How to import a 4GB mysql database?

[dsu]

I just signed up with VPS windows. I have a large mysql db that needs to be moved to the virtual server. What is the best way to do that? There are a few large tables in the db, each of which is almot 1GB in size. Should I use mysqldump and zip the result and FTP over to the VPS?

[wildkaarde]

I would definitely export and zip as you've described. I've done so before many times with great success. I do highly recommend the following first though:
1) VERIFY your versions match 4.x or 5.x or what have you. You may lose functionality or worse, some data.
2) Plan to reindex when you are done. You will be down for a time doing this, especially on a VPS.
3) PLAN your migration. 4GB will take a LOOOONNG time to deliver, unzip, and import. Assume your first attempt to move all data will fail, and do a dry run to find all of your problems before you go live.
4) BACKUP your originals before you start. Nothing hurts more than Oops! I deleted the file from the wrong server!
5) Build a test plan! How else can you prove it worked? Run a report and save the data. After the move, run the same report and compare.

Good luck!

[inc595]

That's a pretty big database for MySQL especially on Windows VPS :(
I'm not sure if you can do hot backups on Windows like on Linux. This would at least skip the step of needing to dump the data zip it up then uncompress it and import it. If is running on another server then you would want to transfer the data from server to server and not download it. Another idea is replication if that's possible. Once your VPS is sync then you can make it the master.