Windows OpenEMR Restore using emr backup.tar

The following are presumed

• XAMPP is installed
• You have a backup file - emr_backup.tar

With emr_backup.tar

The emr_backup.tar file is created whenever you run Backup from Admin in OpenEMR

emr_backup.tar contains three files

1. openemr.sql.gz
2. openemr.tar.gz
3. phpgacl.tar.gz - ignore this file

Extract contents of openemr.tar to openemr folder

Use 7-zip to extract contents of openemr.tar.

• Windows Explorer does not extract tar files
• openemr folder is located on c:/xampp/htdocs/openemr/

Click yes to copy and replace all files and folders

Extract openemr.sql

Extract to any folder other than Desktop. For some reason the file does not display in the phpMyAdmin browser when it is located on the Desktop. The openemr.sql file is visible in the phpMyAdmin browser when it is located in any other folder.

Open phpMyAdmin

• Go to C:/xampp
• Right click xampp-control
• Select Run as administrator - enter your windows administrator password
• Click Admin tab next to MySQL Module

phpMyAdmin is now open

Restore openemr database

In phpMyAdmin click Databases tab

• Check box current openemr database - this is the one you want replaced
• Click Drop and confirm
• Create a new database named openemr in the Create new database text-box below on the same screen
  • no need to change any other settings!
  • openemr will be visible in the list of databases. Presently it is empty (0 tables)
• Click the openemr link to open the new empty database
• Click the import tab
• Click Browse button and select extracted openemr.sql file

Import takes some time. List of tables will be visible in the left pane when the process is over