How to Manage Backup Limits and Delete Old Backups in Softaculous Make it Rain Paper

If you've reached the maximum backup limit for an installation, this guide will show you how to manually delete old backups or troubleshoot backup issues. By default, Softaculous allows up to 2 backups per installation, and backups are automatically purged after 45 days.

Pre-requirements

• Access to cPanel or server with SSH for manual backup deletion
• Administrator login credentials
• Basic knowledge of file management and backups

Backup Limits and Automatic Purging

Softaculous automatically purges backups 45 days after they are created. However, the maximum number of backups allowed per installation is currently set to 2. If you have reached this limit, you may need to manually delete older backups to create new ones.

Steps to Manually Delete Old Backups

1. Log in to cPanel (or via SSH for Linux users).

   Access your cPanel at https://example_domain.com:2083 and log in using your credentials. If using SSH, connect to your server using this command:

   ssh username@yourdomain.com

2. Navigate to the Softaculous Backups Directory

   Once logged in, navigate to the backup directory for Softaculous, which is located at:

   /home/$username/.softaculous/backups

3. Delete Unnecessary Backups

   In the backups directory, manually delete the old backups you no longer need. Use the following command for Linux:

   rm -f /home/$username/.softaculous/backups/backup_name.zip

   Alternatively, you can use the cPanel File Manager to delete backups via the graphical interface.

4. Confirm Backup Deletion

   After deleting the backups, you should be able to create new ones without encountering the backup limit issue.

What to Do if Backup Deletion Fails

If you still face issues after deleting old backups, or if the problem persists, please create a support ticket with our technical team so we can investigate further.

Gotchas to Avoid

• Accidental Deletion: Be careful not to delete backups that you may need in the future. Always double-check the files before deleting them.
• Automatic Purging: Remember that backups are automatically purged after 45 days, so you may not need to delete older backups manually unless necessary.
• Backup Before Deleting: It's always a good idea to make a fresh backup before deleting older ones, in case something goes wrong.

If you've reached the maximum backup limit, manually deleting old backups or waiting for automatic purging can help you free up space. Always manage your backups wisely to avoid losing important data, and feel free to contact our support team if further assistance is required.