[EmericaKid]

I searched but didn't find a whole lot on this subject. Here's the deal: There's a website and message board I frequent quite often and last year it got hacked. All the content was deleted which took years to compile. The owner of the site doesn't seem to make backups at all for his site, is there a way I can backup the site's contents without having access to the server or what not? Any help is appreciated, Thanks!

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Are the backup copies going to be for your personal use or are you thinking of offering the owner some help? Most hosting services have a Backup utility which puts the site in a compressed file usually. This file then could be kept on a Flash drive for one example. The owner of the site should have had access to such a utility. Even the stats and error reports can be emailed as an attached file in a compressed form if this option is available and turned on.

As for you keeping a copy of the entire site including any images associated with each page seems to be a daunting task. Most pages can be right-clicked on and the menu choice "Save Page as" selected. The pop up window has choices under "Save as type". You could try choosind "Web Page, complete". This will give you a folder containing some graphics and other associated files for that page to be displayed. Rather cumbersome, but each page can be backed up this way.

Another way is much harder and only if you feel comfortable reading the HTML code for each page. You could then set up directories on a Flash or external drive that mirror the site and save each page in its proper directory. Then you would read each page's html code (View Source) and find the graphics used and put them in the proper directory. Some common type files like the css or javascript pages need only be found and saved once in the correct folder.

There's a lot more ways using copy/paste into a Word document and saving each as a html file, but you'll never really mirror the site properly and the backup would only be good for content only.

Possibly someone else knows of an application that would backup a web site with all the correct folders and files in those folders when access to the site is only via a browser. A flash drive or external Harddrive can be used to store the data. I use a Flash Drive and mirror all my sites I work on exactly. I also have permission to access the client's files by FTP or to enter their CPanel which would be way easier for you.

Not sure I would want to backup someone else's site of which I do not have access to. Maybe you could backup only the pages you want to keep. If you save each page as complete, that would work. There are some other easier ways to just save the page contents you like to keep.

Not much help I'm afaid, but let me know if it is one or a few pages you would like to keep and I'll give you a list of how I might do it. Did I ramble on or what?

Ron

[Major Payne]

Are the backup copies going to be for your personal use or are you thinking of offering the owner some help? Most hosting services have a Backup utility which puts the site in a compressed file usually. This file then could be kept on a Flash drive for one example. The owner of the site should have had access to such a utility. Even the stats and error reports can be emailed as an attached file in a compressed form if this option is available and turned on.

As for you keeping a copy of the entire site including any images associated with each page seems to be a daunting task. Most pages can be right-clicked on and the menu choice "Save Page as" selected. The pop up window has choices under "Save as type". You could try choosind "Web Page, complete". This will give you a folder containing some graphics and other associated files for that page to be displayed. Rather cumbersome, but each page can be backed up this way.

Another way is much harder and only if you feel comfortable reading the HTML code for each page. You could then set up directories on a Flash or external drive that mirror the site and save each page in its proper directory. Then you would read each page's html code (View Source) and find the graphics used and put them in the proper directory. Some common type files like the css or javascript pages need only be found and saved once in the correct folder.

There's a lot more ways using copy/paste into a Word document and saving each as a html file, but you'll never really mirror the site properly and the backup would only be good for content only.

Possibly someone else knows of an application that would backup a web site with all the correct folders and files in those folders when access to the site is only via a browser. A flash drive or external Harddrive can be used to store the data. I use a Flash Drive and mirror all my sites I work on exactly. I also have permission to access the client's files by FTP or to enter their CPanel which would be way easier for you.

Not sure I would want to backup someone else's site of which I do not have access to. Maybe you could backup only the pages you want to keep. If you save each page as complete, that would work. There are some other easier ways to just save the page contents you like to keep.

Not much help I'm afaid, but let me know if it is one or a few pages you would like to keep and I'll give you a list of how I might do it. Did I ramble on or what?

Ron

[TaNkZ101]

Then you would read each page's html code (View Source) and find the graphics used and put them in the proper directory. Some common type files like the css or javascript pages need only be found and saved once in the correct folder.

in IE6, you can just go to "view>Privacy Report..." and it shows you all of the files used in rendering what you see on the screen (including images, .js's, .css's etc.)

[dsenette]

i don't personally have any suggestions here..but a question....why exactly are you worried about this if the site owner isn't....are you sure they haven't backed up the site since the "incedent"

[Major Payne]

in IE6, you can just go to "view>Privacy Report..." and it shows you all of the files used in rendering what you see on the screen (including images, .js's, .css's etc.)

How quickly those of us who don't use IE that often forget these things. That's a good suggested to get all the files for any page. Using this method only provides the file paths for each page, but sure cuts wallowing through any html code. Just wish there was a way to copy to Clipboard then paste onto, say, a Word document. Making a screen capture would work, but these methods are time consuming.

I think just saving pages of interest as complete web page is better because as dsenette pointed out, if owner isn't worried enough to have a backup, then why bother yourself. Besides, it may have been restored by now and it would be nice to get an update on it (inquiring minds want to know ).

Ron

[Mycah]

You can make a back up of the pics, coding, and content on the site, but you can't get the MySQL info and such with out running querys and downloading tables.

If you just want pics and stuff try Web Snake.