When I started blogging I was glad I took the time to set up my site from scratch. I followed the slightly more difficult route to getting my words out there.
I elected to set up my own domain name on a hosted server and build a site myself. I knew I was making life hard for myself but I thought it would be worth it in the end.
Until last week I hadn’t had cause to regret my decision.
My decisions fell down around my ears and I started to curse my luck.
Picture: Darkhood1337
I don’t know what happened. I don’t know whether it was the server being rebooted or my automatic upgrade to the latest version of WordPress, but something happened that caused me to lose the comments table in my database. Of course, at the time I had no idea what had happened and naturally assumed that it would be a small glitch and it would be easily resolved.
Having already reported to the host that my site had experienced slow running, I tagged the missing comments on the end and expected that the technician at the other end would press a few buttons and everything would be back to normal.
Unfortunately for me, this happened over Thanksgiving weekend causing my inquiry to be passed from pillar to post with each technician dealing with only part of the problem and ignoring the rest. Factor in that I’m in the UK and my emails were not being dealt with until the end of the working day in the US, there was a full 24 hours between each interaction. It was painful.
The end result is that having failed to make my own backup of the site, I learnt that the host didn’t have one either. At least not one with my comments intact. The only thing the host could do for me was to inform me I’d need to replace the missing table myself. Great.
I mourned the loss of 1100 comments for a while and then set about the simple task of replacing the missing table, which was sure to be an automatic process and take me a few minutes.
Four hours later, much research, a crash course in mysql and phpmyadmin whilst blindly clicking buttons and hoping for the best, I rebuilt the entire table from scratch using a combination of guess work and intuition.
I still have no idea whether the table will hold up but all I can do, is give it a try.
The comments work now, so feel free to write in there whatever you like.
All of your first comments will be moderated just to help in the battle against spam.
I’ll tell you this much though, I was very close to setting up a new site. It would have been quicker and easier to do so – and I might still do it anyway just as a contingency.
Thanks to all for your messages of support. Special thanks to Sean Platt for providing me with a plugin which will automatically back up my data.
So there you have it. A freshly laid blanket of snow ready for you to write your names in – and ANYTHING else you’d like to write or ask or shout – go ahead!
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Ouch! I’m glad to see that you didn’t lose the blog contents, even though the comments are gone.
Back when my Exit78 blog was really new, I made some changes and lost the database. Through the wonders of Google cache, I was able to get it all back before Google updated their copies in cache, even most of the comments. Since there weren’t many posts at that time, I was able to rebuild the blog one post at a time.
I guess I should at least think about backing my database up before upgrading WordPress. Even though I know that I should, I never get around to it.
I’m generally not very good at backing stuff up. However, the files that I value the most, my digital photos, are saved on two separate portable hard drives. I suppose I should get really anal about it and store one of them in a different location.
I with you Mike, my photos are my most precious thing and I would be DEVASTATED if say hubby bought a new external hard drive and in the transfering process LOST THEM.
And what would be slightly more unforgivable than that? Playing a joke on me and pretending that he’d lost them all in the transferring process.
Funnily enough all the ones of him and been ERASED from existence now . . .
I know it’s sad, but it’s a hiccup. Chances are it will never happen again and you’re likely stronger for it. Think of all the internet vets. They all have plenty of stories I’m sure. The fresh snow is fun to write in (not that I really know – I’ve never even seen it!).
You’re scaring me, Dave. Sorta… kinda… a lot… I’m not the least bit techy, and yet am in the process of setting up my own site as you did…hmmm. I’ve not an iota of an idea how to back up my site. (Sean? Is that plug-in easy to use? Do you have any more hanging around on a shelf somewhere?
Don’t worry about the lost comments so much. Of course, there are all those names and links, but it’s all about the doing, right? The writing and reading and sharing… I’m sorry you had this cruddy experience, but just think how much you’ve learned. And now you’re back in action!
Writer Dad, you’ve never seen fresh snow! What kind of madness is this?
Aah, it feels good to finally be able to comment agai n:) I’m so sorry you lost all those comments- but it definitely could have been worse, and now you know how to protect yourself (and so do we, I just nagged my husband to make sure this will never happen to me!). Aren’t you happy you’ve learned so much? I know; I’m being annoyingly positive
I’m glad you’re back in shape (get it..? Heh, I crack myself up), and that this little setback didn’t get the better of you!
Oh, and fresh snow is AWESOME. Writer Dad, you’re missing out!
Mike,
I can’t tell you how lucky I felt to still be in possession of my posts. So relieved that the first thing I did before messing (by that I mean ‘fixing’) my database was back up the posts.
I love your inventive solution! It occurred to me that I might have been able to retrieve my posts from the feed reader, although that’s a total guess, I could well be wrong.
You’ve reminded me that I’ve been meaning to back my photos up for months. It would be bad news if I had a problem right now, I’d lose loads.
Tara,
Poor man. I bet he NEVER made a mistake like that again.
The trouble is I rely on things never breaking like my car or my computer but it always seem to happen at the worst time. But then, is there aver a best time?
Writer Dad,
I already feel like a vet, but I know full well there are probably many more challenges for me to face and overcome. I’ll be better for it, for sure.
Surely you can’t be forgetting your twice a year skiing trips?
