Alright cool deal 1 question - what is the size of your database backup?
I ask this because it seems that myphpadmin has trouble with 'larger' (51,200KB or bigger) backup files .. If l run into this problem my current provider has a "restore large backup" feature outside of the myphpadmin module that makes it easy for me to do. However if l was hard pressed l could either a.) break the backup (dump) file into smaller bits, and just run several sql queries on the database until the database is restored.
So anyway, on with the meat and potatos...
1.) create a new database (copy down the name of the database)
2.) create a user with password. (copy down the username and password)
3.) give the user you just created admin permissions onto the database you'd just created.
^This should be very easy to do for anyone, as most hosts have a utility or module installed that will allow you to do this with relative ease.
If your database backup file is bellow 51,200KB's in size:
1.) Open up myphpadmin, and select your database's name from the drop down menu in the drop-down box found in the left pane of myphpadmin.
2.) Depending on what version of myphpadmin is installed for you:
Choose the "Import" tab long the top of the main pane of myphpadmin. If you do not have an "Import" tab; select "SQL".
3.) From here it is just a matter of clicking "browse" // finding your backup file and clicking "go"...
This will upload your backup file, and execute it as a giant SQL statement, thus injecting your data into your new database.
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What if your backup is 'large' (51,200KB) and you can't use myphpadmin to import it. Well if your provider doesn't have a nifty restore feature such as jaguar.com (<-great host BTW guys) here are two other sure fire ways to get your database back up and running:
Note: for either of these to work, you need to unzip/untar your backup file, so that is in *.sql file format, and upload it onto your server somewhere. (behind /public_html is the safest place to store it btw)
Option #1.)
Use telnet to run the following UNIX command:
mysql -uSQL_USER -pYES DATABASE_NAME < backup_file.sql
Obviously you need CG access on your server to use Telnet, and not all hosts allow you to access telnet even if you do have CGI. Why? because it's a very dangerous utility and if left unchecked anyone with a reasonable understanding of the UNIX command line could not only delete your site, but potentially other users that are hosted on the same server as you. So long story short, once you are done with this DELETE THE TELNET FROM YOUR SERVER! You can find a free cgi telnet that works just fine for this is attached to this post. Alternatively searching google for "simple telnet script" will return several thousand other options.
Option #2.)
Alternatively the following PHP file will do the same thing (given that your server is configured properly):
PHP:
<?php
$dbname = "DATABASE"; //<-database name
$uname = "USER"; //<-database user name
$upass = "PASSWORD"; //<-database user password
$sql = "/FULL/PATH/TO/BACKUP.sql";
$dump = system("mysql -u$uname -p$upass $dbname < $sql");
if($dump){
echo "Database dump successful";
}else{
echo "Error dumping database";
}
exit;
?>
Essentially this will do the same thing that the UNIX command above will do. Again, your host will have to allow you to execute shell commands with PHP for this to work (most do).
If you still have problems after reading this, please feel free to contact me via email at jeffspicher[at]gmail.com or on msn IM at coastalweb[at]hotmail.com and l would be more than happy to assist you free of charge - and would literally take me no more than 5 minutes to do. Given that your host has the tools and utilities l would need to preform this.
Best of luck, and please let us know how it turns out!
