# Copy /etc/letsencrypt or regenerate to move?

**URL:** https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/copy-etc-letsencrypt-or-regenerate-to-move/141684
**Category:** Help
**Created:** [December 31, 2020, 7:51am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/copy-etc-letsencrypt-or-regenerate-to-move/141684 "2020-12-31T07:51:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
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### Author: ![sahsanu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/letsencrypt/user_avatar/community.letsencrypt.org/sahsanu/32/89984_2.png) [@sahsanu](https://community.letsencrypt.org/u/sahsanu)
#### Post date: [December 31, 2020, 9:32am UTC](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/copy-etc-letsencrypt-or-regenerate-to-move/141684/3 "2020-12-31T09:32:20Z")

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Hello @gilgongo,

> [@gilgongo](#):
>
> Most of the advice I can find assumes I have no existing certs on the target machine. But I could perhaps perform some kind of manual weaving in of certs, accounts and renewal confs [like this](https://community.letsencrypt.org/t/moving-and-merging-certs-from-server-a-to-b/19015/3). But I don't actually understand the advice given.

Basically you should copy **archive** , **live** , **renewal** and maybe **renewal-hooks** directories from your old server and merge them in new server. Keep in mind files in **live** dir are symlinks.

Once done you should modify the account parameter in the old renewal conf files to use the account being used in your new server.

Example:

**0.-** Backup `/etc/letsencrypt/` dir in both servers... just in case, you know 😉

In old server:  
`tar pzcvf /root/backup_etc_letsencrypt_old_server.tar.gz /etc/letsencrypt/`

In new server:  
`tar pzcvf /root/backup_etc_letsencrypt_new_server.tar.gz /etc/letsencrypt/`

**1.-** Take note of the account used to issue the certificates in old and new server.

Method 1  
`grep account /etc/letsencrypt/renewal/*`

Method 2  
`ls /etc/letsencrypt/accounts/acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/directory/`

I'm assuming your are using just 1 productive account.

So, lets say the account in old server is **abcdef0123456789abcdef0123456789** and the account in new server is **0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef**

**2.-** In old server tar the directories that you will move:  
`tar pzcvf /root/moving_le_old_server.tar.gz /etc/letsencrypt/{archive,live,renewal}`

If you are using some hooks for renewals tar also renewal-hooks dir:  
`tar pzcvf /root/moving_le_old_server.tar.gz /etc/letsencrypt/{archive,live,renewal,renewal-hooks}`

**3.-** Send the file `/root/moving_le_old_server.tar.gz` to the new server.

**4.-** In the new server untar the file.  
`tar pzxvf /root/moving_le_old_server.tar.gz -C /`

**5.-** Change the account in the renewal conf files copied from old server.  
`sed -i 's/abcdef0123456789abcdef0123456789/0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef/' /etc/letsencrypt/renewal/*`

And that should be all.

Use `certbot certificates` to see that all looks good and `certbot renew --dry-run` to check that the renew process won't have issues in a future.

**Note 1** : I assume you are using the same certbot versions on both servers or at least pretty close versions.

**Note 2** : As @JuergenAuer advised, double check all your certs won't expire in a few days and renew them if needed before the move (don't force the renewal or you could hit some rate limits).

Hope this helps.

Cheers,  
sahsanu

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