How to Back Up and Restore Server Files Manually

Whether you are reinstalling your server's core software or keeping a hard copy of your progress on your local computer, knowing how to manually download and restore external backups is crucial. This guide covers the complete manual backup lifecycle.

Part 1: Creating and Downloading Your Backup

Before performing major alterations or server reinstallations, always secure your data locally:

1. Navigate to the File Manager.

2. Select all files and folders you want to save using the master checkbox at the top left.

3. In the dynamic bottom action bar, click the Zip button (or choose Archive from the three-dots menu) to compress your selection into a single archive.

4. Once the archive is created, click the three vertical dots ⋮ next to it and select Download to save it to your computer, or do this using an SFTP client for faster transfer.

Part 2: Restoring Files From Your Archive

If you have reinstalled your server or wish to roll back to a previously saved local archive, follow these steps:

1. Clear Existing Files: Go to the File Manager. Select all current server files using the master checkbox at the top, and click Delete in the bottom action bar.

   Note: Ensure your directory is completely empty to prevent old configuration conflicts.

2. Upload the Archive: Click the Upload file(s) button at the top (or use SFTP for large files) and select your backup archive file (.zip or .tar.gz) from your computer.

3. Extract Server Files: Once the upload is complete, find the archive inside the File Manager, select it, and click the Unzip button on the bottom action panel (or choose Archive -> Unzip from the three-dots contextual menu).

4. Boot Up: You can safely delete the raw archive file to save your storage quota. Head back to the Console and click Start to boot up your successfully restored server!