How can I back up blog comments and guestbook comments? 
Author: L Fiers
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Hi,
I would like to know, after uploading a website with a guestbook and blog, naturally over time, people will leave comments on them. How do I backup all the comments along with the blog? I know how to export project files to create back ups but how can I backup my blog and all the comments that people will write for just in case? I do not want to lose all the blog history and comments. For example, say if I want to start a new website with X5 but I want to have my original blog and every comment people have left on it with every blog I have written over time etc. I really would like to know this.
Thanks for all your time. I look forward to your replies. Appreciate the help as always. 
Posted on the
Hello L Fiers,
The guestbook and blog both store their comments in a writable folder on your server, which X5 allows you to designate. You can check the path to this folder by visiting your online control panel at:
http://www.mysite.com/admin (obviously you need to replace 'mysite.com' with your domain name)
Once logged in to the contol panel go to the 'Website Test' tab (using menu in top left-hand corner). In the 'Write access folder' field you will see the path to your writable folder displayed. Make a note of it.
Now use an FTP client such as FileZilla to make a mirror copy of this entire folder to either your desktop PC, or to a secure storage medium of your choice.
https://wiki.filezilla-project.org/Tutorial
FileZilla has good instructions on how to do this, but you could use just about any FTP client, or even the download facility offered by your webhost. The key is to copy the entire folder as is, and to track changes as and when they are made.
There are sophisticated server backup softwares available which can automate most of this for you, but if you're disciplined and do a manual backup daily or weekly, etc. then the vast majority of your visitors comments will be safe. It all depends on how much you value the data!
Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Paul
Author
Excellent to hear this Paul. Glad there is a way and makes me more comfortable in going with X5 longterm as I dread losing anything. I am the type to have 2 backups of almost everything.
I have Filezilla but haven't used it much. Anyway, I have 2 further questions:
1: You said: "and to track changes as and when they are made."
Not entirely sure what you mean here. Do you mean simply to keep up to date with the backup and backup this file regurlary as new blog comments come in?
2: And how would I restore my blogs and comments if ever I needed? Would I simply upload this backup folder we are talking about to the same file path of the server of an X5 created website and I would get my blog and it's comments and all their history up and running again?
Thanks.
Excellent, you can never have too many backups!
As to your queries:
1. "Do you mean simply to keep up to date with the backup and backup this file regurlary as new blog comments come in?" Yes, that's exactly what I mean
Apologies I didn't make it quite clear enough. Some server backup software can automate this process for you, but FileZilla has a 'synchronization' feature which can have a similar effect, just so long as you remember to run it on a regular basis. If you do then it will keep your desktop copy of the blog comments in sync (mirrored) with the server copy.
2. "And how would I restore my blogs and comments if ever I needed? Would I simply upload this backup folder we are talking about to the same file path of the server of an X5 created website and I would get my blog and it's comments and all their history up and running again?" Again, yes
As long as the server settings are the same and the file paths within X5 and on the server are the same, then everything should work beautifully.