question .. lost my database

Hi all,
I know this might seem like a stupid question, but .. I am just learning ..

Just recently, my server went completely down and I cannot get in touch with them at all. It has been 5 terrible days. All I need to know is... if I backed up my site through ftp, would my database info be there too. I cannot get into mysql database at all. I don't want to loose all my info ... this was 2 months of database work ... can anyone tell me how I can get or save my database info if my server is down ... ???

Wouldn't it be within the stuff I backed up from the ftp ...?

Any help PLEASE!

Thanks so much,
Sandy

Your server has been down for 5 days and you can't get in touch with the hosting company? Sounds a little fishy to me. What is the name of the hosting company? Anyway, back to your question... unless the mysql installation directory was part of the ftp backup you made, you are out of luck. I have to assume that it was not. Keep trying to get in touch with the host and always remember..... Make Backups...

Hi Blindeddie,

Thank you so much for your help ...
As for the database and ftp ... I am not sure if it is a part of the backup ...

I will not say who the isp is ... but, I will say that I've been working on this for so long ... and, just as I am about to finish, the plug was pulled ... and yes ... you are very correct when you say ... "sounds a little fishy".

Anyway, not to ask an illiterate question, but ... as I said before ... I am new at this ... can you tell me what to look for to see if it is backed up with my ftp?

BTW ... thank you for your straight-forwardness and your help.

Sandy

Blindeddie ...
I forgot to ask ...
what is the most correct way to back up mysql database if it is not through ftp?

Thanks again,
Sandy

lololol ....

I am so sorry ... it said I was "Anonymous" ...
sorry ... I forgot to sign-in before I replied to this post ...

Thanks Sandy

Hi Sandy,
Look for any files with a .frm, .MYD or .MYI extension. Those are the data files for each tables of the database. They would be located in a folder that has the same name as your DB.

Backing up a database is done by either using the Mysqldump command from the shell or using an application like PHPMyadmin to export a file of the database structure and data, these are the two most common ways.

Hi BlindEddie,

I hope you don't mind ... but, I would like to ask one more question ...

Can you tell me how to back up my database within Myphpadmin? I don't know what my first
step would be.

I hope this is not a stupid question.
thank you so much,
Sandy

to back up in phpmyadmin, you will choose the 'export' option from the tabs at the top, choose the table you want to backup, and go for it. Make sure you select 'Structure and data' to be sure you get it all....you will probably also want to tell it to Zip it...

Hi Matt,

Thank you so much ..
I just tried to backup my database ...
I clicked "export", then highlighted all files, then "structure and data", then "save as file" ... but, 3 times it came up with a download error.

There are other options given to save it... like:
Add 'drop table'
Complete inserts
Extended inserts
Enclose table and field names with backquotes Save as file

Can you tell me if I did something wrong?
Matt ... thanks for the help...
Sandy

Do choose the save as a file...as for the others...choose the backquotes one...and the drop table...

I wouldn't choose the others for compatibility reasons...

As for the download error, try doing smaller chunks..the file might be too large...your host could be limiting the file creation size...

Thank you Matt for your help ...
I am more than new at all of this ... but, lololol ... I am struggling, frustrated, happy, and extremely excited to learn. I just hope it doesn't take a long time ... lolol



Sandy