What is the easiest way to duplicate entire mysql in xampp?

Question

I'm using xampp for my development environment. I use local SVN server on my computer, and I worked on two media: my portable HDD and my laptop HDD. I usually work on my portable HDD. But if for some reason I can't access my portable HDD because I left it in my other place, then I usually just update my laptop's trunk project. But I don't subverse the entire xampp. Only the htdocs. So the mysql database structure and content is not updated.

I just need to duplicate my laptop's xampp mysql database to be exactly like in my portable HDD, from database A to Z. I see there is myphp folder within in the xampp folder. Is it safe to say that if I want to duplicate everything, including user account and password in the mysql database, I just need to copy the mysql folder from my portable HDD to my laptop HDD? Or there's something else I must concern? Will it have side effects, like incompatible database or settings or dependencies or else (both xampp is in the same version)? Do I need to erase the destination mysql in the laptop first? I see on the websites that to duplicate database you must use mysql dump. But that would mean the new data will integrated into my old database, and I don't want my old data, just the new one, exact copy. Thank you.

Answer 1

Mysql files are binary safe. You can overwrite the files whatsoever.