Important: Upgrade your DirectAdmin to ensure compatibility with our new licensing system

Everyone is being too polite here. I've used DirectAdmin for longer than I can remember without actually looking it up.

A lot changed with DirectAdmin over the past years, not sure when it all happened, but I think it's when they went to the monthly support payment requirements. They stopped answering tech support questions via email and now I have to log in and submit a support request and the new support techs don't speak English very well and do not usually answer the questions that I ask and I end up having to ask up to 5-10 times then having to email sales to get the answer. The new support is some of the worst I've ever experienced in over 25 years in the tech business. The old support was glorious, just a human being answering an email and even offering to log into my server to fix it for free. Then one day it all changed.

Luckily my company went out of business a while ago and I only host my own sites and just a few customers who don't even care.

I was having an active email dialog with [email protected] up until December 30, 2021 about transfering my data from an EOL operating system to a new server. Then I had to move.

I never saw anything about being locked out of my own server control panel until today when I tried to log in to check something and found that I was locked out and the manual license installation didn't work. Then found this message.

What you are seeing here is a company that I suspect is on it's way out trying to hang on to life for a bit more. My data center won't support DirectAdmin but I beg them to do it to get away from per domain fees since I own a large domain name portfolio in the many thousands of domains that are just parked. So cPanel won't work for me.

I was never told that there was a new licensing system and I never saw a message saying I'd be locked out. The supported OS page changed suddenly recently as well without notice. Why doesn't DirectAdmin send emails to it's customers?

Anyway, it doesn't really hurt me being locked out because it's only my own websites hosted and a few customers hosting sites they probably forgot about anyway and I was already planning to move to a new server anyway.

It's just about the most unprofessional thing I've ever seen rushing a shut down of people's computers and forcing them to upgrade like this. If people want to run a Commodore 64 then they should be able to do it. It's none of your business what operating system that I run. I've read this forum post and there are too many people who think that what I do with my computers is any of their business. Buzz off. This is all too typical of dying and obsolete software, full of eccentric weirdos telling people what to do. So typical.

In my last email with sales I even asked them if they had been sold because tech support and support had become so, so bad and they stopped supporting my operating system, and they went to paid monthly support... but they said that the company had not been sold. I was sure it was a different company because I no longer got nice emails with the answer, from someone at DA when I had a problem. Now I am told to open a support ticket where someone in eastern Europe will totally ignore my requests and questions. I've literally probably still got support tickets with questions that are unanswered from over a year ago.

I'll probably keep using DA just because it's cheaper for a lot of domains, but when I was ranked #1 for one of the main hosting keywords in Google I never had a customer say "Do you have DirectAdmin?" ... no, I lost customers for not having cPanel. cPanel is miles ahead of DA in almost every possible way but it's just too much for a closed down web hosting company who just hosts parked domains now, so I used this weird panel with cruel and sadistic eastern block tech support, that most customers don't want, called DirectAdmin.

Again, this is probably indication of a dying company, so people better make plans. I could be wrong however. We'll see.

Now I have to figure out how to transfer my sites over to a new server on a rushed schedule set by some jerk in eastern europe.
 
Now I have to figure out how to transfer my sites over to a new server on a rushed schedule set by some jerk in eastern europe.
I don't even respond or think about some western jerk using these terms, not even knowing what is going on.
Very rude and impolite, and being middel-aged, thinking that everything will keep the same and free everywhere. You're starting statement already shows you really don't have a clue on what's going on the past years in tech world, because everything and everybody is changing to monthly licenses.
And is CP better? Well yes, but you can't compare a Mercedes with a Ferrari. However, for using a Ferrari, you have to pay for a Ferrari.
So either pay that, or buzz of and get a cheaper panel, like Plesk or DA but don't expect things for free and like we could do 15 years ago, that time is past, especially for rude people.

Has DA made a mistake by using a too short period and maybe to not mail the customers about this issue that servers could stop working? Yes sure, no doubt about it.

The supported OS page changed suddenly recently as well without notice.
It only changed to be more clear which operating systems are still supported, and now the EOL dates are there too. DA has always been clear on how long they would support an OS.
As for FreeBSD, this is announce around half a year ago, but will.... if you never look at a support forum, don't blaim DA.
I hardly ever got a mail from CP either.

DA is not a dying company, they made mass changes to improve things for all the CP customers coming over had had tons of wishes, you probably missed that too. But we got lots of new features now too, also thanks to the "eastern jerks" as you call them, which do help on development.

Giving a negative criticism, is allowed, but it's rather despicable how you talk about the support crew.
Darn... now I did respond....
 
I'm new to DA and pay monthly, so I'm not keen on them spending a lot of time making sure DA will run on operating systems that are no longer supported by their creators.

If anything is going to kill this company, it's trying to please everyone.
 
