Issue Plesk backups, corrupt?

[modit]

The warning 'There are data after the end of archive' is normal for Plesk backups. They actually contain additional info after the end of archive. Do you have other errors with 7zip?

The above error i was getting in PeaZip, below issue i am getting while using 7zip

BackUp Issue

 

[PeopleInside]

@Denis G can I please ask where I should find all files, folders and database not encrypted in the generated archive?

Why this question?
Because I want check the backup compressed file when weekly I download and save, this to be sure to not only have a file that can be understood by Plesk.

I need know, find in the archive generated, that I can extract all my files and database.

Since I looked into the compressed backup file and was not able to find that and discovered there are a lot of file that means nothing to me and many other doesn't open... for me the generated backup has no utility.

I need understand where I can find all files, folders and database not encrypted to restore the backup maybe not only on Plesk Panel.
Thanks.

I was not able to find that files, folders so the backup seems corrupted to me.

 

[Maarten]

@Denis G can I please ask where I should find all files, folders and database not encrypted in the generated archive?

Why this question?
Because I want check the backup compressed file when weekly I download and save, this to be sure to not only have a file that can be understood by Plesk.

I need know, find in the archive generated, that I can extract all my files and database.

Since I looked into the compressed backup file and was not able to find that and discovered there are a lot of file that means nothing to me and many other doesn't open... for me the generated backup has no utility.

I need understand where I can find all files, folders and database not encrypted to restore the backup maybe not only on Plesk Panel.
Thanks.

I was not able to find that files, folders so the backup seems corrupted to me.

Does this help understanding the structure of the backups?

Local backup structure in Plesk for Linux

Applicable to: Plesk for Linux Question What is the structure of the local backups in Plesk for Linux? Answer The Plesk backup storage is specified by the DUMP_D variable defined in the /etc/psa...

support.plesk.com

 

[PeopleInside]

Does this help understanding the structure of the backups?

Local backup structure in Plesk for Linux

Applicable to: Plesk for Linux Question What is the structure of the local backups in Plesk for Linux? Answer The Plesk backup storage is specified by the DUMP_D variable defined in the /etc/psa...

support.plesk.com

This seems confirm me that archive generated by Plesk is corrupted, broken, not readable.

If I open the folder domains, I expect to find all files and folders of this inside the backup apache files but from Plesk staff on the forum I read this archive should be empty so where my files are?

If I open the folder sistes than open a domain there is no archive that opens with my file and folders so again where my files and folders are?

The article doesn't solve the fact I'm unable to find files and folder decrypted.

 

[mow]

This seems confirm me that archive generated by Plesk is corrupted, broken, not readable.

If I open the folder domains, I expect to find all files and folders of this inside the backup apache files but from Plesk staff on the forum I read this archive should be empty so where my files are?

Plesk backups are archives inside archives. The big backup_user-data_2204220757.tzst file holds the domain-specific content of /var/www, backup_domainmail_2204220757.tzst the mails, and so on. They are all generated by seperate parts (that can selectively be enabled or disabled) of the backup system, which thereafter are combined into a single tar file.

 

[Maarten]

This is how it works:

The file backup_domain.com_9999999999.tar contains:

- a folder named databases which contains:
     - for each database a folder which contains a file named backup_sqldump_9999999999.tar/.tzst
- a folder named sites which contains:
    - a list of subdomains where each folder contains:
        - a file named backup_statistics_9999999999.tar/.tzst  which contains the AWstat statistics of the subdomain.
        - a file named backup_domainmail_9999999999.tar/.tzst which contains the mailboxes of the subdomain.
- a file named backup_statistics_9999999999.tar/.tzst which contains the AWstat statistics.
- a file named backup_domainmail_9999999999.tar/.tzst which contains the mailboxes.
- a file named backup_user-data_9999999999.tar/.tzst which contains:
    - a list of folder for each subdomains where each folder contains the httpdocs of the subdomain.
    - a folder named httpdocs which contains the files of the main website.
    - any other directory that you created in the root of the subscription.

 

[PeopleInside]

I can see an archive backup_user-data_2204220757.tzst is broken, no content inside so again this confirm Plesk is madding a broken output backup file

 

[Maarten]

Works fine for me.

When I decompress the file backup_user-data_9999999999.tzst I get a file named backup_user-data_9999999999.tar.
When I untar the file backup_user-data_9999999999.tar, I'll get contents of what I wrote before.
I didn't test it on Windows.

 

[PeopleInside]

I downloaded PeaZip for see if I'm able to find files and folders inside backup_user-data_2204220757.tzst
Results:

inside backup_user-data_2204220757.tzst

looks there is another file without extension showed: backup_user-data_2204220757

this file is impossible to extract and also seems is missing the extension.
I can see the extension only clicking with the right mouse than looking propriety but seems 7ZIP and also PeaZip are unable to extract it.

