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Two-Part Install - For large sites

Split extraction and database import into two separate phases to handle large sites.

SL MigrationsUpdated 21 Oct 2026
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Two-Part Install

Use this for large sites (>5GB) or when the server has a short timeout (common on shared hosting). It splits the workflow into two phases: extract the archive yourself on the destination server, then run the installer in the browser in Manual Archive Extraction mode.

Note: this method uses a ZIP archive (built with the ZipArchive or Shell Exec engine, see Zip engines) and the server's own unzip command. The current SL Migrations build ships no command-line extraction tool for .daf files, so a DupArchive archive can only be extracted through installer.php.

Phase 1: Extract manually

On the destination server (you need SSH access), place installer.php and the .zip archive in the web root, then extract right in that folder:

unzip archive.zip

All contents of the package must be in the same folder as installer.php.

Benefit: extracting from the command line is not bound by the web server's max_execution_time or memory_limit.

Phase 2: Run the installer

After the files have been extracted, open:

https://example.com/installer.php

The installer finds the file dup-manual-extract__[HASH] (included in the package, inside the slm-installer folder), so it shows the notice "Manual extraction detected" and skips the extraction step by default. To extract again, switch to Advanced mode, under Options > Extraction Mode.

The rest is the same as Classic Install.

When to use it

  • Archive >2GB (PHP ZipArchive has limits in older builds)
  • Shared hosting with a timeout under 60 seconds
  • Destination server with low RAM (extracting through PHP on the web would run out of memory)
  • You want to watch extraction progress in a terminal

Common errors

  • Extraction stops midway: not enough disk_free_space. Check the free disk space.
  • Permission denied when extracting: see Fixing permissions.
  • The installer extracts everything again: check that the file dup-manual-extract__[HASH] exists in the slm-installer folder, or choose "Manual Archive Extraction" under Advanced > Options.

See also