Steps that prevent making things worse.
TAKE A COPY OF THE CURRENT STATE
Whatever is wrong now, the current state may contain content, orders or changes made since your backup.
Restoring overwrites them permanently.
Export anything recent before you begin.
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WILL LOSE
Everything added since the backup date. For a shop that means orders. For a site with registrations, those users.
Make a list of what needs reconciling afterwards.
IDENTIFY THE RIGHT BACKUP
If the problem is a compromise, you need a copy from before the infection, which may be older than you assumed.
Check the backup is from before the problem started, not after.
MATCH FILES AND DATABASE
Restore both from the same date. Mixing dates leaves the application inconsistent.
KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM
If you restore without fixing the cause, the problem returns. Particularly true of compromises.
TELL PEOPLE
If the site will be inconsistent or offline during the restore, say so rather than letting visitors encounter it.