I am able to see something inside but there is a list of folders that are all 0 B

So again, for me the archive seems corrupted or miss extension or something is not working.

 

[PeopleInside]

My PC is reaching very high temperature trying to extract this broken archives.
Finally I'm able to show the error that confirm the archive is broken.
See screenshot.

 

[Maarten]

I gave it another shot using Windows 11:

- WinRAR v6.11: works just fine.
- 7-Zip-ZS (Release 7-Zip ZS 21.03 - v1.5.0 - Release 2 · mcmilk/7-Zip-zstd): works just fine.

If you still have issues, I suggest you contact the Plesk Support team:

How to get support directly from Plesk?

Question How to get support directly from Plesk? Answer Lease-type Plesk licenses purchased directly from Plesk running on supported Plesk version include full free support. Perpetual-type license...

support.plesk.com

or switch back to "no compression" in the backup settings in Plesk so you get the standard tar files instead of zstd files.

 

[PeopleInside]

I gave it another shot using Windows 11:

- WinRAR v6.11: works just fine.
- 7-Zip-ZS (Release 7-Zip ZS 21.03 - v1.5.0 - Release 2 · mcmilk/7-Zip-zstd): works just fine.

If you still have issues, I suggest you contact the Plesk Support team:

How to get support directly from Plesk?

Question How to get support directly from Plesk? Answer Lease-type Plesk licenses purchased directly from Plesk running on supported Plesk version include full free support. Perpetual-type license...

support.plesk.com

or switch back to "no compression" in the backup settings in Plesk so you get the standard tar files instead of zstd files.

All previous suggestion never worked.
WinRAR seems for me the only program that worked.

Maybe simply this kind of compressed file are not yet well supported and this create for me a bad experience.
Thanks.

WinRAR is not free so it's bad the only program that work is not free!

 

[Bitpalast]

@PeopleInside Why do you expect a Windows software to be able to read an archive that is made for and generated by Linux? All I am reading from you in the thread is that you insist that the archive is broken. All I am reading from the experts is that it is not and that the problem is the decompression software, not the archive.

It is not the archive that is the problem, it is your requirement to open an archive with software that simply does not support that format. If you do not like the archive's format, then please change the backup format to zip as suggested in my previous post.

It makes no sense to keep complaining about an incompatibility between the sofware you wish to use and the archive format. That is like you were wanting to read a PDF file with MS Excel or that you want to open an Apple mail file with MS Outlook.

Why don't you simply switch the backup compression format when you wish to process your backup archives with software that can only read zip, but not zstd???

 

[PeopleInside]

@Peter Debik probably Plesk changed how the backup is made, recently, this cause me to discover for the second time that I was not able to find my folders and file in the backup archive. The first time was because need understand where Plesk puts that files, and discovered and solved, the second time because the archive extension has been changed by Plesk and now I was not able anymore to find my files and folders.

An archive generated by Linux works, usually, also on Windows so the point is not why I'm expect to be able to read an archive generated in Linux, on Windows but why I was not able to do.

Seems suggested software are not working well, I was not able to open even with the software suggested in the Plesk guide.
The only software that seems works, at the moment is WinRAR that is not free.

Now I know the Plesk archive is not corrupted, just very hard to read on Windows, that's all. Need a specific software that currently need a license after 40 days. Just important know there is not a bug that corrupt the archive that was not possible to read with 7Zip, with the edited 7 zip suggested developed by don't know who, and also PeaZip was not working for me.

 

[Jhow Plug]

I use the Windows Operating System

To back up plesk via command line I always used the .zip extension

But I noticed that the compression and decompression method has changed.
I was able to unzip the plesk files by installing 7zip Stz

What do I have to do to generate backups in this new format, faster and more efficiently?
Is it enough that I change the output extension of the backup?
.zip to -> ?


plesk db dump > G:\Meu Drive\Cloud - Pedro\Plesk\psa_dump.sql

CD C:\Program Files (x86)\Plesk\bin

pleskbackup.exe --server --description='Backup_Total' -output-file "G:\My Drive\Cloud - Pedro\Plesk\Backup_All.zip"

pleskbackup.exe --server --configuration --description='Backup_Configuration' -output-file "G:\My Drive\Cloud - Pedro\Plesk\Configuration.zip"

pleskbackup.exe --server --only-hosting --description='Backup_Hosting' -output-file "G:\My Drive\Cloud - Pedro\Plesk\Hosting.zip"

pleskbackup.exe --server --only-mail --description='Backup_Mail' -output-file "G:\My Drive\Cloud - Pedro\Plesk\Mail.zip"