# How to backup Discourse when The backup has failed?

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-backup-discourse-when-the-backup-has-failed/159834
**Category:** Self-hosting
**Created:** [August 4, 2020, 11:26pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-backup-discourse-when-the-backup-has-failed/159834 "2020-08-04T23:26:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 5

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![neounix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/neounix/32/215617_2.png) [@neounix](https://meta.discourse.org/u/neounix)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2020, 5:36am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-backup-discourse-when-the-backup-has-failed/159834/5 "2020-08-05T05:36:46Z")

</div>

> [@pauln](#):
>
> Yes, I will be moving to NEW VPS but I am trying to make a backup first before moving to new host.

Yes, I know. You are doing the right thing and a good job.

Let’s try a different strategy.

Can you make a backup successfully without including the uploads?

If so, we can simply take(1) that backup and (2) a separate `tar` of the uploads directory and accomplish what you want.

So, please try to just do a backup without the uploads (the middle button below); by selecting that option in the backup window; and post back.

 ![Screen Shot 2020-08-05 at 12.37.21 PM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/e/0/e0aa46ec4bae350bdcaa126c0045eec1e7a8b07d.jpeg)

If that fails, we will try to do the database backup manually from the command line 🙂 which is easy enough and will work, I’m fairly certain (we do this all the time and rarely restore from the UX).

> Reference:

> [@Manually create and restore Discourse backups](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advanced-manual-method-of-manually-creating-and-restoring-discourse-backups/18273):
>
> As discussed [below](https://meta.discourse.org/t/advanced-manual-method-of-manually-creating-and-restoring-discourse-backups/18273/7), a warning for newbies: this is an advanced method! there is an automated, web UI way to restore from backups at /admin/backups which is so much easier. with the method below, no automatic backup is kept of the /var/discourse/containers/app.yml file which contains essential SMTP credentials and SSL customizations. Keep a copy of this offsite whenever you change it. If you are using digital ocean, keep frequent snapshots of your droplets - preferably before each time you run .…

* * *

Note:

Whatever you decide to do @pauln, please do not destroy your existing VPS running Debian 7.5 and Discourse until you have successfully installed another instance of Discourse (and restored and tested) on your new VPS.

---

_[View the full topic](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-backup-discourse-when-the-backup-has-failed/159834)._