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Site Restoration

#13479 Backup Content Doesn't Match Restored

Posted in ‘Site restoration’
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Environment Information

PHP version
n/a
CMS Type
Other
CMS Version
n/a
Backup Tool Version
n/a
Kickstart version
n/a

Latest post by user37296 on Saturday, 08 September 2012 14:26 CDT

Saturday, 08 September 2012 10:57 CDT

user37296
Mandatory information about my setup:

Have I read the related troubleshooter articles above before posting (which pages?)? Everything relative to my problem

Have I searched the tickets before posting? Everything relative to my problem

Have I read the documentation before posting (which pages?)? Everything relative to my problem

Joomla! version: 2.5.6

PHP version: 5.3

MySQL version: (unknown)

Host: GoDaddy Shared Apache

Akeeba Backup version which took the backup: com_akeeba-J2dot5-3.6.2-core

Kickstart version used to extract the backup:kickstart-core-3.5.2

Description of my issue:
-----------------

I have a directory structure of:
PARENT: Domain (used to be a Dreamweaver site)
CHILD: Joomla 1.5.26 Site. Accessed by an index.html redirect in the parent.
CHILD's Child: Joomla 2.5.6 site created by "jUpgrade" and modified by me.

Akeeba Backup and Kickstart are installed in the Joomla 2.5.6 area:
"http://capefearcameraclub.org/joomla/jupgrade/"

For a trial run I installed Kickstart in another domain I have and use for testing purposes, uploaded the latest backup from the 2.5.6 site and ran Kickstart. All seemed to go great EXCEPT I ended up with the old 1.5.26, not the new 2.5.6 site.

I *know* I uploaded the correct backup, but, now, I am questioning what was backed up by Akeeba Backup. I made the mistake of assuming Akeeba would back up the contents of the current directory, subordinate directories and DB's as it did in the 1.5.26 version..

Please advise. Thank you.

Saturday, 08 September 2012 11:03 CDT

nicholas
What you describe is simply not possible. One of the following is possible however:
- You backed up the Joomla! 1.5, NOT the Joomla! 2.5, site. You have to log in to the Joomla! 2.5 site, install Akeeba Backup on it, run the backup, download that backup archive and use it to restore your site. If you expect Akeeba Backup installed in the Joomla! 1.5 site somehow back up your Joomla! 2.5 site, it's not going to happen.
- You uploaded the wrong backup archive. Despite knowing that you uploaded the correct one, please double check.
- You did not remove the existing files and folders from the live site before restoring the backup archive.

These are the only possibilities. There is no way Akeeba Backup can back up a different site than the one it is installed in unless you explicitly tell it so.

I made the mistake of assuming Akeeba would back up the contents of the current directory, subordinate directories and DB's as it did in the 1.5.26 version..

No, you did a different mistake. Akeeba Backup backs up the files and directories of the site it is installed in. Please remember that the domain name and the Joomla! site are not the same thing. I understand that you are running a backup from inside the Joomla! 1.5 site, therefore telling Akeeba Backup to back up your Joomla! 1.5 site.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

Saturday, 08 September 2012 12:38 CDT

user37296
I figured it out. To clarify, I did install the latest Akeeba backup into the 2.5 site and I did back it up in that 2.5 site. I transferred the .JPA file from the 2.5 site to a local directory using the "Administer Backups" screen. This is important because that is where I believe the problems resides.

When I transferred the .JPA via the Administer Backups screen I ended up with the Joomla 1.5.26 environment.

So, after reading your response, I went into administrator/components/com_akeeba/backup directory and found different backups to be there. This time I FTP'd the correct .JPA which culminated in a successful restore as opposed to using the Administer Backups screen.

My conclusion is that the Administer Backups screen shows the wrong backup files when in a directory structure such as mine. It shows the backups from the parent Joomla directory. That will all be addressed on my site within the hour, but I wanted to make you aware of this problem.

Thanks for your help.

Saturday, 08 September 2012 13:35 CDT

nicholas
What you describe is DEFINITELY impossible to happen.

Assuming that you are using the default archive naming template, Akeeba Backup uses the current site's domain name, the current date and time in the filename of the backup archive. As a result the backups in the Joomla! 1.5 and 2.5 sites would have different names.

Let's forget about that. When you perform a backup, Akeeba Backup stores the absolute file path to the backup archive and prefers it over the relative path. I will repeat that: it prefers the absolute file path. It does not store just a relative path (Wikipedia article to understand the difference). As a result, the Administer Backup Files page will find the exact, one and only one backup archive which was created by the backup record you are currently trying to download. It can not find a different file as this would have a completely different absolute path.

