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[CPANEL-21020] Backup Transporter unable to prune directories using Pure-FTPD due to .master.meta

Mysticeti
Unable to prune transport "redacted.host.name" Error pruning "/cpbackup/weekly/2018-03-31" from "redacted.host.name": ASCII
My weekly backup to an off site FTP server has recently (late April) started giving this error. Nothing has changed on my end that I'm aware of and the directory appears to be empty when I check it. Fortunately the backup seems to complete successfully so it's just an annoyance at this point but if there's a way to make it stop I'd appreciate learning about it.

Comments

23 comments

Date Votes
  • 24x7server
    Hi,
    Error pruning "/cpbackup/weekly/2018-03-31" from "redacted.host.name": ASCII

    Please check your local backup location to see the size of the backup. It only appears it gave error while reducing the size of the left over of the local backups..
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  • cPanelLauren
    Hello @Mysticeti Based on that error it doesn't look like there's an issue performing the backups but rather an issue pruning them remotely. If you look at the remote server do you see backups past their retention date present? Thanks!
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  • Mysticeti
    Hello @Mysticeti Based on that error it doesn't look like there's an issue performing the backups but rather an issue pruning them remotely. If you look at the remote server do you see backups past their retention date present? Thanks!

    Agreed. The backups do seem to be completing normally and transfer to the FTP site works too. But this error has appeared the last couple weeks now (weekly backup, retain the last 4 backups). Other than the (empty) directory that the error mentions there are no backups past their retention date.
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  • cPanelLauren
    Hi @Mysticeti Is the error for the same folder every time or is it different folders? If it is on the same folder if you remove the offending folder does the error persist on others?
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  • Mysticeti
    Different. Seems to be the oldest folder (the one that needs to be pruned). Thanks.
    0
  • cPanelLauren
    Hi @Mysticeti Which version of cPanel are you using? If you're using v70 which went to RELEASE yesterday and the issue is still occurring I'd like to see if you could open a ticket using the link in my signature. Once open please update here with the Ticket ID so we can update this thread with the outcome. Thanks!
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  • Mysticeti
    Hi @Mysticeti Which version of cPanel are you using? If you're using v70 which went to RELEASE yesterday and the issue is still occurring I'd like to see if you could open a ticket using the link in my signature. Once open please update here with the Ticket ID so we can update this thread with the outcome. Thanks!

    Thanks Lauren. I'm on v68 and likely blocked for a few more days. I'll file a ticket and update this thread should the problem occur after I'm on v70.
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  • cPanelLauren
    Hi @Mysticeti That sounds good, I know v70 went to release again yesterday after a brief pause to resolve some other issues. If you want to force the update to run you can always log in over CLI and run: /scripts/upcp --force
    Thanks!
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  • cPanelLauren
    Hi @jmig I'm actually wondering if there isn't something else going on here that the update doesn't account for. Can you confirm whether or not there's a hidden file in that folder (any file with a . before it would be considered a hidden file like .htaccess or .master.meta) Also, can you tell me if the remote server is using vsftpd? Thanks!
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  • Mysticeti
    I haven't had chance to file a ticket yet but I can confirm I'm still seeing the issue post upgrade to v70. Glad I'm not the only one! :)
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  • cPanelLauren
    Hi @Mysticeti You're using PureFTPd on the remote server or on the local server?
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  • cPanelLauren
    Sorry, @jmig I referenced the wrong user. So, we've been seeing this issue occur but only with hidden files on remote servers that use vsftpd. Since you're using PureFTPd I think we may want to take a closer look, would it be possible for you to open a ticket using the link in my signature? Once opened please reply here with the Ticket ID and we'll update this thread with the outcome. Thanks!
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  • cPanelLauren
    Hi @jmig Thanks! I'm watching the ticket and I'll update this thread with the outcome.
    0
  • cPanelLauren
    Hi @jmig I checked the ticket this morning as well. It looks like he was able to replicate the issue with PureFTPd with hidden files. I'll update more when the case has been updated as well. Thanks!
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  • Mysticeti
    Any news? Thanks.
    0
  • cPanelLauren
    Hi @Mysticeti Unfortunately no, the case is still being monitored. I will update you when further progress on it has been made. Thanks!
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  • martin MHC
    Just to note that I am getting this same issue using the Dropbox Backup system as set out by CPanel in their Blog: Custom Backup Transport: Dropbox | cPanel Blog
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  • regisit
    Several versions ago, cPanel broke backups to Windows FTP servers. What was working fine, stopped. All backups now fail to prune old backups with the error: Error pruning ... The directory is not empty. Advice at the time was to change Windows FTP directory listing style to UNIX, but that doesn't fix it. Anyone have a solution to getting cPanel working properly again with Windows FTP servers? To confirm, backups are running but pruning old backups is not happening, causing the destination to run out of space.
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  • regisit
    Just to add further, the issue appears to be down to a file called .master.meta not being deleted before the directory is deleted. This causes the accounts folder pruning to fail, resulting in the system archives being left in the backup destination.
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  • cPanelMichael
    Hello @regisit, This is a known issue and is discussed on the following thread: We'll update that thread with more information on the status of that case as it becomes available. Thank you.
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  • regisit
    Hi Michael, This has been an issue for more than a year now - when are you going to address it? Last update on that thread was Nov 2017 so clearly this not being treated with any urgency in cPanel! It should be as it affects daily. Prior to whatever change was made in cPanel, it worked fine. Surely it's a simple case of deleting that file before attempting to delete the folder!?
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  • cPanelMichael
    Hello @regisit, I've merged your thread into this one. I don't have a time frame to offer on implementation of a solution at this time, but I've linked this thread to the case and will provide an update as soon as more information is available. As a temporary workaround, you can disable metadata for backups via the following command: whmapi1 backup_config_set disable_metadata=yes
    More information about disabling metadata for backups is documented on the link below: How to Manage Metadata Settings - cPanel Knowledge Base - cPanel Documentation Thank you.
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  • cPanelMichael
    Hello, To update, this was determined to relate to the write permissions on hidden files on the remote FTP server. We've updated our
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