# Backup upload failing and I don't know why
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [February 16, 2016, 9:32pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697 "2016-02-16T21:32:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@stevenpslade](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stevenpslade)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2016, 9:32pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697/1 "2016-02-16T21:32:36Z")
I am trying to upload a backup from one Discourse site to another. Steps I have completed:
1. Download backup from Discourse Site A
2. Enable `allow_restore` on Discourse Site B
3. Press upload and choosing zipped `tar.gz` backup file to upload
\*Site A and B are both on the same version of Discourse.
This is when it fails. It beings to upload about 2% of the file before it errors with this:
What this is showing is a modal of a particular wordpress page that Discourse Site A is connected to. This is confusing and difficult to troubleshoot. Any suggestions?
Edit: On Discourse Site C, the upload works fine, meaning that something on Discourse Site B is causing the uploading to fail.
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### Author:  [@DeanMarkTaylor](https://meta.discourse.org/u/DeanMarkTaylor)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697/2 "2016-02-16T21:58:39Z")
Probably best to make sure Discourse is up to date on both the instance you are backing up and the destination as you first point of call.
(although that might sound backward, as you’ll want to backup before updating).
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### Author:  [@stevenpslade](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stevenpslade)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697/3 "2016-02-16T21:59:35Z")
Good tip, Dean. It’s my fault for forgetting to include that in the steps I had already taken. They are both on the same version.
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### Author:  [@DeanMarkTaylor](https://meta.discourse.org/u/DeanMarkTaylor)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2016, 10:02pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697/4 "2016-02-16T22:02:43Z")
There have been a few threads on here in the past where upload hasn’t worked…
… the alternative is to upload a backup into the backup folder via SSH.
The default backup folder is: `/var/discourse/shared/standalone/backups/default`
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### Author:  [@stevenpslade](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stevenpslade)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2016, 10:04pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697/5 "2016-02-16T22:04:03Z")
Interesting, I never considered this. If no other solutions to the error become apparent, I’ll give this a try.
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### Author:  [@stevenpslade](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stevenpslade)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2016, 10:08pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697/6 "2016-02-16T22:08:41Z")
UPDATE: this is an error in the console
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### Author:  [@DeanMarkTaylor](https://meta.discourse.org/u/DeanMarkTaylor)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2016, 10:09pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697/7 "2016-02-16T22:09:18Z")
This is only a warning, unlikely to be the cause.
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### Author:  [@stevenpslade](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stevenpslade)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2016, 10:57pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697/8 "2016-02-16T22:57:37Z")
I decided to ssh and add the file manually. I did this and was hoping it would show up on the Discourse UI but it did not. In another thread it discusses restoring manually as well, but unfortunately it’s not for the faint of heart (which I am).
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### Author:  [@DeanMarkTaylor](https://meta.discourse.org/u/DeanMarkTaylor)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2016, 11:23pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697/9 "2016-02-16T23:23:42Z")
Simply copying an existing backup allows it to display in the UI for me:
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### Author:  [@stevenpslade](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stevenpslade)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2016, 11:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697/10 "2016-02-16T23:25:56Z")
Figured it out. The url of Discourse Site A was using Discourse as a subfolder rather than a separate domain. After changing this, they show up. Thanks for following this @DeanMarkTaylor
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### Author:  [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/backup-upload-failing-and-i-dont-know-why/39697/11 "2016-02-17T01:50:03Z")