phpMyAdmin gives export.php instead of database sql dump

I had a similar issue on a CentOS Cloud Server with Magento CE installed. My selection was to Export all tables, SQL format, Save to Output File, Add "Drop Table..", Add "IF NOT EXISTS". Instead of dropping a .sql file, it always dropped a "sql" file without any extension and regardless any filename I was choosing. Inside that "sql" file there was the html source of the current phpmyadmin page! I solved the issue by uncommenting and increasing the variable "max_input_vars" inside php.ini to 3000 rather than 1000. Hope this helps!


I tried to use my browser's (Google Chrome 47.0.x.x) console to see If there is something wrong with it and I noticed this warning there:

Resource interpreted as Document but transferred with MIME type text/x-sql

Then I tried disable my browser's extensions one-by-one where I found this extension was the cause:

Free Download Manager Chrome extension (1.0.23)

I disabled it and now everything is fine.


I was trying to export my Magento database. And phpmyadmin instead of dropping a .sql file, retured a sql named file with no extension. Finally, I solved the problem by navigating to the php.ini file and uncommenting the "max_input_vars" variable and increasing its value. Don't forget to restart your xampp/wamp server after making the changes in php.ini.


  1. Check up "Settings"(from main menu),then "Export" tab. "Save as file" checkbox should be checked.
  2. When you setting up the export options, choose:
    • "Custom - display all possible options" radio button instead "Quick".
    • Set "Save output to file" radiobutton in "Output" section.
    • Set "Format" dropdown box to "SQL".

Then press "Go" button.