What it does
Every backup set includes wpch-restore.php — one PHP file that needs no WordPress at all. It verifies checksums, extracts the file archives, imports the database (asking for DB credentials at restore time), can rewrite the site URL, and deletes itself when it's done. This is the answer to "the site won't boot and the dashboard can't reach it".
How to
- Locate the backup set — either the local restore point on the server, or a copy you've pulled from your offsite destination.
- Upload
wpch-restore.phpnext to it (or wherever your host allows PHP execution) and open it in a browser. - Enter the restore key from the backup set's
manifest.json(also shown in the dashboard next to that restore point) — the script is protected by this key, so it can't be run by anyone who merely finds the file. - Follow the prompts: it verifies checksums, extracts files, imports the database with credentials you supply, and optionally rewrites the site URL.
- The script deletes itself once finished.
Limits & defaults
| Setting | Default |
|---|---|
| Requires | PHP on the host — nothing else; no working WordPress install, no working connector plugin |
| Access control | The backup's own restore key, from manifest.json or the dashboard |
| Cleanup | Deletes itself automatically once the restore finishes |
Troubleshooting
I don't have the restore key
It's in the backup set's manifest.json and also shown against that restore point in the dashboard, if the dashboard is reachable at all.
The database import asks for credentials I don't have
These are ordinary MySQL/MariaDB credentials for the destination database — your host's control panel has them if you don't.