Title: WordPress 3.6 Auto update failed – Possible solution
Last modified: August 21, 2016

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# WordPress 3.6 Auto update failed – Possible solution

 *  Resolved [Morphim](https://wordpress.org/support/users/morphim/)
 * (@morphim)
 * [12 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-36-auto-update-failed-possible-solution/)
 * I’ve been having auto update issues within WordPress for a while now (not just
   to 3.6) but finally go annoyed enough to look into it.
    This solution is obviously
   not going to help everyone but it helped me so might be of interest to others.
 * I was getting this error via the WP admin update panel:
 * > Could not copy files
   > Installation Failed
 * I think the main problem, for me at least, is folder _ownership_. This is different
   from file/folder _permissions_ (which can also be an issue but isn’t covered 
   here)
 * Took me a while to sort out (a lot of website / blog/ forum / thread reading)
   but I have done it.
 * I’m on a VPS (virtual private server) with Plesk control panel – this means I
   have to sort all of this stuff out myself (no experts to call on & it’s certainly
   not me : (
    The internet is my fickle friend. Takes a lot of reading to find 
   answers but … I’ve finally resolved my problem.
 * My WP-content folder was set with a user group ‘psacln’
    This was introduce unbeknownst*
   to me by the Plesk install and isn’t the default group that WP sets up and requires
   to be able to read, write & execute upon files & folders (from what I understand)
 * So, with regard to the command line stuff below, it seems that WP needs the default
   apache user which is generally www-data. However, it seems that on my Centos6
   system (Linux OS) the apache user isn’t www-data but simply apache (www-data 
   didn’t work for me)
 * So, the plesk control panel introduced the user named ‘psacln’ which was given
   group permissions to the WP-content folder (which includes the WP plugin & update
   folder) but needed an ‘apache’ user adding so WP could use the folders.
 * Via Putty I have SSH access to execute the following commands (I know this might
   seem complicate to new users. That’s because it is but I’ve managed to get here
   from zero knowledge of these things so I’m sure you can too … or get your host
   to do it : )
    **anything between these are just my notes and need not be typed.
   I’m no expert but this is basically what each command line does from my limited
   knowledge**
 * Start Putty and connect with your server (or however you gain SSH access to your
   system)
    At the prompt type:
 * `cd /var/www/vhosts/yourdomain.com`
    **goes to the location of your WordPress
   install (if it’s in the root folder of your domain name. Your path might be different
   but you should be able to work out what it should be via your FTP client)**
 * `chown -R apache:psacln httpdocs`
    **adds the ‘apache’ user to the group & gives
   it ownership permissions**
 * `chmod -R g+w httpdocs/wp-content`
    **applies these permissions to the wp-content
   folder and everything in it allowing WP to read,write & execute plugins and updates**
 * Once done, WP auto updated as it should, which was a relief : )
 * I hope that helps someone.
 * *that’s a hell of a word : )

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

 *  [Lowell](https://wordpress.org/support/users/giggi/)
 * (@giggi)
 * [12 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-36-auto-update-failed-possible-solution/#post-4030299)
 * wow thank you work great for me!

Viewing 1 replies (of 1 total)

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## Tags

 * [fail](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/fail/)

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 1 reply
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Lowell](https://wordpress.org/support/users/giggi/)
 * Last activity: [12 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-36-auto-update-failed-possible-solution/#post-4030299)
 * Status: resolved

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