Title: Unable to create backups
Last modified: August 30, 2016

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# Unable to create backups

 *  [wavy](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wavy/)
 * (@wavy)
 * [10 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/unable-to-create-backups/)
 * Hi All
 * I appear to have developed an issue with creating backups from iThemes Security.
   I have been recieving emails up until the 8/08/2015 when the process stopped.
   I’ve attempted to run a manual backup but the following message is generated:
   **
   Something went wrong with your backup. It looks like another process might already
   be trying to backup your database. Please try again in a few minutes. If the 
   problem persists please contact support.** I’ve tried this several times but 
   to no avail any suggestions would be much appreciated. All of my plugins are 
   upto date as is the theme and the CMS.
 * regards
 * Dave M
 * [https://wordpress.org/plugins/better-wp-security/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/better-wp-security/)

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

 *  [dwinden](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dwinden/)
 * (@dwinden)
 * [10 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/unable-to-create-backups/#post-6498547)
 * If it exists delete the backup.lock folder in the wp-content/uploads/ithemes-
   security folder. Then try again.
 * If the above info helped to solve the issue please mark this topic as ‘resolved’.
 * dwinden
 *  Thread Starter [wavy](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wavy/)
 * (@wavy)
 * [10 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/unable-to-create-backups/#post-6498563)
 * Hi dwinden
 * Unfortunately this didn’t work. The folder did exist which I deleted. Attaemps
   to create a new back resulted in the same message as above.
 * Dave M
 *  [dwinden](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dwinden/)
 * (@dwinden)
 * [10 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/unable-to-create-backups/#post-6498568)
 * Ah, I should have mentioned you will need to disable scheduled database backups
   first.
    Probably the backup.lock folder got recreated.
 * dwinden
 *  Thread Starter [wavy](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wavy/)
 * (@wavy)
 * [10 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/unable-to-create-backups/#post-6498574)
 * Hi dwinden
 * I disabled the scheduled backups as suggested and attempted to create a new database
   backup again but again this created the backup.lock folder.
 * I’ve raised a ticket with my hosts as well but unfortunately your helpful suggestions
   don’t seem to be working.
 * Dave M
 *  [dwinden](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dwinden/)
 * (@dwinden)
 * [10 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/unable-to-create-backups/#post-6498586)
 * It seems there is a problem with the creation of the file lock.
    I’m focusing
   on the file lock creation process because:
 *     ```
       if ( $itsec_files->get_file_lock( 'backup' ) ) {
       	$this->execute_backup( $one_time );
       	...
       } else {
       	if ( true === $one_time ) {
       		$type    = 'error';
       		$message = __( 'Something went wrong with your backup. It looks like another process might already be trying to backup your database. Please try again in a few minutes. If the problem persists please contact support.', 'it-l10n-better-wp-security' );
       	}
       	$success = false;
       }
       ...
       ```
   
 * Above I have included the essential part of the backup creation code.
    The message
   you receive will only be displayed when the backup file lock creation process
   fails.
 * The file lock seems to be created but the value returned is false where it should
   be true. No idea how this can happen.
    Strange it worked for such a long time
   and now suddenly it is broken. But I’m sure there must be an explanation.
 * You could isolate the get_file_lock() method from the class-itsec-files.php file
   and trace\debug what is going wrong. There are some @ chars being used in the
   code which suppresses possible errors.
 * dwinden
 *  Thread Starter [wavy](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wavy/)
 * (@wavy)
 * [10 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/unable-to-create-backups/#post-6498597)
 * Hi dwinden
 * I think that what you are asking me to do is beyond my capabilities. I’ve looked
   at the class-itsec-files.php and can’t find the peiece of coding that you’ve 
   outlined above.
 * Sorry for my ignorance
 * Dave M

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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## Tags

 * [backups](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/backups/)
 * [iThemes Security](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/ithemes-security/)

 * 6 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [wavy](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wavy/)
 * Last activity: [10 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/unable-to-create-backups/#post-6498597)
 * Status: not resolved