WHM cPanel cheatsheet (configs, commands, fixes)

My handy reference page for common cPanel server commands and configurations.

License:

• /usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt – basically checks machine for valid WHM license and if it doesn’t exist, will activate for you.
  • Just be careful that you don’t null the license by activating it too many times. If the license fails from too many activations, you’ll have to write into customer support and wait for them to respond and reactivate your license.
  • You should also check that server hostname is correct before activating a license.
• Verify license /usr/local/cpanel/cpkeyclt --force – alternative method.
• Check license online https://verify.cpanel.net/app/verify – nice alternative to check license validity without wasting an activation.

PHP:

• Change PHP version – go to WHM > MultiPHP Manager
• Change PHP settings – go to WHM > MultiPHP INI Editor

Modules:

• Manage them use EasyApache or module install – check and uncheck the ones you want.
• Need to install imagick? ea-php74-pecl install imagick to install imagick for php 7.4.
• WP-CLI – yum install wp-cli -y to install, then yes | wp cli update to update
• /opt/cpanel/ea-php74/root/usr/bin/php -v checks if ioncube installed for php 7.4. yum install ea-php74-php-ioncube10.x86_64 -y installs it for php 7.4.
• redis object caching (install):
  • yum install epel-release enables EPEL yum repository (instead of regular one).
  • yum install -y redis installs the package, systemctl start redis starts the service, systemctl enable redis enables auto-start.
  • them log into WHM > Software > Module Installers > PHP PECL > choose PHP version > search “redis” and Install. Recommended to install on all PHP versions.
  • redis-cli ping verifies service and returns “PONG” when service is running/listening. It might take 30-60mins to show up on your application as enabled or available.

Disk management:

• /usr/local/cpanel/scripts/fixquotas – recheck disk quotas. Rescans all user accounts and shows the correct storage size used. Fixes the issue where user’s disk quota/usage aren’t showing correctly or updated immediately after changes.

Backups:

• /usr/local/cpanel/bin/backup --force – manually force WHM backups
• /scripts/pkgacct username – manually backup single account
• use /etc/cpbackup-exclude.conf (globally) or /home/user/cpbackup-exclude.conf (local) file to exclude items from backup

Security & Firewall:

• WP-cron triggering “suspicious process” warnings – can go to WHM > Plugins > ConfigServer & Security Firewall > edit Isf ignore file > put in the rules as per the template is section 8 of this official CSF suite. Reference links: 1, 2
• blocking countries from certain ports (list of country codes)
• Change FTP port
• Disabling ConfigServer & Firewall alert emails. (Run service lfd restart if changes don’t take.)

SSH:

• Is pass auth or SSH key auth not working? – go edit vi /etc/ssh/sshd_config to allow permitrootlogin and pub key authorization.

DNS:

• Flush DNS – rndc flush
• cat /etc/hosts – to see your hosts file. Good to make changes here if you’ve changed the server hostname.

Database:

• Copy database from one to another (in phpmyadmin).
• To get mysql root password cat /root/.my.cnf
• /etc/redis.conf redis configuration file
• MySQL databases page empty with The MySQL server is currently offline.
adminbin Cpanel/cpmysql/DBCACHE: exit 255" – try rebuilding user database map.

FTP:

• Is it not working? Not listing the files or showing some weird errors. Try see if it need to allow the Passive Port Range in your firewall. I had to do this after enabling ConfigServer Security & Firewall (CSF).

Random Issues or Website down:

• Check your processes to see if your CPU is completely overloaded. (WHM > Process Manager).
• Check your available disk space (WHM > Show Current Disk Usage).
• Check your email to see if any services are down. Restart them if needed.

Logs:

• Comprehensive list of common logs.

Features & Packages:

• /var/cpanel/features directory has config files of all your Feature Lists.
• /var/cpanel/packages directory has config files of all your packages. Can quickly copy and rename to create new account packages. (Or use the WHM transfer tool to copy packages across servers.)

LiteSpeed commands:

• change license key – echo "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY" > /usr/local/lsws/conf/serial.no
• update license – /usr/local/lsws/bin/lshttpd -r
• restart LiteSpeed – /usr/local/lsws/bin/lswsctrl restart
• reset LS console password – cd /usr/local/lsws/admin/misc navigates to LS directory, then run ./admpass.sh
• adding new PHP handlers via LS console – first add External App then Script Handlers. copying config from existing ones.

Un-common issues (and fixes)

• Can’t create/transfer new user account because of existing user data, check for cruft left behind by old users/domains /usr/local/cpanel/3rdparty/bin/perl <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CpanelInc/tech-acctinfo/master/acctinfo) domain.com --cruft (replace “domain.com” with your domain)…many places will be listed, check all carefully…you many have many entries under many hostnames, etc.
• Account transfers stuck on “receiving incremental file list”? Check out this guide.