How to Backup Your Site’s Database

icon1 Posted by Rochelle in How To... on 02 4th, 2008 | 10 responses

Backing up your site’s database is possibly the most important thing you can do. Why should you do this? Some possibilities include:

  • Changes made to database that mess it up
  • Hackers who take over your site – it has happened to several Build A Niche Store (aka BANS) members as they have posted about it in the BANS forum
  • Moving your site to a new server
  • Servers that fail

I will explain to you how to backup your database and include images. Since I host with HostGator I will use them for my pictures. If you host with someone else then your steps may vary slightly.

 

My instructions to backup your site’s database:

Step One
 Log in to your hosting account (i.e. HostGator).
Step Two
 

Locate your hosting site’s ‘Backup’ option. For HostGator accounts it looks like this:

Image of HostGator's 'Backup' option

Step Three
 

Click on the database you want to backup. The image of my HostGator databases looks like:

Image of HostGator's 'Backup' option

Step Four
  Save the database to your computer.
done

Your database is now saved. If you ever need to restore it for any reason you will have the backup to accomplish this. Too many BANS users have had to recreate their stores because disaster struck and they didn’t have backups of their databases. Don’t let this happen to you!

I suggest backing up your database any time you have made changes to your store. This may be as often as every day. Regardless of how often you need to back it up, if you ever need it you will be more than grateful to have the most recent version of your site’s database.

For those who may be curious, I save my databases in a folder called, “Backups.” That folder contains folders to everything I have backups of, including one that is called, “BANS.” In there is a folder called, “Databases.” In that folder are folders that I have named after each BANS site I have created. In each of those folders I have folders with the dates I downloaded each database. It is in these dated folders that I save each database file with its default name.

For example, if I needed to restore the database to my Beatrix Potter site I would look for the following file:

Local Disk (E:) / Backups / BANS / Databases / Beatrix Potter / 2008-01-24 / anichest_beabeatrixpotter.txt

Now, go backup all your databases and sleep well tonight!

February 13, 2008 – I have added instructions on how to backup your site files at http://www.nichestorestrategies.com/how-to-backup-your-site-from-cpanel/.

Rochelle

10 Responses to “How to Backup Your Site’s Database”

  1. hartlenn says:
    February 13, 2008 at 1:07 pm

    OMG That was so easy. Thanks again Rochelle for another great how to.
    Also glad to hear your little girl is OK. I have 3 kids, all teens now, but I can still feel my heart go KABOOBBOOMBOOM when I think back to all the times one of their lives was up in the air.
    Prayer really has gotten us out of some incredibly hopeless situations. I don’t even have a name for all the forces I pray to. It’s just about the love for that part of the universe anyway. So I send some your way. Hope your baby gets better ALL DAY.
    Cheers HL

  2. How to Backup Your Site from cPanel | Niche Store Strategies says:
    February 13, 2008 at 4:11 pm

    [...] that your databases also need to be backed up. You can read my instructions on how to do this at http://www.nichestorestrategie.....-database/. Rochelle Install the free BANS Toolbar [?] Share [...]

  3. How to restore your database from cPanel | Niche Store Strategies says:
    February 13, 2008 at 5:36 pm

    [...] probably do this for but they will likely charge a fee. Read my instructions on how to do this at http://www.nichestorestrategie.....-database/ and save your hard-earned money by doing it [...]

  4. How to Move to a New Host | Niche Store Strategies says:
    February 13, 2008 at 8:54 pm

    [...] Step Two Backup every database you have using the steps found here. [...]

  5. How to Reset Your Database When You are Locked out of Admin | Niche Store Strategies says:
    February 19, 2008 at 3:22 pm

    [...] Have I scared you enough yet? Good. You should take this seriously. Whether you decide to resolve this on your own or log a ticket with the BANS support is up to you. Regardless of which way you choose to fix this problem you should backup your database first. That way any problems that arise from fixing the log in problem can be easily reversed. You can read my instructions on how to backup your database here. [...]

  6. How I Create a New Niche Store | Niche Store Strategies says:
    February 25, 2008 at 11:47 am

    [...] Backup up database from cPanel. [...]

  7. Mods that will require redoing after updating to v3 of BANS | Niche Store Strategies says:
    March 9, 2008 at 9:16 am

    [...] before you update any site I strongly suggest you backup your site from cPanel and backup your site’s database before doing [...]

  8. How to Move a Site from a Subdomain to a New URL | Niche Store Strategies says:
    June 21, 2008 at 8:01 am

    [...] the instructions found at How to Backup Your Site’s Database to backup your niche store’s [...]

  9. Adrienne says:
    October 16, 2008 at 12:16 pm

    Thanks Rochelle! I did get errors at first with my database, but what I did to solve that problem was to upload the install.php file and change the permissions of the cont.php file to 777 then I was able to log into my admin page and then everything was perfectly fine. I checked all of my store pages and the only one that wasn’t working properly was a page I had an RSS feed on for news. But, to be fair, I hadn’t checked that page in a while so it may have been having problems before. So, I have turned that page off while I decide whether I want to keep it or not. Also, when I did go through the install page, it had msql errors on it also, but I just scrolled down and logged in anyway. Seems to be working perfectly, thanks again!

  10. mySql busines databases says:
    November 17, 2009 at 6:23 am

    thanks for this article.
    It will really help me with my directory websites
    Sarah

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