BackWPup Restore: Common Issues And Solutions

When your WordPress site experiences a crash or encounters a significant issue, the stress can be overwhelming. The countless hours you’ve poured into building and maintaining your site seem to be at risk. You’ve been diligent in creating backups with BackWPup, so you’re already ahead of the curve. 

However, knowing how to restore your site from these backups is just as crucial as creating them. Restoring your site with BackWPup can sometimes be tricky. You might initiate the process only to encounter an error partially through. What do you do next? 

Take a deep breath—sometimes, the issue isn’t your fault. It could be a temporary glitch with the plugin or a minor misstep in the process. This article will give you a comprehensive guide on BackWPup restore and how to effectively recover backups created by the plugin.

TL;DR: BackWPup is a bit confusing for a first-time user and does not offer a restore feature in their free version. You need a tool that will cater to all your needs. BlogVault nails this, offering solid backups and smooth restorations in every plan, ensuring your entire experience is as seamless as it is reliable. 

Restores with BackWPup 

If you’re using the free version, you might have ventured into the restore section and attempted to restore a backup you previously downloaded, only for it to fail with an HTTP error. Although you might have done everything right, you’re left wondering why your restore failed.

The short answer to your question is that it’s a limitation of the plugin. The restore feature is integrated into the Pro version of BackWPup. If you’re using the free version, the restore option shouldn’t even be accessible to you in the first place.

But don’t worry—whether you require a full site restore after a significant issue or need to restore specific parts like the database or selected files, you can still do it without purchasing the Pro version. 

Restore BackWPup backup manually

Restoring a BackWPup backup manually can be a lifesaver, especially since you’re using the free version of the plugin. Since you’ve encountered issues with the automatic restore process, you can follow these steps to restore your files and database manually.

We will restore the backup in two parts—files and database.

Step 1. Segregate your backup

You will first need to separate your database and files from your BackWPup backup zip file.

1. Download the BackWPup backup to your local drive. 
2. Extract or expand your zip file into a folder to access all the components. Find your database file (usually in an SQL format) and save it in a separate folder. 

3. Now the original folder has only your files, which you will need to Compress back into a new ZIP file.

Step 2. Restore files through FTP

You can use an FTP client like Cyberduck to restore your website files. For this, you will also require your site’s FTP server details.  If you’re unsure about these, check with your hosting provider. Alternatively, if you have cPanel access, you can use the File Manager to achieve the same result.

Step 1: Connect your server to the FTP client

Open Cyberduck and click on the Open Connection button. Now, enter your site’s FTP server details and click Connect. Once connected, you will see your website files on your screen.

Step 2: Upload your files

Navigate to where your file backup is located. Right-click on the files and select the Upload option. Upload your unzipped files and when prompted, choose to overwrite the existing files with the backup files. Click Yes to confirm, and your existing files will be replaced by your backup files.

Step 3. Restore database through phpMyAdmin

Next, you can use phpMyAdmin to restore your database. Before proceeding, check with your hosting provider for phpMyAdmin access. You can access phpMyAdmin either through cPanel or directly through your web host’s interface.

Step 1: Drop the existing database tables

Access phpMyAdmin and navigate to the database you want to restore. Select all the tables, and choose the Drop option to remove them. 

Note: The Drop action will delete all your tables. It is recommended that you unselect the tables you want to keep before dropping them.

Step 2: Import the backup database

Go to the Import tab. Click on Choose File and select your database backup file that we separated from the ZIP file (usually in SQL format). Ensure the Format is set to SQL. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Import.

Restore with BackWPup (Pro users only)

If the manual restore feels too daunting, you can always invest in BackWPup Pro. The plugin offers a restore feature that can take the stress out of recovering your site manually. The restore function is particularly helpful when dealing with a fully crashed website or if you’ve lost access to your WP Admin dashboard.

Note: Only backups created with BackWPup can be restored with the BackWPup restore feature.

