Important Note:  At the end of each semester, you should create a backup of your course(s) materials, and if you have student-generated content you would like to save, you should create a second backup including student work. You should also export all gradebooks. After making the backups, you will need to download them to your computer. You should then move the backup files to another device (e.g., external drive, thumb drive, etc.) for long-term storage. Please contact FITS (fits@depauw.edu or 765-658-1093) if you need assistance in doing so.

To Create a Moodle Course Backup

1. Navigate to the Moodle course you wish to backup from, then click the More > Course reuse, and choose ‘Backup’.
   
2. Make the following selections:
   1. At 1. Initial settings deselect the Include enrolled users box when backing up the course to restore it into another Moodle course. (Note: You may want to save another version of the course that includes student data for your records.)
   2. At the bottom of the window, click Next to start the back up process.
      
3. At 2. Schema settings, click Next at the bottom of the window.
4. At 3. Confirmation and review, click Perform backup at the bottom of the window. This finishes the back process. (Note: Depending on your course size, this make take some time.)
5. At 5. Complete, when the message The backup file was successfully created is displayed, click Continue (Note: 4. Perform backup will be completed automatically before the confirmation at step 5.)
   
6. The backup of the course has been saved in the User Private Backup Area below or the Course Backup Area above if student data was included. This is on the Restore page of the course, and the file name will include backup, the course name and number plus the current date.
   
7. To retain a copy of your course, save the backup by clicking on Download and saving it to your computer for restoring it into another course. (Note: Your course is not saved outside of Moodle until you complete this step.)
   

To Restore a Moodle Course

1. Make sure the Number of weeks/topics of your new Moodle course matches your old Moodle course.
2. Navigate to the Moodle course you wish to restore to, then click the More > Course reuse, and choose ‘Restore’.
   
3. To upload the backup file, either:
   1. Drag and drop the backup file into the designated area.
      OR
   2. Click Choose a file… and browse to the past course backup file in the File picker window.
      1. Click Browse and select the desired file which will appear next to Browse.
      2. Click Upload this file. (Note: Depending on your course size, this step and subsequent steps may take some time.)

      

   3. In the main window, click Restore.
      
      

1. For 1. Confirm, click Continue, which is located at the bottom of the window.
2. For 2. Destination
   1. Scroll down to the Restore into this course section, and then select Merge the backup course into this course → Continue.
      
      
3. At the 3. Settings, click Next. 
4. At 4. Schema, click Next.
5. At 5. Review, click Perform restore.
   
6. Note: 6. Process, will be completed automatically before moving on to the confirmation at step 7.
7. At 7. Complete, click Continue. 
8. The course is ready for revision.

Updated: 7/28/2022