Database Sizes Differ Dramatically Depending On Backup Method - Why?

[SirBob]

Hi

 

PS 1.6.1.3

 

If I use the BO DB Backup tool I get a sql file of about 2.5Mb however when I do a database backup via cPanel (using the native cpanel db backup tool) the same database (gzipped) is about 18MB and when I export the same database via PHPMyAdmin (Export) it's nearly 80MB

 

Granted, when I did the PHPMyAdmin I may not have compressed the file - but the difference in database size between the Prestashop generated backup and the other methods is MASSIVE.

 

I'm now not sure:

 

1) Why; &

2) Which DB backup I should trust? The PS native one? The cPanel one? The one generated by export through PHPMyAdmin?

 

Any thoughts, comments, advice appreciated.

 

I know how vital DB Backups are so I want to understand fully so I can get it right and sleep at night! ;-)

 

Thanks as always.

[shacker]

ps db can be skipping some tables (like stats tables) so thats why dont get a big file. Anyway, i recommend to backup in server