BugWP logo BugWP
Back to Community
Home / Community / Plugin → Wp reset – most advanced wordpress reset tool

Troubleshooting the 'Snapshot Data Has Been Compromised' Error in WP Reset

31 threads Sep 10, 2025 Plugin → Wp reset – most advanced wordpress reset tool

Content

One of the most common and alarming errors users encounter with the 'WP Reset – Most Advanced WordPress Reset Tool' plugin is the message: "An error has occurred. Snapshot data has been compromised. Saved metadata does not match data in the DB." This error appears when trying to restore a previously created database snapshot, leaving users locked out of their site data. Based on community reports and analysis, this guide explains why this happens and the steps you can take to resolve it.

Why Does This Error Occur?

The 'WP Reset' plugin performs several integrity checks before restoring a snapshot to prevent potentially corrupt data from breaking your site. The "metadata does not match" error is a safety feature that triggers when these checks fail. Common causes include:

  • Interrupted Snapshot Creation: The process of creating the snapshot may have been halted or timed out, resulting in an incomplete or inconsistent backup.
  • Database Issues: Underlying database corruption or server-level problems during the snapshot process can create a mismatch between the saved data and its metadata.
  • Plugin or Theme Conflicts: In some instances, conflicts with other active plugins or themes can interfere with the snapshot's creation or restoration process.

How to Resolve the "Snapshot Data Has Been Compromised" Error

If you encounter this error, do not panic. Your data is likely still within the snapshot file or the database itself, but the automated restoration process has been blocked. Here are the most effective solutions, starting with the simplest.

Solution 1: Manual Restoration via phpMyAdmin (Recommended)

This is the most reliable method to recover your data, as it bypasses the plugin's integrity checks and directly imports the SQL data.

  1. Download the Snapshot: From the WP Reset Snapshots tab, click the download icon to save the .sql.gz file to your computer. Extract the .sql file from the archive.
  2. Access phpMyAdmin: Log into your hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel) and open phpMyAdmin.
  3. Create a Backup: CRITICAL STEP: Before proceeding, export a backup of your current, empty WordPress database. This provides a safety net if anything goes wrong.
  4. Import the Snapshot: Select your WordPress database on the left. Click the "Import" tab, choose the extracted .sql file, and start the import. This will overwrite all existing tables with the snapshot data.
  5. Check Your Site: After a successful import, visit your website. You should be restored to the point when the snapshot was taken.

Solution 2: Check for Backup Tables in the Database

In some cases, the plugin may have created backup tables in your database even if the snapshot is marked as compromised. This is often indicated by tables with names similar to your standard WordPress tables but with a different prefix.

  1. Open phpMyAdmin and select your database.
  2. Look for tables with a prefix like wpr_ or similar. These may contain your backed-up data.
  3. If you find them, you can manually rename your current tables and then rename these backup tables to match your site's standard table prefix. This is an advanced operation and should only be attempted if you are comfortable directly manipulating a database.

Solution 3: Basic Troubleshooting

If the error occurs when trying to compare snapshots and not during a full restore, a conflict might be the cause.

  • Temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme (e.g., Twenty Twenty-Four).
  • Deactivate all other plugins except for 'WP Reset'.
  • Try the snapshot operation again. If it works, reactivate your plugins and theme one by one to identify the source of the conflict.

Important Considerations and Prevention

  • Always Verify Snapshots: After creating a snapshot, try downloading it to ensure the file size is reasonable (not 1-2 KB) and isn't immediately corrupt.
  • Understand the Limits: The 'WP Reset' plugin is not designed as a site migration tool. Snapshots are tied to their original domain and cannot be easily imported to a different website.
  • No Automatic Retention: The free version of the plugin does not automatically delete old snapshots. It is the user's responsibility to manage them to prevent database bloat.

While frustrating, the "compromised data" error is often a recoverable problem. The manual restoration method via phpMyAdmin is the most consistently successful solution reported by the community for retrieving critical website data.

Related Support Threads Support