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Restore uploads when there is not enough space

Updated

The pre-check reports that there is not enough space for the uploads and shows the block No way back. Here you read what that means, which ways out there are and how you restore the uploads anyway.

When the block appears

A restore builds the uploads from the backup next to the live folder and then switches them file by file. The previous files stay for 7 days as the previous state. For that, the disk of the uploads needs free space, about the size of the uploads from the backup. The plugin always keeps a reserve free: 256 MiB or 2 % of the disk, whichever is more.

If the space is enough for everything else but not for the uploads, the pre-check blocks the start and shows the block:

Pre-check with the block No way back

  1. The point Free space is red and reports Blocked with the finding not enough space to build the uploads next to the live folder.
  2. No way back is next to the warning triangle above the block. The text below names the reason and the consequence and says that cancelling is the default.
  3. Replace uploads in place anyway (cannot be undone) is the checkbox with which you choose this way explicitly. When you open it, the checkbox is empty.
  4. The pre-check blocks the start.
  5. Start restore is disabled as long as the checkbox is empty.

If the block is missing

If the space is not enough even without the uploads, the block is missing. The point then reports not enough space for the code roots. The way in place is then not available.

Pre-check blocked because of too little space, without the block No way back

  1. The point Free space is red and blocks the start: there is not enough space for core and code.
  2. The pre-check blocks the start.
  3. Start restore is disabled. There is no checkbox for the way in place here.

Free up space on the disk, or choose a smaller scope in the Extended view. Then click Run pre-check.

What “in place” means

The plugin writes every file of the uploads from the backup directly into the live folder, over the file of the same name. On this way, there is no previous state of the uploads.

This is irreversible

  • The overwritten versions of your uploads are gone. Undo restore puts everything else back; the uploads stay in the state of the backup.
  • The replacing already begins in the step Building files, that is before the switch-over. If you abort after that or the restore fails, the files already replaced stay replaced.

For everything else, the usual rollback applies: database, plugins, themes and the remaining files can be put back for 7 days.

Check first: the ways out

Way out How it works
Free up space Make space free on the disk of the uploads. If a local target is there, delete backups you no longer need: Delete a backup. Or extend the storage space at your hosting provider. Then click Run pre-check.
Leave out the uploads Restore everything except the uploads: in the Extended view, remove the tick at Uploads. The space for the rest is enough; otherwise the block would not have appeared. More about this: Restore only parts.
Cancel Cancel closes the preparation. Nothing changes on the website.

Step 1: Choose the way explicitly

Tick Replace uploads in place anyway (cannot be undone). The pre-check runs again on its own.

Pre-check after the way in place has been chosen

  1. The point Free space is yellow and reports Warning with the finding the uploads will be replaced in place (no way back).
  2. Replace uploads in place anyway (cannot be undone) is ticked.
  3. Start restore is usable.

If you remove the tick again, the pre-check blocks the start again.

Step 2: Read the confirmation prompt and start

Click Start restore. The confirmation prompt repeats your choice in red.

Confirmation prompt before the start with the choice without rollback

  1. The yellow line names the number of points that warn. The point Free space is counted.
  2. The choice without rollback is in red in the confirmation prompt, with the text of the checkbox.
  3. The button for starting is red.

With Cancel you go back without any change. With Start restore the restore begins.

Step 3: Wait and check

The restore runs as usual: Restore the website from a backup. Afterwards, check above all the images and files of the website.

Good to know

  • The way in place applies only if the space next to the live folder really is not enough. If it is enough, the restore builds the uploads next to it, with rollback.
  • On this way, the restore neither counts nor moves files in the uploads that are not in the backup.
  • If you undo such a restore, undoing ends with warnings: the log names the uploads as the part that stays.
  • The page does not show how much space the restore needs and how much is free. The command line names both.

See also

On the command line

WP-CLI not set up yet? How to install WP-CLI.

On the command line, the pre-check names per location the need, the free space and the reserve. You choose the way without rollback with --uploads-in-place. There is no confirmation prompt there.

# The pre-check: space needed, free space and reserve per location
wp cloneworx-backup restore precheck <Job>

# The pre-check with the choice without rollback
wp cloneworx-backup restore precheck <Job> --uploads-in-place

# The restore with the choice without rollback
wp cloneworx-backup restore run <Job> --uploads-in-place

# The way out: restore only database, plugins and themes
wp cloneworx-backup restore run <Job> --roots=db,wp-plugins,wp-themes