mysql backup query

[Elaine]

hi
Hopefully this is simple enough. I'm running 3.23 and 4.1.7 mysql
databases. I run a /usr/bin/mysqlhotcopy backup on a specific database
name , and copy my.cnf and ib* files to the backup location. Is this
all I need to do to restore? I did restore my mysqlhotcopy but I
didn't try the whole lot yet...will do just want to check whether this
seems ok to start with.
Thanks

[Bill Karwin]

Elaine wrote:

Hopefully this is simple enough. I'm running 3.23 and 4.1.7 mysql
databases. I run a /usr/bin/mysqlhotcopy backup on a specific database
name , and copy my.cnf and ib* files to the backup location. Is this
all I need to do to restore?

I don't have any specific experience to lead me to believe this, but I
wouldn't assume that mysqlhotcopy can be used between such different
versions of MySQL. There might be some implementation of the data file
internals that is incompatible between releases, or between platforms.

Instead, I'd use mysqldump to create a more portable export of data, and
"mysql < dumpfile.sql" to restore it.

Also look in the documentation for differences in functionality between
releases (http://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/News.html). It's possible
that you are using features that behave differently between those two
versions of MySQL. Not only in the data, but in the my.cnf file.

Regards,
Bill K.