You can either start the restore process by clicking on the Restore option or Upload the backup file yourself. 

Step 1: Upload your BackWPup backup

Upload the downloaded ZIP file of your backup within the Restore section of the plugin’s Pro version. Then select the type of restore you want to do—Full Restore or Database Only.

Step 2: Test database connection

Test your database connection by entering your database details in the respective section. Next, click on the Test Connection button. You will find these details within wp-config.php in your root file (usually named public_html or www). Once that has been done, click on Continue.

Step 3: Start the restore process

Click on Start to restore your backup. This might take a few minutes depending on the size of your site.

Restore BackWPup backup using another backup plugin

If you want to restore a BackWPup backup without using BackWPup Pro, you can use backup plugins like UpdraftPlus’s premium version to do so.

However, is this method recommended? No.

UpdraftPlus Premium can restore a BackWPup backup and is a viable option if you need an alternative backup solution. However, when it comes to site maintenance, keeping it within one backup plugin is ideal.

If you are currently using BackWPup for your backups, it makes more sense to invest in its Pro version than purchasing the premium version of another plugin to do the same thing. It is advisable to invest in a plugin that tends to all your concerns with its features.

BlogVault is a premium backup plugin that offers benefits beyond backups and restores, including real-time backups, staging environments, test restores, one-click migrations, and enhanced security features.

Troubleshooting errors during BackWPup restore (for Pro users)

Encountering errors during the BackWPup restore process can be frustrating, especially when you’re eager to get your site back online. Whether it’s a failed connection, a corrupted file, or an unexpected error message, we’re here to help. In this section, we’ll guide you through common issues and provide practical solutions to troubleshoot errors effectively.

My site has crashed completely. How do I go about the BackWPup restore?

If your site has crashed completely, you won’t have access to your admin dashboard. However, if you are a BackWPup Pro user, you can install their stand-alone restore app. Here is how you can go about it:

Step 1: Extract the BackWPup Pro zip file

Download the zip of the plugin’s Pro version from your BackWPup account and Extract the contents of the zip file. Find the backwpup-restore-app-xxx.zip file within the contents and Extract it once again. Locate the restore.phar and StartUp.php files, and copy and paste them into a different folder.

Step 2: Upload files to the web server

Use an FTP client like Cyberduck, and connect to your server using your site’s SFTP details. Upload the files to the same directory as your WordPress installation. Specifically, restore.phar and StartUp.php should be located in the same folder as wp-config.php which is the wp-content folder.

Step 3: Start the app and the restore process 

Add “/StartUp.php” to the end of your site’s URL in your browser. For example: if your site is “user.com”, then the URL should be http(s)://user.com/StartUp.php. The startup script will extract all necessary files and redirect you to the restore app. You can now upload your files and follow the same restore steps as before.

The StartUp script redirects, but I only see a white page.

Step 1: Check for unpacked files

Sometimes, restore.phar might not have been unpacked properly. Go to the directory where StartUp.php and restore.phar are located and see if there’s a new restore/ folder.

Step 2: Verify file permissions

Ensure both StartUp.php and restore.phar have permissions set to 644. You can do this through FTP. Just right-click on the directory, select Permissions or File Permissions, and enter 755 or 664. 

Step 3: Inspect the restore folder

If the restore/ folder is present, look inside to see if there is a file named restore/src/App/index.php. If the file is present, everything has been unpacked correctly and is ready to go.

The BackWPup Pro license key is missing after the website restoration

Make sure that your BackWPup version is v3.7.0 or newer. Here’s how you can go about solving this issue: 

Step 1: Copy your API key

Navigate to your My Account page and find your license under the Dashboard or API Key section. Next, copy the Master API Key.

Step 2: Enter the license information

Navigate to BackWPup Pro’s Settings section on your WP Admin dashboard and select the License tab. Paste the Master API Key. Return to your BackWPup account, copy the Product ID, and paste it into the Product ID field. Click on the Save button to apply.

