You are Here: FAQ Dedicated Servers Linux Root Server Recovery Tool Article #9

How can I transfer data to/from my server in the Rescue System?

Linux Dedicated Servers Only!
This DOES NOT include:

1&1 Beginner (MS/Linux)

1&1 Home (MS/Linux)

1&1 Business (MS/Linux)

1&1 Developer (MS/Linux)

1&1 Website Servers (formerly called managed servers)

The Rescue System provided by 1&1 does not have any FTP service running on the machine for file transfers. File transfers are still possible via SCP as SSH is configured and running in the Rescue System. If unfamiliar with the Secure Copy Protocol, this article will offer some explanation and guidance.

You may also reference the external documentation below if necessary:
scp(1): secure copy - Linux man page
Secure copy - Wikipedia

If you wish to transfer data to/from the hard drive(s) of your server from the Rescue System, you will first need to mount the partitions. Please reference How do I mount my drives in the Rescue System?

SCP or Secure Copy Protocol is both a Linux command and a protocol. This means that depending on the scenario, you may transfer files directly to another server with SSH services enabled or to your Windows® or Macintosh® computer. Please reference the relevant section below:

For transfer of files to a Microsoft Windows® computer:

The easiest way to manage file transfers from your server to a Microsoft Windows® computer is to use WinSCP. The WinSCP application is a free solution available for download from WinSCP.net here. Please download the latest Installation package and install the application (no reboot required).

Step 1:	Once the install has completed, launch the WinSCP program from the Start Menu or Desktop Icon.
Step 2:	Click the New button on the right of the WinSCP window.
Step 3:	Enter the Host name, User name and Password to connect to your server via SSH. If you were given a generated password when booting the server into the Rescue System, please use the root user and the password provided. When you have entered all information, click the Save button.
Step 4:	Choose a description to save the login information and click the OK button.
Step 5:	Select the description entered for the server and click the Login button.
Step 6:	Once connected, WinSCP receives the SSH key fingerprint and may ask you if you want to save the key as a known host. In this example we will click the No button (The SSH key fingerprint that the Rescue System provides will be different from that of the server during normal operation. If the yes button is clicked, WinSCP will save the Rescue System's SSH key fingerprint and alert you that the key fingerprint is different when connecting to the server in the normal mode later. This is why we click the No button).
Step 7:	If you password was not saved, you will be prompted to enter the SSH password. Then click the OK button.
Step 8:	From the drop-down box on the right-hand side, select the / <root> folder. This will take you to the root or / folder of the Rescue System.
Step 9:	If you have mounted your data to the /mnt/ folder using the FAQ article above, then double-click the mnt folder to access the root file system of the server's hard drive. From this point you may drag and drop items from your computer to your server or vice versa to perform secure file transfers.

Notable Locations: (assuming you have mounted your data to the /mnt/ folder as described in the FAQ link above)
/mnt/var/www/vhosts/ arrow image

For every domain added to Plesk, a folder will be present with website files located in the httpdocs/ folder underneath the domain folder.
/mnt/var/qmail/mailnames/ arrow image

For every domain added to Plesk, a folder will be present with mail users and settings located in the subfolders.
/mnt/root/ arrow image

The root user home directory.
/mnt/etc/ arrow image

Folder containing most configuration files.
/mnt/var/lib/mysql/ arrow image

Folder for MySQL databases and tables.
/mnt/var/log/ arrow image

Folder containing most system logs.
/mnt/var/lib/psa/dumps/ arrow image

Folder containing Plesk Backup files.

For transfer of files to another Linux computer with SSH enabled:

Step 1:

You will first have to log into the Rescue System via SSH using the root user and password. If you were given a generated password when booting the server into the Rescue System, please use the password that was provided.

Step 2:

Once logged in, you must run the scp command. In this example, we are transferring all the Plesk backup files and folders from the server's hard drive in the Rescue System to another server's root directory. For this we use the command scp -r /mnt/var/lib/psa/dumps/* root@74.111.11.111:/root/

Further Explanation:
scp arrow image

We use the scp command to make a secure transfer from one server to another.
-r arrow image

This option specifies we want to transfer recursively. This simply means we want all the subfolders and subfiles to transfer as well. Without this option, only the files in the directory specified would be copied.
/mnt/var/lib/psa/dump/* arrow image

We list the path to the files and/or folders that should be copied in the current system. In this example, we use the asterisk (*) symbol to specify that all files and folders within the dump directory should be copied.
root@74.111.11.111 arrow image

Here we specify the user and IP address of the remote machine where the files will be copied to.
:/root/ arrow image

We specify which folder the files should be copied to on the remote machine.

Notable Locations: (assuming you have mounted your data to the /mnt/ folder as described in the FAQ link above)
/mnt/var/www/vhosts/ arrow image

For every domain added to Plesk, a folder will be present with website files located in the httpdocs/ folder underneath the domain folder.
/mnt/var/qmail/mailnames/ arrow image

For every domain added to Plesk, a folder will be present with mail users and settings located in the subfolders.
/mnt/root/ arrow image

The root user home directory.
/mnt/etc/ arrow image

Folder containing most configuration files.
/mnt/var/lib/mysql/ arrow image

Folder for MySQL databases and tables.
/mnt/var/log/ arrow image

Folder containing most system logs.
/mnt/var/lib/psa/dumps/ arrow image

Folder containing Plesk Backup files.

For transfer of files to a Macintosh® computer

The easiest way to manage file transfers from your server to a Macintosh® computer is to use Cyberduck. Cyberduck is a free solution available for download from http://cyberduck.ch/

Step 1:	Download and then run the Cyberduck application.
Step 2:	Click the Open Connection button at the top left of the CyberDuck window.
Step 3:	A new connection settings window will appear. From the drop-down box toward the top of the page, select SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol)
Step 4:	Fill out the required fields with your IP, Username and Password. Normally the Username will be the root user. If a new password was generated when the server was booted into the Rescue System, be sure to use the new password. When complete, click the Connect button.
Step 5:	If this is your first time connecting, the rescue system will present a secure key fingerprint to Cyberduck to establish a connection. You will be informed that the host key is unknown to Cyberduck and when prompted, choose the Allow button.
Step 6:	Once connected, select the root or / folder from the drop-down box at the top.
Step 7:	If you have mounted your data to the /mnt/ folder using the FAQ article above, then double-click the mnt folder to access the root file system of the server's hard drive. From this point you may drag and drop items from your computer to your server or vice versa to perform secure file transfers.

Notable Locations: (assuming you have mounted your data to the /mnt/ folder as described in the FAQ link above)
/mnt/var/www/vhosts/ arrow image

For every domain added to Plesk, a folder will be present with website files located in the httpdocs/ folder underneath the domain folder.
/mnt/var/qmail/mailnames/ arrow image

For every domain added to Plesk, a folder will be present with mail users and settings located in the subfolders.
/mnt/root/ arrow image

The root user home directory.
/mnt/etc/ arrow image

Folder containing most configuration files.
/mnt/var/lib/mysql/ arrow image

Folder for MySQL databases and tables.
/mnt/var/log/ arrow image

Folder containing most system logs.
/mnt/var/lib/psa/dumps/ arrow image

Folder containing Plesk Backup files.

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