1

I need to restore a WP site on a new server and have the complete FTP folders but not database etc. Anyone know of a good guide to do this?

4 Spice ups
2

How did you back it up?

If your site is currently live and your trying to move it rather than restore - Migrating WordPress – Advanced Administration Handbook | Developer.WordPress.org should help.

Basic guide (if your comfortable with MySQL + PHP + FTP or willing to give it a try)

  • Setup a new database in phpMyAdmin on the new server with its own username and password
  • Export old database to a .SQL file, import it into the new database
  • FTP the files to the new server
  • Edit wp-config.php and change the database details (at the top) to the ones you just made
  • Change the DNS
  • Pray…
3

Hi apk982

Unfortunately the user has come to me requesting help with just the main folder backed up. Its got everything you’d pull off the ftp site (wp-admin, wp-content etc) but no sql backup and no live site. They just have the zipped folders. Any ideas?

4

Then your f***ed… The database holds the content to the site, without the database you just have a plain website.

With out the files but with the database you could get everything up and running within an hour or two. No database pretty much means starting over other than any plugins + themes which are stored in the files.

To get the site back up and running you’ll want to find or get them to find the database.

2 Spice ups
5

To use those files to make a new install just rename wp-config.php and it will guide you though the install but as above it won’t have any data.

6

Without the DB they are SOL as Andy said. WP is normally MySQL driven and heavily so. The only thing I could think of is if the site isn’t too old and the data was fairly static check Google cached sites to try to get the content back and recreate it from scratch.

7

Cheers everyone.

8

AHA I have access to the old site now and the sql backup :slight_smile:

2 Spice ups
9

Whoop!

Do you know what your doing to get it up and running now or need a hand?

10

No Idea and yes please. Restored the database in mysql, moved the folders to my IIS web folder. checked the wp-config database settings although not sure what i’m checking and created an IIS web site and app pool. getting 404

11

What the page your trying to access? Try www.website.com/index.php it maybe the .htaccess or default page isn’t setup right

12

I’m sat in the office atm working on loads of CRUD so happy for you to drop me a PM if you want a hand having alook without advertising the url etc…