Here is the story. I was on a smaller hosting company, in there TOS it says daily backups. Then small hosting company merges with bigger. They backup the server my website was on, then take the server down (wiped it? don't know for sure they just say offline). When they try to restore my site, oops they say the backup was bad. They ask me for a backup, which I don't have. I was making $30 a day off the site, and it was not a static site. What would you do?
And do a backup! Everyone, and I mean everyone, who has a site had better have done regular backups. Since I have all my site files in frontpage, I don't back up the site, just the databases. As for lost data at host companies, it happens quite often. And there is not a lot you can do except complain, get your money back, get another host. AND THEN BACKUP!!!
Back-up from day one atleast weekly. He who doesn't back-up himself is a n00bie!!!! Ignore the so called 'We back-up daily.' stuff from the host!!! And get a new web host!!!!
THis site changes daily, i have a backup of the site, i use dreamweaver. But people upload files to it all the time. That is the issue all of the user data is gone.
I dont think there is really anything you can do. There is always a way to backup a site, no matter how often it changes. Manullay, database, cron, lots of ways. that will be there defence, and you wont get very far.
I am having drupal database for one of my site. Do I need to backup the daba only or the full installation folder ?
Read the very first post in this thread!!! Yep, they back-up really nice!! We all should use them and not worry about making a back-up!!!!! Dump the host!!!!!
You said they did backup, but the backup was bad. I am sure they have a way out of obligation, especially if something happened out of their control.
Even though we run a hosting company and we back up everything daily, I still have back ups of all my sites at home as well. Unfortunately things happen. I must ask - what does the TOS say about the backups? Does it state that it will be responsible for them, etc? Or does it just state they are doing a back up?
Both If your host allows cronjobs you can set one up to run daily, for both site files and database dumps
Try contating them to see if they have an older backup. Backups are performed by hosts and not always deleted right away. I know the company I work for do them daily, but I have seen things happen where a file is corrupt. I dont believe data should be left in the hands of any shared company. Backups all the way!!!!!!!
If a hosting company says they lost your site, there is a chance that they have it on an old backup somewhere. Especially if it is a notable hosting company.