is it just the app_data folder I need to restore then all content is back?

can't log in after I've uploaded the app_data folder - ohh - I get logged in but no administration is shown but the folder is on the server

All data is in the app_data folder yes!

If you have done this after the site is running then you may have corrupted the uploaded data. you need to make sure the site is offline/stopped first then upload the data then start the application!

The reason behind this is the Data files are cached when the application starts so the files are not being read for every request! only new ones.

You also need to check the Roles and Users files and see if your an administrator!

If you are and you have done as above then chances are the sitemap is corrupt and you will need to add the pages and permissions manually.

Hi Spidermaster

When I put all the "App_data" back in the solution I have offline - it gives me an error in the sidebar.cs file

' ', hexadecimal value 0x0C, is an invalid character.

It goes wrong in the rss.WriteCData in the code;

 // Iterate through all channels and render each element to an rss-conform XML string
                foreach (Dictionary<string, string> item in ChannelItems)
                {
                    rss.WriteStartElement("item");
                    foreach (string key in item.Keys)
                    {
                        if (key != null && item[key] != null)
                        {
                            rss.WriteStartElement(key);
                            rss.WriteCData(item[key]);
                            rss.WriteEndElement();
                        }
                    }
                    rss.WriteEndElement();
                    ItemsFound = true;
                }

how can I move on?

In the error you should be able to find the file this came from or even debug using VS and see if you can find the file location but for some reason you have invalid characters or character signatures in your data that are protected for/from CData.

In the files you are probably going to find this as an ASCII character signature and that would be a "form feed" "\\f"

Probably best to try remove it.

hi spidermaster 

ok - I'll look for it...but strange I've restored the App_data - but there's missing some news that was created lately... 

Without seeing what's going on its hard too help. Are you sure this news is in the App_Data folder? Did you backup the old copy you replaced?

I am going to assume that this is to do with the same site you posted about earlier?

Hi Spidermaster

Got hold of a more recent backup...so retored to this - now it all works fine.. ;D

Thank you for your replys and your time...;D