Issue Plesk backups, corrupt?

[PeopleInside]

Hi,
Plesk made scheduled backups. Yesterday I downloaded a backup than I was unable, in the compressed file, to find my Apache files.
There is a lot of .tzst files, many of them doesn't open with 7zip.. just give errors.

I open the folder clients, username, domains, domain and here I see:

If I try to open apache-files archive gives an error.

Now I will do a manual backup but seems I cannot trust backups made by Plesk.
Are you sure backups functionality is working? No bugs on Plesk?

 

[IgorG]

How to extract files from a Plesk backup archive

Applicable to: Plesk for Linux Plesk for Windows Question How to unpack the contents of a Plesk backup? Answer Starting from Plesk Obsidian 18.0.40, GZIP compression used in the Plesk backups ha...

support.plesk.com

 

[PeopleInside]

How to extract files from a Plesk backup archive

Applicable to: Plesk for Linux Plesk for Windows Question How to unpack the contents of a Plesk backup? Answer Starting from Plesk Obsidian 18.0.40, GZIP compression used in the Plesk backups ha...

support.plesk.com

If you see at the link you given someone commented yesterday that archive are corrupt.. this confirm the issue I'm seeing.
I have 7zip 21.07

 

[Bitpalast]

@PeopleInside I have tested backing up and restoring but could not find an indication for file corruption. All data in my test was restored properly from the backup created based on tzst compression.

If you don't like tzst, have you considered to switch back to zip compression? You could add this to the "pmm" section of your panel.ini file:

[pmm]
compressionMethod = deflate

 

[PeopleInside]

@PeopleInside I have tested backing up and restoring but could not find an indication for file corruption. All data in my test was restored properly from the backup created based on tzst compression.

If you don't like tzst, have you considered to switch back to zip compression? You could add this to the "pmm" section of your panel.ini file:

[pmm]
compressionMethod = deflate

My issue is that archive, once downloaded is unreadable: many files but I cannot get files as when I do a manual backup.
I never tested restore the backup with Plesk but suppose I cannot restore with Plesk because I have changed the panel...

From my test, the archive is unusable.
There are many tzst files, many never open gives errors.
Some one open but are incomplete, no all file inside.

 

[Bitpalast]

You are assuming that a restore won't work, I have tested that it does work. Maybe you can test yourself whether it works for you or not.
What do you mean by "changed the panel"?

From your post I understand that opening the archive with your Windows PC software does not work. Is that what your are saying? So the actual issue there is that you try to open the archive with a Windows based software that does not properly support tzst and you are looking for a solution how to correctly open tzst in Windows, right? The FAQ article offers two such solutions. Have you tested both?

 

[PeopleInside]

The guide ask to download a software on GitHub that I don't know what is and who has produced it.
I'm very carefully when is time to install software that I don't know who is the developer.
Seems a 7 zip software, for that I use the official 7 Zip software that seems is able to open the archive but many file inside seems to be corrupted and I'm unable to find my natural file that can be used not only by restoring on Plesk panel.

I will may try this software in a sandbox with an active antivirus but... I really don't understand how Plesk is managing backups... seems Plesk produce a very bad output means the archive is not usable outside of Plesk. If the suggested software works means for be able to read that archive need a dedicated software, also this is not a good idea.

I see I'm not the only user that are reporting and facing issue with this new backups, see the comment in the guide.
Archive seems to be corrupted, readable but broken from 7zip.

My main issue is that backup generated by Plesk seems can be used only with Plesk, I'm unable to find my files and my database inside and be able to extract as normal files that can be restored in any web hosting also with different panel that is not Plesk.

I see maybe this 7Zip file is made by the same developer of the standard 7Zip?
Maybe this is a good point.

I'm testing this software in a SandBox.

Results:

Same results as 7Zip that I use.
there are many compressed files that loooks corrupt, doesn't open.
Someone it opens but miss many folders and files.

Seems I cannot trust Plesk backups... I will need do mannually all time as is bad archive what is generated from Plesk.
An archive that cannot be read correctly.

It opens but there are a lot of files inside that cannot be read, used.
I cannot find my folder with all files inside.

 

[Bitpalast]

Plesk is not using anything secret or special. It is only offering an alternative to zip, which is zstd (see Wikipedia zstd - Wikipedia for details). When decompressing .tar archives that were previously compressed with this method they simply add a parameter to tar that tells tar to use zstd from the Linux distribution to decompress the file.

If you do not want to use the tzst format, you can still switch to gzip as described in my post above. It's a very simple change in the panel.ini file and you are all set.

 

[PeopleInside]

If is necessary do this for have an archive that is "readable" by Windows, I can try but I'm asking why Plesk changed the compression.
I think for improve, so why the archive from Windows seems to open but inside there is a lot of broken zipped file or why I'm not able to find my files?

I will maybe try later to change Plesk settings and see if with different compression the backup output will be readable means I will be able to find my files.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Bitpalast]

zstd is advantageous over zip. For example, the compression rate and speed can be selected. For large file collections this can significantly reduce storage space costs for external FTP repositories. Decompression is faster, too. It is a better choice than zip, the only problem is that typical applications like winzip have not adopted the format despite its advantages.

 

[PeopleInside]

Decompression is faster, too. It is a better choice than zip, the only problem is that typical applications like winzip have not adopted the format despite its advantages.

