Peter Bickford

Ok, chalk this one up to my MySQL learning curve (I come from SQL Server/SQLite--the file storage structure of MySQL/InnoDB is really foreign to me).
Your advice to clear databases before restoring was right on point--I just didn't understand that in MySQL world, that didn't mean firing up the database engine, disassocating the objects from the database store, then shutting the works all down again [as you'd do in SQL Server or the like]). Instead, it just meant delete all pre-existing .idb files from the data store folder before restoring the file backup! (Thumps head against desk)
Since I wasn't clearing files (and I was simultaneously assuming that my backup program was restoring folders to their same state instead of leaving existing files while copying/replacing old ones in the directory), I was on a slippery slope toward database schema corruption hell. As soon as I deleted the appropriate data folders, then restored (telling Acronis [my backup program] to restore original privileges) all was well.
Thanks for your help, guys--sometimes when you're this new to an environment, it takes a while to get your bearings!
-Pete

Ok, chalk this one up to my MySQL learning curve (I come from SQL Server/SQLite--the file storage structure of MySQL/InnoDB is really foreign to me).
Your advice to clear databases before restoring was right on point--I just didn't understand that in MySQL world, that didn't mean firing up the database engine, disassocating the objects from the database store, then shutting the works all down again [as you'd do in SQL Server or the like]). Instead, it just meant delete all pre-existing .idb files from the data store folder before restoring the file backup! (Thumps head against desk)
Since I wasn't clearing files (and I was simultaneously assuming that my backup program was restoring folders to their same state instead of leaving existing files while copying/replacing old ones in the directory), I was on a slippery slope toward database schema corruption hell. As soon as I deleted the appropriate data folders, then restored (telling Acronis [my backup program] to restore original privileges) all was well.
Thanks for your help, guys--sometimes when you're this new to an environment, it takes a while to get your bearings!
-Pete

Reverted to NOT SOLVED -- 
Restoring the MySQL, ProgramData\MySQL (which included the DB data), as well as the actual directory the forums were stored in seems to have at least restored the forums to working order, HOWEVER -- 
-- after several seconds longer than before when doing the update, I get "A cnfiguration error has occurred" EX1146 -- 
 
SELECT count(*) FROM `core_anonymous_posts`
IPS\Db\Exception: Table 'cbforums.core_anonymous_posts' doesn't exist (1146)
(Basically back to the original problem)
 
Is there a manual fix/way to create or recreate this table?
 
I did manage to revert my forums to 3.5.2, and the forums seem operable (no longer getting other random errors), but the upgrade still fails.
 
-Pete