{"id":5039,"date":"2019-09-18T15:23:36","date_gmt":"2019-09-18T09:53:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/?p=5039"},"modified":"2026-10-30T12:57:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-30T07:27:05","slug":"how-to-start-a-cpanel-scheduled-backup-job-manually","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/how-to-start-a-cpanel-scheduled-backup-job-manually\/","title":{"rendered":"How to start a cPanel scheduled backup job manually"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Post Date:<\/strong> September 18, 2019 <br><strong>Last Updated:<\/strong> October 30, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide explains how to start a cPanel scheduled backup job manually from the command line, for example when you want a fresh backup before a migration or a risky change instead of waiting for the next scheduled run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you run the backup script yourself, you can hit this message even though backups are set up in WHM:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"EnlighterJSRAW\" data-enlighter-language=\"generic\" data-enlighter-theme=\"\" data-enlighter-highlight=\"\" data-enlighter-linenumbers=\"\" data-enlighter-lineoffset=\"\" data-enlighter-title=\"\" data-enlighter-group=\"\">[cpbackup] Backup Not Enabled (This can be adjusted in WHM => Backup => Legacy Backup Configuration)\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cPanel backup command line has an option that gets past this check: <code>--force<\/code>. This guide shows how to use it, how to watch the backup run, and what to check first so a forced run doesn&#8217;t cause trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Note:<\/strong> The original showed the option in its text as &#8220;\u2013force&#8221; with a long dash, which doesn&#8217;t work if you copy it. The real option is two plain hyphens, <code>--force<\/code>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prerequisites<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you start the cPanel scheduled backup job manually, make sure you have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Root SSH access to the cPanel server<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enough free disk space in your backup location (the default is <code>\/backup<\/code>, but yours may differ)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>WHM access, to review your backup settings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Architecture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>WHM stores your backup settings: whether backups are enabled, the schedule, what to include, retention, and where backups are saved<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>On schedule, cPanel runs the backup script, <code>\/usr\/local\/cpanel\/bin\/backup<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The script first checks whether backups are enabled. If it decides they aren&#8217;t, it prints &#8220;Backup Not Enabled&#8221; and exits without doing anything<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>With <code>--force<\/code>, the script skips that check and starts the backup anyway. It runs in the background and writes a log file under <code>\/usr\/local\/cpanel\/logs\/cpbackup\/<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The image below shows how the cPanel scheduled backup job runs and where <code>--force<\/code> fits in. For the settings themselves, see cPanel&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.cpanel.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">documentation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cPanel-Backup-Flow-Architecture.png\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cPanel-Backup-Flow-Architecture-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12692\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cPanel-Backup-Flow-Architecture-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cPanel-Backup-Flow-Architecture-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cPanel-Backup-Flow-Architecture-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cPanel-Backup-Flow-Architecture-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/cPanel-Backup-Flow-Architecture.png 1672w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Steps to Start the cPanel Scheduled Backup Job Manually<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Check for a Running Backup and Free Space<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Make sure a backup isn&#8217;t already running, so you don&#8217;t start a second one on top of it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"EnlighterJSRAW\" data-enlighter-language=\"generic\" data-enlighter-theme=\"\" data-enlighter-highlight=\"\" data-enlighter-linenumbers=\"\" data-enlighter-lineoffset=\"\" data-enlighter-title=\"\" data-enlighter-group=\"\">ps aux | grep -i \"[b]in\/backup\"\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If nothing is listed, no backup is running. Then check free disk space where backups are stored:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"EnlighterJSRAW\" data-enlighter-language=\"generic\" data-enlighter-theme=\"\" data-enlighter-highlight=\"\" data-enlighter-linenumbers=\"\" data-enlighter-lineoffset=\"\" data-enlighter-title=\"\" data-enlighter-group=\"\">df -h \/backup\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Run the Backup Script Normally<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"EnlighterJSRAW\" data-enlighter-language=\"generic\" data-enlighter-theme=\"\" data-enlighter-highlight=\"\" data-enlighter-linenumbers=\"\" data-enlighter-lineoffset=\"\" data-enlighter-title=\"\" data-enlighter-group=\"\">\/usr\/local\/cpanel\/bin\/backup\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If backups are enabled and scheduled correctly, this may start the backup. If it prints &#8220;Backup Not Enabled&#8221;, continue to Step 3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Note:<\/strong> Older guides use <code>\/scripts\/cpbackup<\/code> for this, which belongs to cPanel&#8217;s legacy backup system. On servers using the current backup system, use <code>\/usr\/local\/cpanel\/bin\/backup<\/code> as shown here.