Julie,
Despite my whining I wouldn’t change the decisions I made and I would encourage everyone to try the route I took and you’re about to embark upon. I’ve learnt so much throughout my life by taking on seemingly difficult challenges. All the computer related problems I’ve ever had before are what enabled me to find my way to fixing my database. My new experience may see me sitting pretty at some time in the future.
It’s great that you’re going to set up your own site. I wish you well with it – and whilst I still don’t really know what I’m doing I’ll gladly share with you the small bits I do know.
The comments are gone and will never come back. It’s not like they’re flesh and blood.
Thanks Julie, I’m glad to be back in action at my own place again.
Adrenalynn,
Sorry you were caught in the moderation trap there for a while.
It’s good to be back and I totally adore your positive spin. It’s the only way to go in these circumstances. I’ve done some mega learning and actually I’m quite pleased at how clever I was to mend the database… silly boy that I am. I think men like to fix things and take some sort of manly pride from it, whereas women fix things everyday and just go “NEXT”.
Hehehehe. I got the ‘in shape’ gag. You crack me up too.
Poor WD. Never mind, one day soon he’ll be making a living from his mac while he’s roving the world.
Cool a fresh blanket of white snow! Let me get out my yellow pen and give it a whirl.
I would be bummed out if I lost all 23 of my comments too! Although I could probably make up 23 new comments that from memory that were pretty close to the old ones. Except for yours Dave. I print all of your comments and post them around my work station. Those would be exact!
HaHarrrr. I knew it would be you! I knew you’d get the yellow pen out. I set a trap. I set it for you. And you fell right into it.
LMAO.
Do you want a picture to go with the printed comments??
It’s great to be playing here in the new snow! I guess I better watch out, though, where Turf Dad has already been!
What a hassle! I hope everything is working now and goes smoothly from here on out.
You know you can count on me to take the low road.
wow, I need to check in with my techie and see if my things are backed up…I am always, always happy to learn something new, but I feel awful for your time and energies and loss…Whoowee.
We are due for a fresh snow on Friday afternoon…the ski runs hope to open on Saturday…of course my youngest is planning on driving through the passes home for the holidays about that time….the parenting dilemma strikes again.
Lance, Beth, Turf Dad and Patricia:
I just wanted to fire in a quick thank you. Let you know I’m running late on almost everything and leave you with a promise that I’ll get back to you tomorrow.
Dave
Yay! Glad to see you have comments back.
Making a snow angel in the new comment snow.
Lance
Great to be back in business, feel free to roll around in the fluffy white stuff as long as you like.
Beth
I have to be honest, I was a right royal pain in the keester / kiester / keyster? – will someone please help me with the spelling??
If it goes bandy again, I’m packing up shop and quitting. It was grief! Hehehehe
Turf Dad
If you didn’t take the low road, I’d wonder why you were acting out of character.
Patricia
This little deviation has knocked me sideways and everyone has suffered because of it. I was grumpy while I tried to fix it.
I’ve never stopped worrying about my children, I don’t suppose I ever will.
Wishing your youngest a safe journey
Avlor
Snow angels are beautiful. Make several. I insist.
Dave Dave Dave!!
I have come from Tara’s who is asking us all to send you some love for your loss of comments, so here I am.
Must be GUTTING.
But it won’t take you long to get another 1000+ comments… I’m sure…
I am staying away from the yellow snow. Can’t it make you blind? Or is that something else?
Hi Dave – That had to have been frustrating and maddening. Although I’ve crashed my blogs, I’ve never lost the comments. Thank goodness you were able to reconstruct most of it and save your posts.
aconfusedtakethatfan,
Thank you. It was tough realising that I’d lost them all and I’m pleased I was able to fix the problem and let the comments roll again.
Yes, it’s something else that makes you blind. It also makes you forgetful. It’s a shame neither of us can remember what it is.
Barbara,
It was totally maddening. I couldn’t believe this kind of data is so fragile that ot can be lost in this way with no chance of recovery. I’ll bet if I tried to lose data on purpose it would come back to haunt me at every turn. Thanks Barbara, I’m definitely looking on the bright side.
Quite frankly I think your table committed suicide when it saw me heading its way with a heavy dose of sarcasm, some biting repartee and a live Moose to stir things up. I saved the the first two things for a later date but unfortunately the Moose broke loose.
Last I heard it had started a blog called Moose on The Loose and was sharpening its antlers with a view to giving you a good rutting Fowler. Don’t bend over.
No, Tim – it saw me coming with some boring, sensible stuff about back-ups and how blogger really isn’t that bad, not when you get used to it and, hey, it’s Google but… who cares? It’s an imperfect world, after all!
Argh! I can’t even begin to imagine. I’m so sorry you’ve had to bang your head so early in your blogging career and here’s hoping it never happens again. Um, which reminds me…that plug in you mention that automatically backs everything up…please do tell, please, please.
Tim,
Fortunately for me there aren’t too many Meese (plural of Moose??) about these parts.
But seriously though, who couldn’t use a god rutting? Hmmm?
Tim,
Having it all done for you is not to be sniffed at. One day when I’m rich I’ll have people to do everything for me. Well almost everything.
And I haven’t forgotten I owe you a tag you left for me. I haven’t. Trust me.
Tricia,
I’m getting over the trauma now. Perversely it helps that real life has taken a firm grip and refuses to let go. My blogging activities have been sharply reduced as a result. I’ll get the plugin details to you swiftly.