JLBN – Backups & Restores on WAMP
In this setup guide for WAMP, we will show you the simplest method to backup your WAMP server.
Before attempting any change, even the first time password setup, you should perform a full backup based on this setup backup guide for WAMP.
Note: Even this guide is used for Wampserver, you can apply this method on other wamp package such as Xampp, EasyPHP, so on. Just make sure to select correct file(s) in proper location(s) 
A newbie so your guides are a tremendous help, very grateful and many thanks.
1One suggestion for people starting out like me:
On your Setup Backup guide, it says change the default storage engine to MyISAM without explaining how. It would be helpful to state how.
From the forums, it explains how to amend the my.ini file to default-storage-engine=MyISAM
Thanks, we’ve just correct it
2my.ini does not contain the line: default-storage-engine=INNODB
I am running MySQL 5.1.30.
my.ini does have the following:
myisam_sort_buffer_size = 8M
[myisamchk]
key_buffer = 20M
sort_buffer_size = 20M
read_buffer = 2M
write_buffer = 2M
So, I surmise all is well. Right?
3just add this line to the file
4default-storage-engine=MyISAM
I am running mysql 5.1.30 my line says
default-storage-engine=<>
I am a noob at everything! can I just delete so it looks like this?
default-storage-engine=<>
5the rest of my line is not correct…it won’t show…
so here it is with some marks deleted
default-storage-engine={MIXED|INNODB:INNODB}{:MYISAM}
6Refer to this
7http://blog.jlbn.net/?p=6
That is how I ended up here. I just want to double check that I should delete the MIXED INNODB:INNODB part and just leave the MYISAM
confirmation is all I am looking for since mine already had MYISAM in it at the end…thanks
8default is mixed type and that’s the problem for some people since it’s not friendly copy and paste database folder(s) for backup and restore, and that’s why we suggest to use only MyISAM type. Just uncomment that line and add suggested line
9First time I see an engineer providing such crystal clear explanations.
I’ll follow the other ones, once my site is full operative, i’ll donate sthg for your contribution, promised.
Congratulations.
10the file my.ini does not exist in the latest release of wamp as directed by this guide…
11Have you heard this problem before?
JW, make sure you already disable “Hide known extension…” in folder property or else, you only see the file “my” instead “my.ini”
12My system crashed, and i have to restore from files only. But before the crash i didnt change the default to myIsam
Any suggestions how i can recover?
Thanks in advance.
13Gadensgaard, did you try to copy db folder into data folder in mysql folder?
14Hi there,
Under Backup what does the following mean?
Note: Make sure to switch the database type BEFORE create the database or you will lose the database after switching.
After you’ve finsished installing and checking to make sure WAMP’s all services running, you should immediately backup your WAMP server as follows:
15Exactly as it meant, we recommend you to switch the database type right after installing wamp and before creating any new database because if you’ve already created any new database which is most likely InnoDB type and you will lose access to them after switching to MyISAM
16Before I found your website I installed wamp and attempted to create a user root password but through the mysql console.
I messed it up so I used system restore and deleted the c:/WAMP folder and looked for registry files but couldn’t find any.
Since I am only using localhost for learning PHP I don’t really care about a password and it seems to be a big headache. I decided when I reconfigured it I wouldn’t use one BUT
When I log into the Mysql console it says
Enter Password: (which I don’t have) and I can go no further.
I have restored several times but nothing seems to give me a fresh start with NO PASSWORD.
Please help me I don’t know what else to do
thanks,
17Kathy
kathy, to login by default is user “root” and no password, so just press Enter if using MySQL console through wamp tray icon; however, we suggest you to follow our very easy step-by-step password guide since you never know someone someday might accidentally mess up your well-established database(s) and it’s NOT simple at all to fix that
18to setup password, follow this
http://blog.jlbn.net/?p=17
I’ve been asked to upgrade a WAMP5 v1.6.6 installation to WampServer2.
The MySQL database default storage engine as shown in the WAMP5 my.ini is INNODB.
I guess this means its now too late for me to change it to MyISAM?
19wamp user, use phpmyadmin to export that DB, then uninstall wamp, rename wamp folder, restart pc, install new wamp then use phpmyadmin to import that DB. For more safety, after exporting that DB, install new wamp on different pc and try to import that DB to make sure it works as expected before actually performing upgrade on current wamp pc
20JL, you are doing such a wonderful job here. If it is worth something, you have all my respect and gratitude for all the effort you’re putting in to helping us.
Sorin
21Nicosia, Cyprus
This guide just saved me a boatload of time!
Switching mysql versions created error logging into myadmin.
Reloaded backup and it works again!
Thanks,
-JEDs
22Hi JLBN
Thank you for the guide on backing up.
I have downloaded WampServer2.01i. It installed ‘out of the box’ as they say. However, when I went to follow your guide on backing up and looked for the line default-storage-engine’ in the mysql5.1.36\my.ini it was not there. Neither was there any permutations of it.
I then looked further. When I look in localhost/phpmyadmin and select the engines tab it assured me that MyISAM is already the default. (MyISAM – Default engine as of MySQL 3.23 with great performance).
I have read many of your guides and out of all the info available on the web they always seem to me to be the most clear cut and sensible. Can I please ask, very very respectfully, that you add a ‘published/updated on’ date and a reference to which versions of the particular software you are actually referring to?
Cheers
Alan
23Hi Alan,
Since beginning of Wamp Server version 2, it might have a little minor change in some particular files in each version; however, our guides will work for most, if not all, versions of Wamp Server, which might include older versions 1.x
Anyway, in this particular guide, we’ve already clearly stated as follows:
24