Restore database question

No need for a fresh install, but you do need to copy files. See Moving WordPress ? WordPress Codex

I have to copy files along with the database? Isn’t the whole website contained within the database? Which files do I have to copy?

You need to download a backup your WordPress files and download a backup of database.

Then what’s the point of backing up the database, if it won’t backup the files with it?

I have to copy files along with the database?

Yes.

Isn’t the whole website contained within the database?

No.

Then what’s the point of backing up the database, if it won’t backup the files with it?

The physical files located in your web space make up the platform upon which the information located in your database is displayed. Your files also provide the foundation for the physical appearance of your web site. WordPress core files, theme files, plugins and extensions all reside in your physical files. Your content, is stored in your database. Two separate entities, that function together to make your web site work. This is true with any web based platform that takes advantage of SQL, not just WordPress. Learning how to take care of these is also a basic prerequisite for owning and maintaining a web site. You can find some detailed information and instructions on how to backup your WordPress files and database located here in the WordPress documentation: WordPress Backups That page also includes Database Backup Instructions

My site https://www.zanniat.com was working well. Later I couldn’t login by admin account. I tried, manual logout, clear cookies and deleted all the plugins, but still I couldn’t login. I changed the user password from phpMyAdmin but didn’t work. At last i deleted all the wordpress files and re installed WordPress using the same database, username and password. After this WordPress works but the data (posts, pages, images) don’t display and also not loaded in wordpress.

I don’t want to lose the data. Can somebody help me?

If I copied the files, then used the export plugin to generate an XML file containing my posts, pages, categories, etc… would there still be a point in backing up the database? I’ve always backed it up that way and am now considering a database backup because I’m thinking that I won’t have to reset my menus and widgets, among other things.

@zanniat:Did you deleted tables from the database?

Try these steps:
One: Your theme seems to be broken. So revert to the default WP theme and see if anything changes.
Two: rename all your plugins using FTP or c-panel
Three: Your WordPress is installed. So you can go to your dashboard and see if all your posts are listed there. If not, it is a database problem.
Four: Go to myphpAdmin, drop all the tables and import your database, if you have a backed up copy.
If you can do these, you should be able to solve the problem.
BTW, do you have a backed up copy of the database?
If nothing works, contact your host Dreamhost for help.

Dear friends, my site is restored,but no image. It was database problem and Dreamhost fixed it. I uploaded the images that i had saved but not working yet. Addition to this I can not login wordpress. I have renamed the plugin folder to plugin.hold to deactivate it but still not working to login.

Can some body help please.

Try this link: https://www.zanniat.com/wp-admin/ You will be redirected to the login page.