How do I make a hosting account an addon hosting on another hosting account?

In this tutorial, we will guide you through migrating the hosting of accountA and adding it as an addon to the hosting of accountB.

Note: accountA and accountB are the respective cPanel usernames for the hosting accounts.

Before You Proceed

These steps do not include email migrations in cPanel. Before proceeding, ensure you do one of the following:

• Archive each email account using Outlook, OR
• Set up email accounts with IMAP so a copy of your emails is downloaded to Outlook.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Backup Hosting AccountA

1. Log into the hosting accountA’s cPanel.
2. Search for Backup and click Download a Full Account Backup.
3. Once the backup file is created, right-click and download it to your local system.

Step 2: Request Termination of Hosting for AccountA

1. Contact support by sending an email to [email protected] requesting the termination of hosting for accountA.
2. This is necessary to prevent conflicts when adding accountA as an addon on accountB.

Step 3: Create an Addon Domain on AccountB

1. Log in to accountB’s cPanel.
2. Search for Addon Domains.
3. Create an addon domain using the domain name associated with accountA.
4. Click here to learn more about creating addon domains.

Step 4: Upload the Backup File to AccountB

1. In the Addon Domains section, locate the addon’s directory (/public_html/domain.com).
2. Upload the backup file from accountA into this directory using the Upload button in cPanel.
3. Alternatively, use FileZilla to transfer the backup file.

Step 5: Extract and Move Files

1. Once the file is uploaded, right-click and select Extract.
2. Copy the contents from accountA/homedir/public_html into the addon directory /public_html/domain.com.

Step 6: Restore Database

1. Navigate to the extracted backup folder (accountA/) and locate the MySQL folder.
2. Download the .sql database file to your local system.
3. In accountB’s cPanel, search for MySQL Databases.
4. Create a new database, database user, and assign the user to the database with the correct password.
5. Go to phpMyAdmin and select Import.
6. Choose the downloaded .sql file and click Go to upload it.

Step 7: Verify Database Import

1. Check that all database tables are imported correctly.
2. Ensure the database name, user, and password match the configuration in your website’s files.

Step 8: Update Database Configuration

Modify your website’s configuration file to match the new database details.

Step 9: Verify Website Functionality

1. Load your website in a browser to ensure everything is working properly.
2. Check for broken links or missing content.

Step 10: Recreate Email Accounts on AccountB

1. Recreate the email accounts that existed on accountA in accountB.
2. Configure email clients like Outlook using IMAP.
3. Ensure the settings are configured to keep a copy on the server and Outlook.
4. Click here to learn how to create email accounts for an addon domain.

Final Thoughts

Following these steps ensures a smooth migration of hosting from accountA to accountB. If you experience issues, contact your hosting provider for support. Happy hosting!