Feature request: Automatic Backups

Worker Joined: Feb 14, 2008 Posts: 123

Doesn't my? I presume you meant host lol

Well I have a _db_backup folder but all that in it is .htaccess file so I'm not exactly sure how my host backs it up. It doesn't provide me with a backup in my control panel but it does give me cron jobs I'm just not sure how to back up using the cron job, do I use cron job to back up the whole database file or just certain files?

I am new to all this please go easy on me lol
gotta learn someway Very Happy

Danny

Site Admin/Owner Joined: Aug 27, 2002 Posts: 17088

Do you use cPanel? If so, do you have a Backup option?

Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 3:32 pm

No I use go daddy and I use that control panel options it's not cpanel but i've looked on the go daddy control panel and there's no backup there but I have sent them an email asking how I back up my website, that was a few days ago they haven't gotten back to me yet so in the mean time I thought I would ask on these boards since it's very useful and full of knowledgable people lol Very Happy

I did download something called phpmysqlbackup though and managed to get a zipped file of my database but when I wanted to install my website if things go wrong how would I do it? Would I just upload that zipped file onto my database?

Thanks

Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 3:44 pm

You might want to think about switching hosts. Then you will not have these issues - Just a thought & shameless plug Wink

Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 4:02 pm

Well that answered my question Razz

Yeah I might switch hosts when it expires, good job I didn't get it for a long period lol

thanks for your info though.

Danny

Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 4:47 pm

My script just backs up the MySQL databases. You should already have a copy of your files on your local PC, right?

Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:45 pm

I do yeah but how would I get to the point from when I lost my website or when it went wrong. Does the zipped file just get uploaded to your database to get you back to the point where you were at? After installing the raven nuke files again.

Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:54 pm

To restore your database, you'd use a tool like phpMyAdmin to load the MySQL backups you previously made. To restore your files, you just re-ftp them back to your server.

Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 5:59 pm

Thanks for your answer Gremmie, that what I wanted to know. I know it might sound strange to some people when you don't know these things but I'm just starting out on websites and stuff related to it so please forgive me for for asking questions lol
I'm just trying to learn from other people but you learn things everyday.

Thanks

Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:45 pm

Just to add to this. There are some cases where PHPmyadmin will not be able to restore your tables. This is because it runs into size and CPU constraints on many servers. You should get the Bigdump program and practice setting that up ahead of the time that you really need it. If you look in the ACP for RN under backup you will see an explanation of this process and a link to bigdump ... or just search here. There are some parameters you need to change within the bigdump program and you have to get used to putting it where it needs to be (directory wise) on your server so you are well advised to practice on some sample data ahead of when you really need it.

Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:50 pm

How could I practice uploading my database then without losing the original database that installed so like if my website is working fine now and I try and install the database dump that I backed up and it didn't work that would mean I've lost a website and everything because of testing it right?

Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 1:14 pm

danny234, you really need to download XAMPP, which setups up apache, mysql, php, etc all on your PC in one click. You can practice to your hearts content there. It is very useful for testing out modifications to your site without actually harming the real one.

Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 1:41 pm

Xamp, as Gremmie says, is very valuable. However, to practice in a server environment you can simply create a different database with a different name than your production database and practice restoring to it. Just be very careful not to overwrite your production database. I really believe that once you see how bigdump handles the restore process and compare that to trying to do the same thing thru phymyadmin, you will be using bigdump from there on.

And yeah, Xamp, Bigdump, MYSQL, PHP, Apache, Phpmyadmin, there are a lot of products to install and test and get working together and no one ever said being a web site admin was easy.

Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:30 pm

Well I downloaded XAMPP and installed it on my computer but it just opens a control panel I don't know how to use it is there a tutorial on this or is it just something you have to pick up lol
and yes it's not easy being a web site admin as I'm finding out but I'm determined to learn like everyone else.

Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:17 pm

Copy your site files to the xampp htdocs directory, create and import your databases and you'll have your site running on your home pc.

Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:47 am

Thanks Gremmie, can I delete the files that are already in the htdocs folder so I don't get mixed up with the website files I put in there? Or do they have to stay in there as well.

Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 12:01 pm

Better yet, just make sub-directories under htdocs. That is what I do. I have directories for lots of different CMS systems, wikis, etc. So if you make a htdocs/mysite directory, you access it from your browser as:
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Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:21 pm

Well I put all my files in the htdoc but in a subfolder then uploaded the sql file of my database and it gives me an error saying:

SQL query:

CREATE TABLE nuke_nsnst_tracked_ips(
tid int( 10 ) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT ,
ip_addr varchar( 15 ) NOT NULL ,
ip_long int( 10 ) unsigned default '0' NOT NULL ,
user_id int( 11 ) default '1' NOT NULL ,
username varchar( 60 ) NOT NULL ,
user_agent text NOT NULL ,
refered_from text NOT NULL ,
date int( 20 ) default '0' NOT NULL ,
page text NOT NULL ,
x_forward_for varchar( 32 ) NOT NULL ,
client_ip varchar( 32 ) NOT NULL ,
remote_addr varchar( 32 ) NOT NULL ,
remote_port varchar( 11 ) NOT NULL ,
request_method varchar( 10 ) NOT NULL ,
c2cchar( 2 ) default '00' NOT NULL ,
PRIMARY KEY ( tid ) ,
KEY ip_addr( ip_addr ) ,
KEY ip_long( ip_long ) ,
KEY user_id( user_id ) ,
KEY username( username ) ,
KEY user_agent( user_agent ) ,
KEY refered_from( refered_from ) ,
KEY date( date ) ,
KEY page( page ) ,
KEY c2c( c2c )
);

MySQL said: Documentation
#1170 - BLOB/TEXT column 'user_agent' used in key specification without a key length

have I did something wrong here or am I right in saying you supposed to just upload the sql file of the database?

or am I supposed to do a fresh install of the raven nuke files into the htdoc?

Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:36 pm

I'd run the RavenNuke install script. Treat it like a normal site.