How to Restore a Database from a Backup

Restoring a database replaces its current contents with the data from a backup file. The Nobregas MySQL Panel provides a built-in restore feature that imports a .sql backup directly into your database — no command line or external tools required.

When to Restore a Backup

• Accidental data loss — You deleted rows, dropped a table, or truncated data by mistake.
• Corrupted data — An application bug wrote incorrect values and you need to roll back.
• Failed migration — A database migration went wrong and you need to revert.
• Moving to a new database — You want to clone data from a backup into a fresh database.
• Testing — You want to restore a production snapshot into a staging database.

Step-by-Step: Restoring from the Panel

1. Log in at mysql.nobregas.org.
2. Click Backups in the top navigation bar.
3. Find the backup you want to restore from the backup list.
4. Click the Restore button on that backup's row.
5. Select the target database — the database where the backup will be imported.
6. Confirm the restore action when prompted.
7. The panel imports the backup. A success notification confirms when the restore is complete.

What Restore Does

The restore process:

1. Reads the .sql backup file on the server.
2. Executes the SQL statements (CREATE TABLE, INSERT) against the target database.
3. Recreates tables, views, triggers, and stored procedures from the backup.

Important Warnings

Restore Overwrites Data

If the target database already has tables with the same names, the restore will drop and recreate them. All current data in those tables is replaced with the backup data.

Back Up Before Restoring

Always create a fresh backup of the current state before restoring an older one. This ensures you have a recovery point if the restore does not produce the desired result.

Restore Does Not Delete Extra Tables

If the target database has tables that are not in the backup, those tables are left untouched. Only tables present in the backup file are affected.

Restore to a Different Database

You can restore a backup into a database other than the one it was originally created from. This is useful for:

• Creating a staging copy from a production backup.
• Migrating data between databases.
• Testing restore procedures without affecting the original database.

Select the desired target database in the restore dialog.

Verifying the Restore

After restoration completes:

1. Go to the Databases page and select the restored database.
2. Check that all expected tables are present.
3. Browse a few tables to confirm the data is correct.
4. Run a SELECT query to verify row counts match expectations.