Backup

xwind11

OK just wanna make sure I'm doing everything before my forum goes live and get big and I find out other wise at a bad time.
To backup my forum I should:

1. use PHPadmin and export the database..
2. use Filezilla to copy everything on the root directory of where the forum being hosted

is that all then to bring the site back up in case total loss is to

1. re up load the files from filezilla
2. import the SQL backup I exported earlier

and that should bring the forum back with all the items from the dated backup?

vrijvlinder

3.Pray

No actually you can test this process by creating a new install as a subdirectory and simply use the same database info in the config.php

or instead of the same database, use the backup to fill in the new database and test it to see if it work on import of your backup.

xwind11

if that's not it is there a forum here that explains the backup process and restore process all in one place cause i looked and didn't really find a detailed explaining of the backup restore process just a bunch of pieces here and there?

vrijvlinder

Are you installing for the first time? Are you Updating ?

You backup your database where the important data is.

http://webcheatsheet.com/sql/mysql_backup_restore.php

You backup plugins you have modified and themes you modified by downloading them from the server or creating a backup folder for them on your server.

You backup the config.php and the htaccess file

xwind11

cool thank you no I already installed 2.1 just wanna have a backup idea before i go live with the forum.

xwind11

so now just checking what you said ill do an actual test tomm.
backup SQL,
Backup folder of themes i modified,
backup config.php and htaccess,

then if I lose everything I just reinstall a fresh copy of vanilla and replace the files I backup
and it should return close to normal?

vrijvlinder

Yes that is how it should happen. I would make two backups just in case if you use a pc...

R_J

@xwind11 said:
so now just checking what you said ill do an actual test tomm.
backup SQL,
Backup folder of themes i modified,
backup config.php and htaccess,

then if I lose everything I just reinstall a fresh copy of vanilla and replace the files I backup
and it should return close to normal?

The only file that is changed from a standard Vanilla installation is config.php. All other customization is stored in the db. So you should make a backup of this and a an SQL dump.
Nevertheless I would recommend that you back up all installation files (the plugin zips mainly), so that you can be sure you are using the same version of all files that you have started with.
User uploads (including avatars) are stored in the /uploads so you might want to backup that directory frequently.

peregrine

http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/21192/which-files-should-i-back-up