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A Joomla .jpa file is an Akeeba Backup archive, not a normal ZIP file. To restore it, place the complete archive set and kickstart.php in an empty or disposable web directory, run Kickstart to extract the files, then use the ANGIE restoration wizard inside the archive to rebuild the database and configure Joomla. The process replaces the target installation, so preserve any existing site before you begin.
What a Joomla JPA file contains
A JPA archive is a self-contained Akeeba Backup package. It normally includes the Joomla core, extensions, templates, media, configuration files and an exported database. It is designed to recreate a Joomla installation rather than merely unpack a folder of documents.
Because the archive format contains Akeeba-specific metadata and restoration scripts, ordinary ZIP utilities are not the right tool for a complete recovery. A separate Akeeba Kickstart application unpacks the archive, and the ANGIE script included in the package performs the database restoration and final configuration.
Restoration is an overwrite operation. It is not a content-only merge that safely adds articles or images to an existing Joomla site. The files and database at the destination are replaced by the backup’s copy. Use a new server, an empty directory, a staging site, or a target you have deliberately backed up and marked disposable.
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JPA, multipart archives and encrypted JPS files
A single-part JPA
A small backup may consist of one file such as site-backup.jpa. Keep its original filename and upload it unchanged.
A multipart JPA set
Larger backups are split into one main file and numbered parts. A typical set looks like this:
| File | Purpose and order |
|---|---|
site-backup.j01 |
First numbered segment; read before the main file |
site-backup.j02 |
Second numbered segment |
site-backup.j03 and later |
Additional segments, if created |
site-backup.jpa |
Main archive descriptor and final segment in the extraction sequence |
These files are one archive, not independent backups. Obtain every numbered part, use the same base name, preserve the exact filenames and upload the complete set. Do not upload only the .jpa file, rename a segment, or try to open each numbered file separately. A missing or incompletely downloaded part is a common reason Kickstart reports corruption or stops during extraction.
JPA versus JPS
.jps is Akeeba’s encrypted archive format. It follows the same general restoration workflow, but the archive password is required and is case-sensitive. A JPS password cannot be inferred from the filename; obtain it from the person or system that created the backup.
What you need before restoring
- The complete JPA set, downloaded successfully and kept together.
- A target web directory that can be emptied or overwritten intentionally.
- Server access for uploading files and, after extraction, a browser URL that can run PHP.
- Database credentials for the destination: host, database name, username and password.
- A PHP and Joomla environment compatible with the backed-up site and its extensions. Check the backup’s requirements rather than assuming that the newest server is compatible.
- A copy of any existing target site and database if there is anything you may need to recover.
- The matching
kickstart.phpscript. Upload it with the archive; do not extract the JPA on your desktop first unless you are deliberately using a local extraction fallback.
For a replacement server, create the web directory and database first. For staging or local work, a Joomla-capable environment such as MAMP, WAMPServer or XAMPP can be used if it meets the backup’s PHP and filesystem requirements. Record the eventual domain, subdirectory and temporary-directory paths because ANGIE will ask for them.
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Step 1: Collect and verify the archive set
- Locate every file with the backup’s base name. Include
.j01,.j02and all subsequent numbered files, plus the.jpafile. - Check that remote downloads completed rather than leaving a zero-byte or partial segment. If the storage service provides a size or checksum, compare it with the value recorded when the backup was created.
- Keep the names and capitalization unchanged. Do not unzip, recompress, concatenate or selectively omit a part.
- Place the files in one folder while you prepare the destination. This makes it easier to verify that the same complete set is uploaded.
Kickstart identifies the archive by its filenames. A changed extension, a different base name or a missing middle segment can prevent detection even when the data itself is intact.
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- Choose the destination document root or a temporary subdirectory. If an old Joomla installation is there, take a full copy before allowing an overwrite.
- Create the destination database and user, or obtain credentials for an existing database that can be safely replaced. Note the database host, name, username and password exactly as supplied by the host.
- Make sure the PHP process can write to the destination directory and its subdirectories. Ownership and permissions that block PHP are the main reason a direct extraction fails.