Even if the file with the specific absolute path is not found, it would look into the backup output directory (as specified in the backup profile) for a backup archive with the exact same filename. This means that it would look inside the Joomla! 2.5 site for that file name. Nevermind that since the backup of the Joomla! 2.5 site was taken after that of the Joomla! 1.5 site the filenames are different and even if you had manually set up the same output directory in both sites you would still NOT end up downloading the wrong file because of the necessarily different file names.

You assume that Akeeba Backup would do something so complicated, irrational and frustrating. I mean, think about the absurdity of your claim. Let's assume that Akeeba Backup couldn't find the correct backup archive. In order for what you describe to happen it would have to somehow, magically, decide that there is a Joomla! 1.5 site above the site root, read its configuration.php file (nevermind that this would crash Joomla!, I am just following your absurd claim), connect to its database, read the configuration (to get the output directory of that site), read the last backup record and download that backup archive (assuming that it exists) with a different file name. Why the heck would I create such an absurd feature which solves no problem and create a frustrating situation?!

The only explanation which does make sense is that at some point you got confused and downloaded the wrong backup archive. As always, you don't have to believe me. The source code is there for anyone to read.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

Saturday, 08 September 2012 13:50 CDT

user37296
Nicholas,

I had no expectation that my message would upset or anger you and I apologize for having done so. I am simply reporting what I found and how I corrected the situation. This was in no way an attack on your products or you.

I have no reason to lie, distort, or fabricate what I reported. I signed up and paid today for a year of support for two reasons: (1) I was having the problem that I could not resolve on my own I originally described; and (2), I support products that I feel are excellent and useful. I want businesses such as yours to flourish.

I have been in the computer business for more than 40 years. Although I am rather new to Joomla and all, I do have a fairly good grasp on how things work. I spent many years as a programmer, systems programmer, manager, MIS Directory and so on before starting my own small business with my son. I stand by what I reported. I have been careful with the steps I took and I know what happened.

Again, I apologize for upsetting you as I did. I didn’t expect that result. I sincerely appreciate and respect your expertise and your fine products.

My problem has been resolved, so this case can be closed.

Thank you.

Saturday, 08 September 2012 13:57 CDT

nicholas
I apologise, I overreacted. Working on Saturdays doesn't quite work out very well with me I guess.

I just noticed something strange in the version of Akeeba Backup you used: com_akeeba-J2dot5-3.6.2-core. I have never released such a file. My file for version 3.6.2 is called com_akeeba-3.6.2-core. Where did you get this file from? If it's from a third party I'd like to know.

Furthermore, I still don't believe that what you described actually happens the way you describe it. Let's try to try to make a simple test to see what's going on.
- Download the backup using Administer Backup Files
- Note down the filename and file size (down to the byte value, please)
- Restore that archive in a local server, e.g. using XAMPP, WAMPServer, MAMP, Zend Server CE or whatever you prefer
- Question 1: Do you see the Joomla! 1.5 or 2.5 site?
- Delete the files, folders and database of the restored site.
- Download the backup using FTP in binary transfer mode
- Note down the filename and file size
- Question 2: Please give me the filenames and file sizes you have noted down
- Restore that archive in a local server, e.g. using XAMPP, WAMPServer, MAMP, Zend Server CE or whatever you prefer
- Question 3: Do you see the Joomla! 1.5 or 2.5 site?

This simple test should take about half an hour and will lift any doubt about what happened.

Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos

Lead Developer and Director

🇬🇷Greek: native 🇬🇧English: excellent 🇫🇷French: basic • 🕐 My time zone is Europe / Athens
Please keep in mind my timezone and cultural differences when reading my replies. Thank you!

Saturday, 08 September 2012 14:26 CDT

user37296
RE: "com_akeeba-J2dot5-3.6.2-core". --- I inadvertently misled you on this. I did get the file from your site, but renamed it so I would know it was clearly the 2.5 version as opposed to the 1.5 version I also have.

The directory structure has been completely cleaned up since my first message.. The "Joomla" directory structure which held the 1.5.26 site and the "jUpgrade" (2.5.6) site within it are gone.

It was a messy, but effective way for me to maintain multiple version under the same domain. Now that the new site is up and running at the domain level I felt much better that it is once again orderly.

I'm working entirely online and do not have a local server.

I will try to recreate the situation using a different domain at some point, but not today. It's Saturday for both of us. (It's time to mow the lawn for me).

Have a great weekend and thank you for your help.



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