Note: You might get a message that says: “Exceeded maximum number of activations”. To move forward, you will have to delete an activation through your BackWPup account or the backend and then try activating again.

ERROR: Archive path/restore path not set

If you see the “archive path/restore path not set” error while restoring with BackWPup, it means that the necessary folders for the restoration process aren’t set right. As a result, only the database gets restored, and none of the accompanying files.

Step 1: Check the restore.dat file

Navigate to wp-content/uploads/backwpup-restore/ locate a file named restore.dat. Open the file and verify if it contains all the required information. .dat files do not open by themselves in any application. You open them with a text editor like Notepad or Texteditor.

Step 2: Set directory permissions

If restore.dat does not contain the necessary info, or the file itself does not exist, it could be a permissions issue. Set the permission for the BackWPup restore directory to either 755 or 664. To do this via FTP, right-click on the directory, select Permissions or File Permissions, and enter 755 or 664. After changing the permissions, try the restore process again.

100% hassle-free restores every time with BlogVault (RECOMMENDED)

If you’re looking for a simpler way to back up and restore your site, BlogVault is a top-notch choice. One of the biggest advantages of using BlogVault is its ease of use—you won’t have to dive into technical steps, even if you lose complete access to your site, thanks to its external dashboard.

Imagine your site has crashed and you want to bring it back to life. Most backup plugins can’t help you with such scenarios. However, with BlogVault’s Emergency Connector feature, you can recover your site effortlessly. This functionality sets BlogVault apart, making it a great tool for site recovery.

With BlogVault, your site can be backed up and restored in just two or three clicks. This streamlined process saves time and minimizes the headache often associated with traditional backup plugins.

Additionally, your backups are stored on BlogVault servers and not on the same server as your website. This ensures that your server’s resources are not overloaded with data, allowing your website to function well. Plus they are always secure and will not succumb to whatever ails your site.

Another standout feature of BlogVault is the ability to test your restores on a staging site before applying them to your live site. This ensures that everything works perfectly, giving you peace of mind and added security.

BlogVault provides a hassle-free and efficient backup and restore solution. It simplifies the entire process, giving you more time to focus on what truly matters—running your website.

Parting thoughts

Regular backups are crucial for safeguarding your website, ensuring you always have a recent restore point to fall back on. 

While BackWPup offers backup features, the restoration process can be cumbersome for free-tier users. Upgrading to the Pro version mitigates these issues, providing a smoother restoration experience. However, for those seeking a more robust backup solution, BlogVault stands out as the superior choice.

FAQs

Why is my BackWPup restore attempt failing even though I followed all the steps?

Your BackWPup restore may fail due to several reasons, such as incorrect file or directory permissions, missing or corrupted files, or issues with the database connection. Double-check all settings and ensure the necessary permissions are set correctly. You may also want to verify that all required files are present and uncorrupted.

Can I restore a backup using the free version of BackWPup?

No. The free version of BackWPup does not support direct restore functionality. However, you can manually restore your site using methods like FTP for files and phpMyAdmin for the database.

How can I verify that my backup files are complete and uncorrupted?

To verify your backup files are complete and uncorrupted, you can extract the backup files and check their integrity. Restore the backup on a local installation of WordPress to verify everything is in order. BackWPup also provides logs that you can review to ensure the backup process completed successfully without errors, but unless you test a restore you can never be 100% certain.

What should I do if I encounter an HTTP error while uploading my backup file?

If you encounter an HTTP error while uploading your backup file, it might be due to file size limitations or server configurations. Check your server’s maximum file upload size and adjust it if necessary. You can also try splitting the backup file into smaller parts or uploading it via FTP.

What happens if I update WordPress and my site breaks?

You can use your most recent backup to restore the site to its previous state. This will revert the changes made by the update and bring your site back online. Make sure to always back up your site before performing any updates to avoid such issues.