- Upload
kickstart.phpand every archive part into that same directory. Do not place the numbered files in a separate folder. - Confirm that the files are accessible through the intended hostname or temporary URL. Avoid beginning with a public production URL if you are still validating the copy.
The archive itself contains the Joomla files and database export; you do not need to install a fresh Joomla copy first. A clean directory is preferable because leftover files can conflict with the restored version.
Step 3: Extract the archive with Kickstart
Browser extraction
- Open the destination URL followed by
/kickstart.php, for examplehttps://example.test/kickstart.php. - Let Kickstart detect the archive. Select the detected JPA (or JPS) set and, for an encrypted JPS, enter its case-sensitive password.
- Choose an extraction method and review any file-pattern options before starting.
- Start extraction and watch the progress until Kickstart reports completion. Large archives can take time; do not delete a part or close the process halfway through.
- Use the link offered at the end of extraction to launch the restoration script included in the archive.
Extraction methods
| Method | Use it when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Direct | The web process can create and modify files in the destination. | Normally the fastest route, but it stops on permission or ownership errors. |
| FTP | PHP cannot write files directly, but an FTP account can. | Usually slower and requires FTP connection details. |
| Hybrid | Some paths are writable directly and others require FTP. | Kickstart switches methods as needed; configuration is more involved than Direct mode. |
If you need only a subset of files, use Kickstart’s selective file-pattern extraction rather than unpacking the entire archive. This is useful for retrieving a media folder or a specific extension, but it does not by itself restore a working Joomla site and database.
What successful extraction means
At this point the archive’s files have been written to the destination. The site is not restored yet: the database has not been imported and the Joomla configuration has not been finalized. Continue to ANGIE instead of browsing the partially extracted site.
Command-line extraction
On a server or local machine with PHP available, Kickstart can be invoked from a shell:
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php kickstart.php archive.jpa
php kickstart.php archive.jpa /extract/toReplace archive.jpa with the real filename and /extract/to with the destination path. Keep all multipart files in the same directory so Kickstart can follow the sequence.
The command-line mode extracts files only. It does not run ANGIE, import the database or complete the Joomla setup. After the command finishes, open the extracted site’s restoration entry point in a browser and complete the wizard there. A command that exits successfully while the site still shows an installation or database error is therefore expected until ANGIE has run.
Step 4: Run ANGIE and restore the database
When Kickstart finishes, follow its restoration link. The included script is commonly called ANGIE. It reads the database export from the backup and guides you through rebuilding the Joomla installation.
Enter destination database details
Provide the target database host, database name, username and password. These are the destination values, not necessarily the credentials used by the original server. If the host uses a non-default database port or socket, enter the value supplied by that host.
ANGIE may offer options for handling an existing database. Select the option appropriate for a deliberately disposable target, and stop if the selected database contains information that must be preserved.
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Set URL and filesystem paths
Review the destination URL, document-root path and temporary path. If the site is moving to a new domain, protocol or subdirectory, replace the old values during this stage. A wrong path can produce missing styles, broken media or administrator redirects even when the database import succeeds.
Apply file and configuration choices
Accept permission and configuration settings that match the target server. Do not blindly copy ownership or permission assumptions from the old host when the new host runs PHP under a different account. Let the wizard write the restored configuration, then finish the installation prompts.
Complete the wizard
Wait for the database import and configuration steps to finish. Use the final administrator URL and the credentials represented by the restored site, then confirm that the front end loads before changing extensions or templates.
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Step 5: Validate and secure the restored site
Functional checks
- Open several front-end pages and confirm that CSS, JavaScript and images load.
- Sign in to the administrator area and open the system information and extension screens.
- Check media folders, templates, language files and any custom code that the site depends on.
- Trigger a representative form, contact message or email notification if the site uses one.
- Review scheduled tasks, cron jobs, cache settings and third-party API credentials; these often contain host-specific paths or secrets.
- Test links after a domain or directory move and clear Joomla and server caches if old paths remain.
Remove restoration material
After the site is verified, remove or protect kickstart.php, every uploaded archive part and any temporary restoration files. Leaving them in a web-accessible directory can expose the complete site backup or allow another person to start the restoration process. Keep an offline copy of the archive according to your retention policy, but do not leave it downloadable from the document root.
