# Help Needed: Restoring Dolibarr Backup on New Docker Instance

**URL:** <https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/t/help-needed-restoring-dolibarr-backup-on-new-docker-instance/29946>\
**Category:** Installing my Dolibarr\
**Tags:** Backup, Restore\
**Created:** [February 8, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/t/help-needed-restoring-dolibarr-backup-on-new-docker-instance/29946 "2025-02-08T22:04:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/da6949/32.png) [@Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/u/Tiritibambix)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/t/help-needed-restoring-dolibarr-backup-on-new-docker-instance/29946/1 "2025-02-08T22:04:33Z")

</div>

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:

```auto
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:

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

```

**On my new instance:**

I restored the MySQL database from the backup:

```auto
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:

```auto
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!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jonbendtsen](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/977dab/32.png) [@jonbendtsen](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/u/jonbendtsen)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 9:11am UTC](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/t/help-needed-restoring-dolibarr-backup-on-new-docker-instance/29946/2 "2025-02-09T09:11:15Z")

</div>

Can you see the data inside your database?

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

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/da6949/32.png) [@Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/u/Tiritibambix)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 9:58am UTC](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/t/help-needed-restoring-dolibarr-backup-on-new-docker-instance/29946/3 "2025-02-09T09:58:59Z")

</div>

> [@jonbendtsen](#):
>
> Can you see the data inside your database?

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

> [@jonbendtsen](#):
>
> What if you use the GUI method of dolibarr to restore the database?

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

---

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**Author:** ![ksar](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/user_avatar/www.dolibarr.org/ksar/32/514_2.png) [@ksar](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/u/ksar)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 10:24am UTC](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/t/help-needed-restoring-dolibarr-backup-on-new-docker-instance/29946/4 "2025-02-09T10:24:56Z")

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@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

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/da6949/32.png) [@Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/u/Tiritibambix)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 11:05am UTC](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/t/help-needed-restoring-dolibarr-backup-on-new-docker-instance/29946/5 "2025-02-09T11:05:46Z")

</div>

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

If that helps, I use a Docker installation

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/da6949/32.png) [@Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/u/Tiritibambix)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 4:41pm UTC](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/t/help-needed-restoring-dolibarr-backup-on-new-docker-instance/29946/6 "2025-02-09T16:41:34Z")

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I bashed into my db container  
Connected to the db and checked what db was in  
I did `SHOW DATABASES;` and I have 2 entries:  
±-------------------+  
| Database |  
±-------------------+  
| dolibarr |  
| information\_schema |  
±-------------------+

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 ☹

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/da6949/32.png) [@Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/u/Tiritibambix)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 5:34pm UTC](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/t/help-needed-restoring-dolibarr-backup-on-new-docker-instance/29946/7 "2025-02-09T17:34:31Z")

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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 😮‍💨

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jonbendtsen](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/977dab/32.png) [@jonbendtsen](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/u/jonbendtsen)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2025, 5:38pm UTC](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/t/help-needed-restoring-dolibarr-backup-on-new-docker-instance/29946/8 "2025-02-10T17:38:51Z")

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In the admin menu there is a restore option?

 ![image](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/uploads/dolibarrorg/original/2X/e/e21569535485404f0d0de3be7c5fa9f8bffcec30.png)

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

 ![image](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/uploads/dolibarrorg/original/2X/a/aabeb17cc80289f424dff27523d675fbaf7e3c0b.jpeg)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/da6949/32.png) [@Tiritibambix](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/u/Tiritibambix)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2025, 6:14pm UTC](https://www.dolibarr.org/forum/t/help-needed-restoring-dolibarr-backup-on-new-docker-instance/29946/9 "2025-02-10T18:14:43Z")

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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.