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Force the Backup to Start<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To start the cPanel scheduled backup job right away even when the script says backups aren&#8217;t enabled, add <code>--force<\/code>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"EnlighterJSRAW\" data-enlighter-language=\"generic\" data-enlighter-theme=\"\" data-enlighter-highlight=\"\" data-enlighter-linenumbers=\"\" data-enlighter-lineoffset=\"\" data-enlighter-title=\"\" data-enlighter-group=\"\">\/usr\/local\/cpanel\/bin\/backup --force\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;ll see output like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"EnlighterJSRAW\" data-enlighter-language=\"generic\" data-enlighter-theme=\"\" data-enlighter-highlight=\"\" data-enlighter-linenumbers=\"\" data-enlighter-lineoffset=\"\" data-enlighter-title=\"\" data-enlighter-group=\"\">[2019-09-18 07:44:46 +0000] info [backup] Started at Wed Sep 18 07:44:46 2019\n[2019-09-18 07:44:46 +0000] info [backup] The backup is now running in the background in process 19601.\n[2019-09-18 07:44:46 +0000] info [backup] The backup process's log file is \"\/usr\/local\/cpanel\/logs\/cpbackup\/1568792686.log\".\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The backup now runs in the background, so you can close your terminal without stopping it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Follow the Log<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each run of the cPanel scheduled backup job writes its own log, named in the output above. Watch it live:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"EnlighterJSRAW\" data-enlighter-language=\"generic\" data-enlighter-theme=\"\" data-enlighter-highlight=\"\" data-enlighter-linenumbers=\"\" data-enlighter-lineoffset=\"\" data-enlighter-title=\"\" data-enlighter-group=\"\">tail -f \/usr\/local\/cpanel\/logs\/cpbackup\/&lt;number>.log\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Replace <code>&lt;number&gt;<\/code> with the number in your own output.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Confirm It Finished and Check the Files<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the log says the backup has completed, look in your backup directory:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"EnlighterJSRAW\" data-enlighter-language=\"generic\" data-enlighter-theme=\"\" data-enlighter-highlight=\"\" data-enlighter-linenumbers=\"\" data-enlighter-lineoffset=\"\" data-enlighter-title=\"\" data-enlighter-group=\"\">ls -lh \/backup\/\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Confirm the backups are there and have sensible sizes. A backup that&#8217;s suspiciously small or missing accounts is worth investigating before you rely on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Troubleshooting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the cPanel scheduled backup job still doesn&#8217;t start, or you want to know why it said &#8220;Backup Not Enabled&#8221;, check these:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Backups really are switched off.<\/strong> In WHM, open <strong>Backup \u2192 Backup Configuration<\/strong> and check that backups are enabled. The message mentions &#8220;Legacy Backup Configuration&#8221;, which exists on older versions. <code>--force<\/code> runs one backup, but it doesn&#8217;t turn on your regular schedule, so enable the status here if you want scheduled runs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The server is busy.<\/strong> A forced backup uses the same settings as the scheduled one and puts real load on the disk and CPU. Run it during quiet hours on a busy server<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The disk is nearly full.<\/strong> Recheck <code>df -h<\/code> in Step 1, since a backup that runs out of space fails partway through<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The backup seems to stop.<\/strong> Check the log file for errors, and confirm the process is still running with the <code>ps<\/code> command from Step 1<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To start the cPanel scheduled backup job manually, check that nothing is already running and that you have disk space, then run <code>\/usr\/local\/cpanel\/bin\/backup --force<\/code> and follow the log file. If the &#8220;Backup Not Enabled&#8221; message appears even though you configured backups, <code>--force<\/code> gets you a backup now, but review your backup status in WHM so the regular schedule runs too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Does &#8211;force change my cPanel scheduled backup job settings?<\/strong> No. It runs one backup using your existing configuration. It doesn&#8217;t enable or disable anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Is it safe to start the cPanel scheduled backup job manually during the day?<\/strong> It works, but backups are heavy on disk and CPU. On a busy production server, do it during off-peak hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why does it say &#8220;Backup Not Enabled&#8221; when I set up backups in WHM?<\/strong> The script doesn&#8217;t consider backups enabled, which can happen when the status isn&#8217;t turned on in the backup system the script is checking. Review your settings under <strong>Backup \u2192 Backup Configuration<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Do I need to keep the terminal open?<\/strong> No. The backup runs in the background, so you can disconnect. Use the log file to check on it later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Articles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/how-to-install-whm-cpanel-on-ubuntu-20-04\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Install WHM cPanel on Ubuntu 20.04<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/how-to-install-wordpress-in-cpanel-without-softaculous\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to install WordPress in cPanel without Softaculous<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Talk to Our Technology Experts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Need a reliable backup strategy for your cPanel servers? Our team can help with backup configuration and automation, off-server storage, restore testing, and ongoing hosting support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/contact\">Connect with our technology experts.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Post Date: September 18, 2019 Last Updated: October 30, 2026 Introduction This guide explains how to start a cPanel scheduled 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