New Directory Install Overwrote Existing One!

[gourmets]

I need some major help here. I am completely upset about this and am having to restore my site (as long as it works *crossing fingers* from a very old backup since unaware to me, my backup on my server was clogged with a backup from another site! )

In any case, I have an existing store in my public_html folder. I created a new folder just called Zencart to install a fresh, clean version to as I wanted to redesign the site and I figured I could do it this way without interrupting the existing store. After running the install program, it overwrote my entire existing store!!!!

I made sure the install directories where set to the Zencart folder so it would just install to that directory!
Why did this happen!?!?! How do I prevent this?!? And if this is going to happen, what is the proper process for installing a second cart on the same server without interrupting the existing store??

[afo]

I hope you can recover your site. It's a painful process. I know from when the hosting service I was using went out of business without notice.

I've done this several times and never encountered a problem.

1) Create a database for the test store and create a user/password for it.
2) Create a separate folder for the test store in public_html (let's say http://www.mydomain.com/test)
3) FTP all the Zen Cart folders and files to the test store folder (http://www.mydomain.com/test)
3) Go to http://www.mydomain.com/test/zc_install/ and follow the prompts.

If you have a backup of your database and want to restore it to the test store so you have all your products and can see the site as it really would look, include these steps.

4) Use phpMyAdmin to upload the database into the test store's database.
5) Go to http://www.mydomain.com/test/zc_install/ and select "upgrade database".