Restoring A Phpbb From Backups

[kono]

Hello,

 

I'm a FeaturePrice refugee who just moved to TCH. I run a phpBB forum which I need to migrate to TCH. Starting from scratch and losing all of my registered users is not an option.

 

I have a phpdb-generated backup of my forum database (in the form of a phpbb_db_backup.sql) and backups of all of my modified .php and .tpl files.

 

I am wondering what steps to take to ensure this restoration goes as smoothly as possible. My old host used mySQL version 3.x, and so my site was configured for that version. TCH uses 4.0.12. Might this be a problem?

 

Will I be able to do this before my domain nameserver propogation is complete?

 

 

Thanks in advance,

kono

[kono]

I should add that I've tried the most obvious path, which is using cPanel's script to install a fresh phpBB, and then attempting to Restore Database from that instance's Administration Panel.

 

It thinks about it for a while, and comes up with "No file was uploaded." I don't know if the transfer just keeps failing (it's a 5MB file) or if the restoration process is what's failing.

 

Any ideas? Is there a way to use this phpbb_db_backup.sql script file more directly, perhaps through phpMyAdmin?

 

 

kono

[Lianna]

It does sound like the file itself is not getting uploaded to the server. You may try manually (via FTP) uploading the backup file and then run the restore from that copy.

 

Here's my best guest for an error that would occur DURING the restore: Because shared hosting also shared MySQL, your old host's db name/table names are different than they need to be here. Example, if your old host shared the same way we do here, then your db name would be *username_dbname* and chances are really good that your username here is not the same as your username there. Thus, MySQL doesn't really know how to do a restore on some thing it can't define, so to speak.

[kono]

It does sound like the file itself is not getting uploaded to the server.  You may try manually (via FTP) uploading the backup file and then run the restore from that copy.

I would, but phpBB's restore feature requires you to select a file from your local machine to upload. I would have to rewrite that code to look for a file on the server, but I'm hoping it doesn't come to that.

 

Here's my best guest for an error that would occur DURING the restore:  Because shared hosting also shared MySQL, your old host's db name/table names are different than they need to be here.  Example, if your old host shared the same way we do here, then your db name would be *username_dbname* and chances are really good that your username here is not the same as your username there.  Thus, MySQL doesn't really know how to do a restore on some thing it can't define, so to speak.

 

Well, the .sql file looks like this:

 

>DROP TABLE IF EXISTS phpbb_auth_access;
CREATE TABLE phpbb_auth_access(
group_id mediumint(8) NOT NULL,
... more fields ...
auth_mod tinyint(1) NOT NULL, 
KEY group_id (group_id), 
KEY forum_id (forum_id)
);

INSERT INTO phpbb_auth_access (group_id, ... more fields ... , auth_mod) VALUES('3', ... more values ... , '0');
... more insert statements ...

 

This is repeated for each of the 25-30 tables, and most of them have hundreds of insert statements. As you can see, the script doesn't need to know the database name or user or password (because it assumes that phpBB has already made the connection).

 

Is there a way for me to run a script like this outside of phpBB, say, through phpMyAdmin, or some other tool?

 

 

kono

[kono]

Is there a way for me to run a script like this outside of phpBB, say, through phpMyAdmin, or some other tool?

 

I may have answered my own question. I had not noticed that phpMyAdmin does allow you to upload sql scripts. Now I just need to divide the 5MB file into manageable chunks, as it seems I'm timing out if I try to do it all at once.

 

I'll reply again with my results.

 

 

kono

[kono]

Success!

 

Everything seems to be back in working order, and just in time for my domain nameserver propogation.

 

 

kono

[Lianna]

*YAY* Once I saw the content of the .sql I realized that it could just be dumped straight in phpMyAdmin.

 

Glad you figured it all out and reported back to let us know!

 

[Spike71]

*YAY* Once I saw the content of the .sql I realized that it could just be dumped straight in phpMyAdmin.

 

Glad you figured it all out and reported back to let us know!

 

 

is phpMyAdmin something i can install or is that something that i need to have done through Cpanel??

I am experiencing the same issue. I want to move a phpbb from one account to another.. and i am getting the same error.. Since i am a noob with PHP please excuse the ignorance

[TCH-Rob]

phpMyAdmin is already installed in your cPanel.

[TCH-Bruce]

phpMyAdmin is part of cPanel.