Copying a Moodle Course Site Using Backup and Restore

Creating a Backup of a Course Using the Boost Theme

1. Open the course you want to backup.
2. Click the More tab and select Course Reuse.

3. Select Backup from the drop-down menu.

4. Use the default Backup Settings (User data will not be backed up) and click the Next button at the bottom of the page.

5. On the Include screen, deselect any items you do not wish to backup. 

For example, you probably don’t want the Library Reserves folder or Announcements activity, as these items are automatically included in new course sites and importing them will result in duplicates.

6. Scroll down to the bottom on the page and click the Next button.
7. Review the Backup Settings, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the Perform Backup button.

8. A progress bar will appear as the backup is created.
9. When complete, a message will appear saying the the backup was successful. Click the Continue button to return to the Restore screen.

10. If you want, you can save a copy of the backup file on your computer. Scroll down to the User private backup area and click the Download link for the course you wish to back up to your computer.

11. Save the file. By default, most browser save files to the Downloads folder on a computer.

Creating a Backup of a Course Using the Classic Theme

1. Open the course you want to backup.
2. Click Backup from the Course Administration block.

3. Use the default Backup Settings (User data will not be backed up) and click the Next button.

4. On the Include screen, deselect any items you do not wish to backup. 

For example, you probably don’t want the Library Reserves folder or Announcements activity, as these items are automatically included in new course sites and importing them will result in duplicates.

5. Scroll down to the bottom on the page and click the Next button.
6. Review the Backup Settings, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the Perform Backup button.

7. A progress bar will appear as the backup is created.
8. When complete, a message will appear saying the the backup was successful. Click the Continue button.

9. If you want, you can save a copy of the backup file to your computer. Under the User private backup area, click the Download link for the course you wish to back up to your computer.

10. Save the file. By default, most browser save files to the Downloads folder on a computer.

Restoring a Course from a Backup Using the Boost Theme

1. Open the course into which you want to place the backed up content.
2. Click the More tab and select Course Reuse.

3. Select Restore from the drop-down menu.

4. If you have a backup file stored on your computer, drag it into the Choose a file window. Depending of the size of the backup file, it may take a few minutes to upload.

5. Once the backup file has finished loading, click the Restore button.
6. If you don’t have a backup file on your computer, you can also choose one from the User Private Backup Area and click the Restore link.

7. A progress bar will appear as Moodle prepares the data.
8. You will see a list of all the data that will be restored. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the Continue button.

9. In the Restore as a new course window, scroll until you find the Restore into this course heading.
10. Choose the Merge the backup course into this course option and click the Continue button.

11. A Restore Settings list appears.

Unless you have added specific Moodle blocks of your own, you may want to uncheck the Include blocks option on the Restore Settings page. Importing blocks from a previous term may result in duplicate Honor Code and Library blocks in your new course.

12. Click the Next button.
13. A Course Settings window appears.
14. Scroll down to the Select section. You can uncheck any items that you do not wish to restore from within this window.

For example, the Library Reserves folder or Announcements activity are automatically included in new course sites and importing them will result in duplicates. If you have included these items in your backup, you may wish to uncheck them in the Course Settings window.

15. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the Next button.
16. A final Review window appears. Scroll down and click the Perform Restore button.

17. A progress bar appears.
18. A successful restore message will appear. Click the Continue button.