How do I load the dump.rdb file into redis?

Edit your config file to set the dir option to the current working directory:

# The filename where to dump the DB
dbfilename dump.rdb

# The working directory.
#
# The DB will be written inside this directory, with the filename specified
# above using the 'dbfilename' configuration directive.
# 
# Also the Append Only File will be created inside this directory.
# 
# Note that you must specify a directory here, not a file name.
dir /current/working/directory

Do as follow:

1. modify the redis.conf, disable the appendonly.aof

    appendonly no

2. Restart the redis-server

3. Run redis-cli BGREWRITEAOF, to create a new appendonly file.

4. Modify redis config appendonly to yes and restart your redis-server

Please see this

We found we had to switch aof off beforehand otherwise redis creates a blank aof at boot and uses that instead of the rdb file. Once redis creates a populated aof then you can switch aof back on.