Rebuild or Reinstall your N-able N-central server

You may want to rebuild or reinstall your server in certain circumstances, for example:

  • Your N-able N-central server is not functioning properly or starting successfully;
  • An upgrade has failed but you can still log in to N-able N-central;
  • You are installing an existing N-able N-central server on another computer.

The following scenarios describe the best way to rebuild or reinstall your N-able N-central server.

The server is not working properly or starting successfully

  1. Verify the version of your N-able N-central server. Technical Support can confirm the version of N-able N-central that last communicated with N-able if your server is not working properly or cannot be restarted.
  2. Locate the last valid backup of your N-able N-central server. Your N-able N-central server software will automatically create backups but these will be saved to the same local hard drive as the server software, which may make retrieval more difficult. You can retrieve a backup from a:
    1. previously downloaded backup file in .TAR or .SHA1 format, along with the associated checksum file,
    2. pre-configured N-able N-central that automatically sent backups to an FTP server, or
    3. snapshot of your N-able N-central server recorded by a virtualized host (Hyper-V or VMWare).
      Possible incomplete restore from backup.

      Before recording a snapshot on an ESX or Hyper-V server, shut down the virtual machine upon which N-able N-central is installed.

  3. Install the version of N-able N-central that you were previously running.

    You can re-install N-able N-central by downloading the ISO for that build (in an ISO file, not NSP). This image should only be used for new installations, not to upgrade an existing N-able N-central server.

    1. Access the N-ableMe Software Downloads page.
    2. Click the release you want to re-install.
    3. Click the ISO for the release.
      Here is an example of an ISO file available for download:

      File: N-able N-central 2021.3 (2021.3.0.83) ISO

      MD5: 5bdcc8a6e4e9a11323400061e2ff1fc2

      Size: 934 MB

  4. Restore the backup that you located in Step #2.
  5. When the system restore is completed, contact N-able to have your N-able N-central server activated.

An upgrade has failed but you can still log in

Verify the version of your N-able N-central server by clicking Help > Version Information.

  1. Locate the last valid backup of your N-able N-central server. Your N-able N-central server software will automatically create backups but these will be saved to the same local hard drive as the server software itself which may make retrieval more difficult. Some options that may be used to retrieve a backup in this situation are:
    1. Download your most recent backup before the upgrade attempt.
      1. Click Administration > System Backup and Restore > Download Backups.
      2. Click Download Backup beside the name of the backup file that you would like to download.
      3. Click Download Digest beside the name of the backup file.
    2. You had configured N-able N-central to automatically send backups to an FTP server from which they can be obtained.
    3. You have a snapshot of your N-able N-central server recorded by a virtualized host (Hyper-V or VMWare). If this is the case, the following steps will not apply as you can restore your server using the snapshot.
      Possible incomplete restore from backup.

      Before recording a snapshot on an ESX or Hyper-V server, shut down the virtual machine upon which N-able N-central is installed.

      It is strongly recommended that snapshots of the N-able N-central server should not be taken on a short-term schedule as this can affect system performance (and N-able N-central records its own backups).

  2. Reinstall the version of N-able N-central that you were previously running.

    You can quickly re-install N-able N-central to the exact version that you were using previously by downloading the ISO for that build (in an ISO file, not NSP). This lets you install the ISO and then restore your backup.

    1. Access the N-ableMe Software Downloads page.
    2. Click the release you want to re-install.
    3. Select the checkbox to agree to having reviewed the known issues.
    4. Click Enable Download.
    5. Click the ISO for the release.
      Here is an example of an ISO file available for download:

      File: N-able N-central 2021.3 (2021.3.0.83) ISO

      MD5: 5bdcc8a6e4e9a11323400061e2ff1fc2

      Size: 934 MB

    This image should only be used for new installations of N-able N-central. It is not intended for upgrading an existing N-able N-central server.

  3. Restore the backup that you located in Step #2.
  4. When the system restore is completed, please contact N-able to have your N-able N-central server activated.

Install an existing N-able N-central server on another computer

  1. Verify the version of your N-able N-central server by clicking Help > Version Information.
  2. Locate the last valid backup of your N-able N-central server. Your N-able N-central server software will automatically create backups but these will be saved to the same local hard drive as the server software itself which may make retrieval more difficult. Some options that may be used to retrieve a backup include:
    1. Create a new backup in order to minimize data loss.
      1. Click Administration > System Backup and Restore > Configure Backups.
      2. Click Save and Run Backup.

        3. Backing up the N-able N-central database will typically take several minutes to an hour.

    2. Download the most recent backup.
      1. Click Administration > System Backup and Restore > Download Backups.
      2. Click Download Backup beside the name of the backup file that you would like to download.
      3. Click Download Digest beside the name of the backup file.
    3. You had configured N-able N-central to automatically send backups to an FTP server from which they can be obtained.
    4. You have a snapshot of your N-able N-central server recorded by a virtualized host (Hyper-V or VMWare). If this is the case, the following steps will not apply as you can restore your server using the snapshot.
      Possible incomplete restore from backup.

      Before recording a snapshot on an ESX or Hyper-V server, shut down the virtual machine upon which is installed.

      It is strongly recommended that snapshots of the N-able N-central server should not be taken on a short-term schedule. This can affect system performance.

  3. Install the version of N-able N-central that you were previously running.

    For your convenience, you can quickly re-install N-able N-central to the exact version that you were using previously by downloading the ISO for that build (in an ISO file, not NSP). This lets you install the ISO and then restore your backup.

    1. Access the N-ableMe Software Downloads page.
    2. Click the release you want to re-install.
    3. Select the checkbox to agree to having reviewed the known issues.
    4. Click Enable Download.
    5. Click the ISO for the release.
      Here is an example of an ISO file available for download:

      File: N-able N-central 2021.3 (2021.3.0.83) ISO

      MD5: 5bdcc8a6e4e9a11323400061e2ff1fc2

      Size: 934 MB

    This image should only be used for new installations of N-able N-central. This image is not intended for upgrading an existing N-able N-central server.

  4. Restore the backup that you located in Step #2.
  5. When the system restore is completed, please contact N-able to activate your N-able N-central.