Why Kickstart says the archive is corrupt
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| The archive is not detected | A part is in another directory, has been renamed, or the base names do not match. | Put the unchanged complete set beside kickstart.php and refresh the page. |
| Extraction stops partway through | A numbered segment is missing or incomplete, or the transfer was interrupted. | Re-download the affected set, verify file sizes, upload it again and restart extraction. |
| Permission or unwritable-file errors | The PHP process cannot create or modify files in the target. | Correct ownership and permissions, or retry with FTP or Hybrid mode. |
| Only selected files are wanted | A full restoration is unnecessary. | Use file-pattern extraction, then copy or inspect the selected files without treating that result as a restored site. |
| CLI extraction completed but Joomla is not running | CLI Kickstart performs extraction only. | Open the extracted restoration script in a browser and complete ANGIE. |
| The restored site redirects to the old domain | Old URL or path values remain in the restoration configuration or Joomla settings. | Review ANGIE’s URL and path fields, then inspect Joomla configuration and clear caches. |
| A JPS archive requests a password | The archive is encrypted. | Enter the exact case-sensitive password supplied by the backup creator. |
When direct extraction cannot be made writable
Do not repeatedly retry Direct mode against a directory whose ownership is wrong. Either change the server’s ownership and permissions using the host’s documented method, select FTP or Hybrid mode in Kickstart, or extract on a machine where you control the filesystem and upload the resulting files. The latter still requires ANGIE and the destination database steps.
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Choosing a restoration route
| Route | Extraction location | Full restoration wizard | Multipart handling | Permission fallback | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kickstart in a browser | Target server | Yes; continue to ANGIE after extraction | Reads the complete set in sequence | Direct, FTP or Hybrid | Most normal server-to-server restores |
| Kickstart command line | Server or local machine | No; ANGIE must be opened separately | Requires all parts together | Controlled by local/server filesystem permissions | Automated or shell-based extraction |
| Local extraction then upload | Desktop or local server | Not during extraction; run the restoration script afterward | Requires the complete set before extraction | Avoids restrictive web-process permissions | Hosts that block PHP writes or FTP extraction |
All three routes restore the same kind of backup. The difference is where files are unpacked and how you solve filesystem permissions; none turns the JPA into a normal ZIP archive or removes the database-restoration stage.
Moving a site to a new domain, directory or server
A backup can be restored to a different host, but the destination environment must still satisfy the Joomla and extension requirements represented by the backup. During ANGIE, set the new URL and filesystem paths instead of leaving the old server’s values. Afterward, test both the public site and administrator login before switching DNS.
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If the new site is in a subdirectory, include that directory in the URL and path values. If the move changes HTTPS termination, proxy configuration or email delivery, treat those as separate environment settings and verify them after restoration; the archive cannot know every property of the new infrastructure.
Safe recovery checklist
- Have every archive part and the matching
kickstart.php. - Preserve original names and keep all parts in one directory.
- Use an empty or intentionally disposable target, with a backup of anything valuable.
- Prepare compatible PHP/Joomla hosting and destination database credentials.
- Try Direct extraction first when PHP can write; use FTP or Hybrid when it cannot.
- Remember that extraction is only phase one; ANGIE must import the database and write the final configuration.
- Set new URL and path values during restoration when changing domains or directories.
- Test front end, administrator, media, extensions, tasks and email.
- Delete or protect Kickstart, archive parts and temporary restoration files after success.
Frequently encountered questions
Can I open a JPA with a regular unzip program?
Not for a complete Joomla recovery. Use Kickstart to extract the Akeeba package and ANGIE to restore its database and configuration.
Do I need every J01 and J02 file?
Yes. Numbered files are segments of one multipart archive; omitting any required segment prevents reliable extraction.
Will restoration merge with my current Joomla site?
No. It overwrites the target installation and database. Restore into an empty or disposable destination unless replacing the current site is intentional.
Why does the command-line version not show a database wizard?
CLI Kickstart is an extractor only. Launch the restoration script in a browser after extraction to run ANGIE.
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