. I don't want too many, I focus mainly on functional ones since i try to have a "serious" board, but so far I haven't installed too many on this site. I think your most important tables are related to users, topics, posts, categories ... they are the ones you don't want to lose when having a recovery. As for the mods, i think they won't harm that much since you can always reinstall a clean board and repopulate the tables I mentioned before and some others I don't remember. The main trick is to not use easy mod but to manually install all mods. Also keep a backup of the forums on your hard drive. I use phpdev to run a local server so I make the changes offline and have a backup for the site and for the DB. Needless to say they were quite useful after a server crash on the host

dvduval · 06-19-2005, 07:49 AM

I usually use the cpanel site backup function. I believe it will eventually start timing out once your database gets large, a which point it becomes a necessity to run the backup at the server level.

I assume that when phpbb3 comes out (about the same time space station is finished), that many of the mods will be implemented, and also that it will be a lot easier to install new mods using Easy Mod.

robert adams · 06-23-2005, 10:52 PM

the backup function from the admin panel will only backup the standard phpbb tables, if you have any MODs installed, that have tables in the database, then it won't get them

therefore, you should use some other method of backup, most common is phpmyadmin for mysql databases. most host's have it available for their customers.

you want a complete structure and data backup with DROP TABLE and INSERT commands.

robert