[Opensim-users] Backup and Restore of MySQL Opensim DB

[Ai Austin]

A really silly question... but I ask as I am seeing inconsistent 
advice on backup and restore of MySQL data bases, and an attempt to 
do this via direct copy across two identical Windows machines was not 
successful... and a myslqdump of the opensim db and a subsequent 
reload attempt with mysql indicated the file was too large.. but it 
was only 50MB or so.

I just have Opensim on MySQL 5.1.30 though I could in future have one 
other systems databases..   I can see th data directory.  I assume 
ALL files that need to be copied are in there.

the opensim directory was where I THOUGHT al the files were, but 
those just look like unchanging table description files, and their 
date last modified stays at the date the DB ws first created. he main 
files that seem to grow are OUTSIDE that directory at the top level 
of the data directory...

C:\wamp\bin\mysql\mysql5.1.30\data

mysql  (directory)
opensim (directory)
<machinename>.pid
ib_logfile0
ib_logfile1
ibdata1
mysql-bin-000001
...
mysql-bin.000008
mysql-bin.index

As far as I can tell the REAL data base file is ibdata1 (from its 
size as it grows and the date last modified)
Assuming I shut down the MySQL server before copying files, what do I 
need to copy to be able to later restore a complete copy of the Opensim DB?

Can anyone set me straight on the right way to take a backup opensim 
data base copy and later restore it by the direct copy method?