Where does the data/posts live?

[mrhobbeys]

I have access to database that was a backup. I can not figure out how to get the site running well enough in xampp to get the data from the front end, but I have the mysql restore running and have been poking around.

Where are the posts and the front page etc? I can't find them.

[toivo]

If you mean the articles, they are stored in the content table. On the other hand, if your posts originate in a third party extension, they would be stored in their own table, created by that extension.

[AMurray]

What kind of backup do you have - the site comprises the joomla system files, and the database content. Are you referring to - just a plain *.sql file (that should be imported into phpMyAdmin)?

Do you actually have an operating joomla site? Is anything loading on it If you restored the site correctly there shouldn't be the type of trouble you're describing.

In the configuration.php file, you just need to specify the database name and db user credentials you're using for the site (not the Administrator user of the site).

public $user = 'whatever';
public $password = 'whatever';
public $db = 'whatever';

This is posted in the Joomla 1.0 forum **Not Supported** Do you know if you are you using Joomla 1.0 or 3.9.x?

[mrhobbeys]

The backup came from Cpanel and I have a real worry that it doesn't contain everything. I went through a process once of getting it running once before but everything said something like <content blah blah> so I had to take that down and put up a temporary landing page for the site and have been trying to make it work with XAMPP.

As for version when I updated on the first attempt it was 1.0.13, and I got it to 2x or 3x before it broke and I ended up starting back over from the beginning with the 1.0.13 version.

[Per Yngve Berg]

You have to install an old version of XAMP. J1.0 will not run on any version of php after 5.2

[mrhobbeys]

Ok I thought I went far enough back with php 5.3 but will do!

[AMurray]

I would say firstly the old extensions will be a problem upgrading from 1.0.x

The cPanel backup I think would only be the database, and can be restored the same way.

If you need the joomla system files, you can find the legacy versions:

V1.0.x - https://downloads.joomla.org/cms/joomla10
V2.5.x - https://downloads.joomla.org/cms/joomla25/2-5-0

The forum has migration guides.

Migrating 1.0 to 1.5 - viewtopic.php?f=430&t=257058
Migrating 1.5.x to 2.5.x - viewtopic.php?f=625&t=691030
Migrating 2.5.x to 3.x - viewtopic.php?f=710&t=793171

(You might have already found these, but provided for reference anyway).

One reason for the failure you're seeing I think could be due to the PHP version - Joomla 3.x runs on a minimum PHP 5.3.10 but recommended these days is at least PHP 7.2 and above. Earlier than 3.5.x you would need 5.6.x or 5.3.10, and for Joomla 1.5 and earlier, PHP 5.2.

If you're doing this on XAMPP, note the latest edition only comes with PHP 7, and no way to change PHP versions.

I would advise using WAMPServer (http://www.wampserver.com/en/). This allows you to run your local server (Apache) but also gives you the option to install different PHP versions (add-in modules avialble in the download site) - likely starting with 5.2.x (don't know that it is available for WAMPServer), and work way up to 5.3.x, 5.6.x and 7.x as you go through the various migrations and updates.

At worst, you may need to just start over, with a fresh install of Joomla 3, and from a working copy of the 1.0 site, simply copy and paste the content. You will need to install new versions of the extensions, or the equivalent available extensions as applicable.