Backup and Restore your MySQL Database using phpMyAdmin

By Ben Sinclair
http://www.webmaster-resources101.com

Do you need to backup your MySQL Database information? Why not use phpMyAdmin!

First of all, you need to get into phpMyAdmin. If you have a website control panel(Ex: CPanel), you should be able to find it under MySQL Databases or phpMyAdmin.

If you don't have a website control panel, you should ask your web host where you can find phpMyAdmin. They may not have phpMyAdmin at all...

Once you're in, this is what to do:

Getting Started:

You should see some frames. Here is what it should look like:

[image src=phpmyadmin1.gif h=250]

Now, select a database name you wish to backup:

[image src=phpmyadmin2.gif h=260]

How To Backup:

Scroll down the page and find this:

[image src=phpmyadmin3.gif h=260]

Select everything in the selection box or just the tables you wish to backup.

Then select:

Structure and data
Add 'drop table'
Complete inserts
Save as file

Then click go. It should open a notepad document which you need to save on your computer. Remember where you saved it.

How To Restore:

Scroll down the page and find this:

[image src=phpmyadmin4.gif h=240]

You don't need to worry about the textarea box unless you are writing your sql by hand. Click browse and find your .sql file that you downloaded when backing up.

Then click go.

If you get a message saying your query was successful, you are now finished.

Good luck!