Using PCLinuxOS (version not recorded).

Backing up MediaWiki ∞

files ∞

zip -r backup.zip httpdocs

This also zips the dotfiles.

database ∞

Dump the database. This’ll prompt for the password. If you don’t know it, it can be found in either of LocalSettings.php or AdminSettings.php

mysqldump -u username -p username_mediawiki > database.sql
bzip2 database.sql

Restoring/Importing a MediaWiki backup ∞

install XAMPP ∞

(XAMPP)

https://www.apachefriends.org/download.html ^[ 1 ] was http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-linux.html

I downloaded XAMPP Linux 1.6.7

su
tar xvfz /home/user/Desktop/xampp-linux-1.6.7.tar.gz -C /opt
/opt/lampp/lampp start

Spoiler

Starting XAMPP for Linux 1.6.7...
XAMPP: Starting Apache with SSL (and PHP5)...
XAMPP: Starting MySQL...
XAMPP: Starting ProFTPD...
XAMPP for Linux started.

Then run:

/opt/lampp/lampp security

And do this:

XAMPP: Quick security check...
XAMPP: Your XAMPP pages are NOT secured by a password.
XAMPP: Do you want to set a password? [yes] no
XAMPP: MySQL is accessable via network.
XAMPP: Normaly that's not recommended. Do you want me to turn it off? [yes] yes
XAMPP: Turned off.
XAMPP: Stopping MySQL...
XAMPP: Starting MySQL...
XAMPP: The MySQL/phpMyAdmin user pma has no password set!!!
XAMPP: Do you want to set a password? [yes] no
XAMPP: MySQL has no root passwort set!!!
XAMPP: Do you want to set a password? [yes] no
XAMPP: The FTP password is still set to 'lampp'.
XAMPP: Do you want to change the password? [yes] no
XAMPP: Done.

Ok, done.

/opt/lampp/lampp stopftp

Is everything healthy?

/opt/lampp/lampp status

Spoiler

Version: XAMPP for Linux 1.6.7
Apache is running.
MySQL is running.
ProFTPD is deactivated.

Then surf to http://localhost
- NOTE: You may have to refresh (control-r) if it shows you the “It works!” default message from the PCLinuxOS Apache install. If it persists, then you didn’t stop and uninstall Apache correctly.

restore files ∞

Just replace xampp’s default htdocs with your own. Nothing fancy needs to be done. You can even still access PHPMyAdmin with http://localhost/phpmyadmin after doing this.

cd /opt/lampp
mv htdocs htdocs_ORIGINAL
unzip backup.zip
mv httpdocs htdocs

restore database ∞

cd /opt/lampp
bzip2 -d database.sql.bz2
bin/mysql -u root --password=""

(MySQL)

# make an empty database
DROP database username_mediawiki;
CREATE database username_mediawiki;
# make a user
CREATE USER username IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
# permissions for your user
GRANT ALL ON username_mediawiki.* TO 'username'@'localhost' identified by 'password';
# switch to that database
USE username_mediawiki;
# import database
source database.sql;
# exit
^d

FYI, to change that password later, do this in MySQL:

SET PASSWORD FOR 'username'@'%' = PASSWORD('password');

Now you repair your database. I’m not sure why this works, but it does! Note that this works as of 1.13.0 and perhaps one day it won’t work.

cd /opt/lampp/htdocs/maintenance
/opt/lampp/bin/php ./update.php

Notes ∞

The database location, username, password are all found in: htdocs/LocalSettings.php and htdocs/AdminSettings.php
The MySQL administrator (root) has no password.
ProFTPD uses the password lampp for user nobody. But ProFTPD should be turned off anyways
I don’t bother with a user, I just use root since this is for a local installation.
The root MySQL password is empty.

Notes from previous restoration attempts ∞

MediaWiki reinstallation notes – attempt 02 — Checking out Bundled server software — it works!
MediaWiki reinstallation notes – attempt 01 — using PCLinuxOS
MediaWiki reinstallation notes – attempt 00 — using PCLinuxOS Business Edition – Server edition.

resources ∞

Footnotes[+]

^ 1	was http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp-linux.html

spiralofhope

MediaWiki reinstallation notes