Peter, on my PC i run 7Zip.
I use always only 7Zip.

The Plesk archive seems to be corrupted or not readable fully correctly from Windows using 7Zip so why?
This is mine issue.

Plesk is generating archive that doesn't work on Windows... means I'm able to open, find inside a lot of compressed files, many of them will not open.
I'm so unable to find my folders and files.

As you can see in the screenshots when I try to open apache file archive I get a fatal error.

 

[Maarten]

7zip version 21.07 doesn't support the new .zstd format. The creator of 7zip said he will add it eventually (which he hasn't done yet):

7-Zip / Discussion / Open Discussion: Support for zstd compression methon for squashfs files

sourceforge.net

As 7zip is released as an opensource project, anyone can change it and add extra features like the new .zstd format. That's what this person on github did:

GitHub - mcmilk/7-Zip-zstd: 7-Zip with support for Brotli, Fast-LZMA2, Lizard, LZ4, LZ5 and Zstandard

7-Zip with support for Brotli, Fast-LZMA2, Lizard, LZ4, LZ5 and Zstandard - mcmilk/7-Zip-zstd

github.com

So it's save to install and use the latest version:

Releases · mcmilk/7-Zip-zstd

7-Zip with support for Brotli, Fast-LZMA2, Lizard, LZ4, LZ5 and Zstandard - mcmilk/7-Zip-zstd

github.com

 

[PeopleInside]

7zip version 21.07 doesn't support the new .zstd format. The creator of 7zip said he will add it eventually (which he hasn't done yet):

7-Zip / Discussion / Open Discussion: Support for zstd compression methon for squashfs files

sourceforge.net

As 7zip is released as an opensource project, anyone can change it and add extra features like the new .zstd format. That's what this person on github did:

GitHub - mcmilk/7-Zip-zstd: 7-Zip with support for Brotli, Fast-LZMA2, Lizard, LZ4, LZ5 and Zstandard

7-Zip with support for Brotli, Fast-LZMA2, Lizard, LZ4, LZ5 and Zstandard - mcmilk/7-Zip-zstd

github.com

So it's save to install and use the latest version:

Releases · mcmilk/7-Zip-zstd

7-Zip with support for Brotli, Fast-LZMA2, Lizard, LZ4, LZ5 and Zstandard - mcmilk/7-Zip-zstd

github.com

I tried and take the screenshot that I attached. Same errors.

 

[Maarten]

I tried and take the screenshot that I attached. Same errors.

Ok, can you tell me the settings of the compression level in Tools & Settings -> Backup manager ?
Also, what Plesk version and server OS are you using?

 

[PeopleInside]

Good questions!

Ok, can you tell me the settings of the compression level in Tools & Settings -> Backup manager

Compression level normal, encryption with password.

Also, what Plesk version and server OS are you using?

Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS
Product
Plesk Obsidian
Version 18.0.42 Update #1

 

[Maarten]

Ok, I give it a try.

The Apache files are empty, I guess that's why you get an error when you try to extract them. They go from 34 bytes as a tzst file to 10kb tar file when extracted. I must admit that I'm not really sure what the apache-files should contain.
The same thing happens to the backup_conf file.

Looks like this is a bug in the backup process. Unless someone else can make this work, could you report this please?

https://talk.plesk.com/form/1/select

 

[PeopleInside]

Ok, I give it a try.

The Apache files are empty, I guess that's why you get an error when you try to extract them. They go from 34 bytes as a tzst file to 10kb tar file when extracted. I must admit that I'm not really sure what the apache-files should contain.
The same thing happens to the backup_conf file.

Looks like this is a bug in the backup process. Unless someone else can make this work, could you report this please?

https://talk.plesk.com/form/1/select

View attachment 20670

Done

 

[modit]

Hi, i am using Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Plesk Obsidian Version 18.0.43.

I have taken a complete backup of the server and downloaded the .zip file, i am facing same issue have used 7 zip as well as peaZip. Getting following Error in peaZip

WARNINGS:
There are data after the end of archive

--
Path = D:\downloads\backup.rar
Type = zip
WARNINGS:
There are data after the end of archive
Physical Size = 86792101791
Tail Size = 7349627
64-bit = +
Characteristics = Local Central Zip64


Sub items Errors: 941

Archives with Errors: 1

Warnings: 1

Sub items Errors: 941


2: Fatal error occurred,

 

[PeopleInside]

Hi, i am using Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Plesk Obsidian Version 18.0.43.

I have taken a complete backup of the server and downloaded the .zip file, i am facing same issue have used 7 zip as well as peaZip. Getting following Error in peaZip

WARNINGS:
There are data after the end of archive

--
Path = D:\downloads\backup.rar
Type = zip
WARNINGS:
There are data after the end of archive
Physical Size = 86792101791
Tail Size = 7349627
64-bit = +
Characteristics = Local Central Zip64


Sub items Errors: 941

Archives with Errors: 1

Warnings: 1

Sub items Errors: 941


2: Fatal error occurred,

seems for the staff is not a problem: Plesk broken backups archives

I can see: archive looks to be corrupted and I'm also unable to understand where my files and folders can be found not encrypted in the archive.

 

[DenisG]

I have taken a complete backup of the server and downloaded the .zip file, i am facing same issue have used 7 zip as well as peaZip.

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?