Help Needed: Restoring Dolibarr Backup on New Docker Instance

Tiritibambix · February 8, 2025, 10:04pm

Hello,

I am encountering an issue while trying to restore a backup from my old Dolibarr instance to a new one using Docker. Here are the steps I followed:

On my old instance:

I created a backup of the MySQL database:

docker exec CONTAINER_NAME_MYSQL mysqldump -u USERNAME -pPASSWORD DATABASE_NAME > /path/to/backup.sql

I copied the documents directory from the Dolibarr container to my host machine:

docker cp CONTAINER_NAME_DOLIBARR:/var/www/documents /backup/path/on/host

On my new instance:

I restored the MySQL database from the backup:

docker exec -i CONTAINER_NAME_MYSQL mariadb -u USERNAME -pPASSWORD DATABASE_NAME < /path/to/backup.sql

I copied the documents directory back to the new Dolibarr container:

docker cp /backup/path/on/host CONTAINER_NAME_DOLIBARR:/var/www/documents

After completing these steps, I can see a /documents/Dolibarr_Backup/ directory with my previously backed up db and documents, but my Dolibarr instance appears empty, as if the backup was not applied.

I believe I might be missing a step or doing something incorrectly. Could someone please guide me on what I might be missing or suggest any additional steps to successfully restore my Dolibarr instance?

Thank you in advance for your help!

jonbendtsen · February 9, 2025, 9:11am

Can you see the data inside your database?

What if you use the GUI method of dolibarr to restore the database?

Tiritibambix · February 9, 2025, 9:58am

I am very sorry, I am not conformable with this, I don’t know how to check that.

I have no knowledge of this method. How can this be done?

ksar · February 9, 2025, 10:24am

@Tiritibambix

If your dolibarr is empty means that your dolibarr is not connected to the right database or db user or db prefix.
Check what is on conf/conf.php

Tiritibambix · February 9, 2025, 11:05am

I searched my entire installation directory and can’t find a conf.php file

If that helps, I use a Docker installation

Tiritibambix · February 9, 2025, 4:41pm

So after copying my backup into the db container at /tmp/, I tried
maraidb -u dolibarr -p dolibarr < /tmp/mybackup.sql

I have no message at all, so I suppose it worked.
So I restarded both containers, but I still don’t have my data back.

This is so frustrating. I need to learn too many things to restore this backup, and I really need it

Tiritibambix · February 9, 2025, 5:34pm

I had to install phpMyAdmin, delete all tables and import my backup.

Jeez, I spent my whole Sunday on this.

There has to be an easier way of restoring for noobs and non-technical people.
I’m glad I know a little about computers to make my way through this hell

jonbendtsen · February 10, 2025, 5:38pm

In the admin menu there is a restore option?

but looking closer I see that it does not have a GUI method

Tiritibambix · February 10, 2025, 6:14pm

Yes, my GUI method was installing phpMyAdmin. The built-in solution was not displaying, or not in any obvious way, errors that were blocking the process.

I am very surprised that a tool as powerful as Dolibarr, managing data vital to many companies and entrepreneurs, does not have a system of backup and restoration worthy of its reputation.