How to load mysql database from data folder?

I created a joomla website and started preparing to export it to the remote host - mainly working on the remote server to fix the directory tree. However, when I prepared to export the database with phpMyAdmin, it is not there. I tried to query it in the command line and I get a "unknown database" error, as if it does not exist. The database folder is still in /data, so it was not deleted. I am really unable to comprehend this as just a few minutes prior to that, the website was working and the database was listed in phpMyAdmin. Is there a way for me to import the database back in? I have the database's folder with the .frm files in it, as well as a db.out file. I have to say that this is not the first paranormal issue that I have encountered since starting out with MySQL and Joomla. Basically every time my PC is restarted, the MySQL service denies the password I supply it with for 1-2 hours. I fixed this by resetting the password, and the website and database was running fine after that. I am using Windows 7 with XAMPP for development on local host and MySQL is installed as a service. Joomla's version is 1.6. Thanks in advance.

EDIT I tried uninstalling XAMPP and completely erasing everything in its directory, then installing again and copying the dat开发者_如何学Cabase's folder into the new data directory. While I am able to see the database by connecting to mysql with mysql workbench, all the tables are listed as having 0 KB size and I get error 1146 (table does not exist) if I try to open a table or when I tried repairing the database. This is getting really ridiculous.

I managed to fix it; but still not sure how. I made a clean installation of XAMPP (before that I made full backup of the xampp/mysql/data folder), then connected to the mysql server with MySql Workbench. I created a database with the same name as the old one. Then I copied the /data/mydatabase files in the new database's folder. Finally, I copied the ibdata1 from the old /data folder to the new one. This did not work the first time because I had not copied the db.out file from the old /data/mydatabase to the new one. The tables would show in MySqlWorkbench, but any attempts to do anything on them (open, query, or dump) resulted in an error 1146. I was able to make a sql dump file, which uploaded without a problem on the server.

You have an issue with XAMPP, there is something wrong with your installation. Does the site work at all? If it does, I would highly recommend installing Akeeba Backup and using that to get an entire site backup. This will make it easy to move the entire site without having to mess around with moving anything manually.