I see you are upset. Fear and anger lead to the darkside ;)
I've used DirectAdmin for longer than I can remember
I haven't but that doesn't really matter.
A lot changed with DirectAdmin over the past years, not sure when it all happened
Yes a lot has changed. Some for the good. It happened when you weren't paying attention.
They stopped answering tech support questions via email and now I have to log in and submit a support request
Like all other companies.
the new support techs don't speak English very well
I don't either matter of fact.. I say Yall a lot..
offering to log into my server to fix it for free
Crazy Canadians.. I thought they were capitalist pigs like us Americans.
Then one day it all changed.
It all changed on this day Jun 27, 2019.
What you are seeing here is a company that I suspect is on it's way out trying to hang on to life for a bit more.
Its actually a growing company.. Finally. Since Cpanel went only for the super big guys and the one guy licensing.
I was having an active email dialog with [email protected] up until December 30, 2021 about transfering my data from an EOL operating system to a new server.
Why would you talk to sales about moving your server. Thats an admins job. Its not DA's job for sure.
My data center won't support DirectAdmin but I beg them to do it to. So cPanel won't work for me.
Change to a data center that will. They won't change because it is not really "your" data center. You don't own the data center.
Why doesn't DirectAdmin send emails to it's customers?
Now finally something worth saying. I have no idea why they don't email their customers. AWS transactional email is pennies. I totally agree they need to start sending emails to all the customers right now.
Anyway, it doesn't really hurt me being locked out because it's only my own websites hosted and a few customers hosting sites they probably forgot about anyway
Which is why you are posting such a long rant. Got it you are not hurt.:cool:
If people want to run a Commodore 64 then they should be able to do it. It's none of your business what operating system that I run.
Well here in America you can run whatever you want. It just might not work to well. No one asked you what OS you run. They only said if you want to run DA it needs to be supported.
Buzz off. This is all too typical of dying and obsolete software, full of eccentric weirdos telling people what to do.
I don't have to buzz off. I actually care about what happens to other people. I am not an eccentric weirdo. I am a regular human like the rest of people. Eccentric usually happens to people living way out in the woods under a rock and not paying attention....
when I was ranked #1
Some time narcissism gets in the way to..
I even asked them if they had been sold
Nope I haven't bought them yet but there have been rumors.
I am told to open a support ticket where someone in eastern Europe will totally ignore my requests and questions.
Well if you have a Lifetime license without a support contract they don't even have to answer. Maybe you are looking for free help? It is here on this forum but it comes from us eccentric weirdos that care.. Also there is nothing wrong with eastern Europe there's a lot of backbone over there. Maybe you missed the news to..
I used this weird panel with cruel and sadistic eastern block tech support
This is what makes the world a much harder place to live. They are not cruel and sadistic this is just arrogant and rude. If you can't be happy and friendly here please just leave. I can understand your mad but life changes. Get over it and move on. This kind of anger is not good for you.
As dad used to say "No body but a wet baby likes a change."
Again, this is probably indication of a dying company, so people better make plans. I could be wrong however. We'll see.
It just a business. If they close like all business do you just make a choice and move on. It doesn't matter if any off us are right or wrong.
I have to figure out how to transfer my sites over to a new server on a rushed schedule set by some jerk in eastern europe.
No you don't really you just need to be an admin and get it done.. Again calling people names isn't helping you.

I hope you get to feeling better.
 
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Please kindly recheck this hash value again => 1487dffa0a55c1685feb2ca851996f48c2faa6d5

tar zxf directadmin_1487dffa0a55c1685feb2ca851996f48c2faa6d5_linux_amd64.tar.gz -C /usr/local/directadmin/directadmin

tar: /usr/local/directadmin/directadmin: Cannot open: Not a directory

tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now

Error on Debian 8.1 , Please kindly help
 
Please kindly recheck this hash value again => 1487dffa0a55c1685feb2ca851996f48c2faa6d5

Here is how to find the hash. The hash changes so the Hash today wont be the hash after..
Make sure the os version is correct.

in your case its debian8
 
Last edited:
Change from
tar xzf "/root/${FILE}" -C /usr/local/directadmin/directadmin
To
tar xzf "/root/${FILE}" -C /usr/local/directadmin

Worked now : )
 
We'd like to announce that we're shutting down our old licensing infrastructure. Our more advanced key-based system has been operating for months already, and we are now ready to formalize this system as the future of DirectAdmin licensing.

If you are running any of our last three releases (1.63.4 / 1.63.5 / 1.63.6) then there is nothing you need to do. If you are running an older version, please upgrade your DirectAdmin in the control panel or manually. If you are unsure of your version, you can view it in the "Licensing / Updates" section of the control panel.

If you are using an operating system that has reached end-of life long ago, there may be no 1.63.0+ binaries available to you, and the upgrade procedures will fail. Upgrading your operating system to one we support is the only solution.

Please note: 1.63.X binares are available on CentOS 6 and Debian 8.

We request that you update your DirectAdmin version by the 31st of January, 2022 to avoid any licensing errors in your panel.
 
We'd like to announce that we're shutting down our old licensing infrastructure. Our more advanced key-based system has been operating for months already, and we are now ready to formalize this system as the future of DirectAdmin licensing.

If you are running any of our last three releases (1.63.4 / 1.63.5 / 1.63.6) then there is nothing you need to do. If you are running an older version, please upgrade your DirectAdmin in the control panel or manually. If you are unsure of your version, you can view it in the "Licensing / Updates" section of the control panel.

If you are using an operating system that has reached end-of life long ago, there may be no 1.63.0+ binaries available to you, and the upgrade procedures will fail. Upgrading your operating system to one we support is the only solution.

Please note: 1.63.X binares are available on CentOS 6 and Debian 8.

We request that you update your DirectAdmin version by the 31st of January, 2022 to avoid any licensing errors in your panel.
I had 1.62.8 and was upgraded to 1.63.8. DirectAdmin still gave license error. I reset my lifetime license and we still get an error. What could be the problem?

Apr 03 09:07:36 server.mydomain.com directadmin[53360]: 2022/04/03 09:07:36 info Migrations done, active connection open
Apr 03 09:07:36 server.mydomain.com directadmin[53360]: 2022/04/03 09:07:36 error licence: unable to create session error=transient lic>
Apr 03 09:09:06 server.mydomain.com systemd[1]: directadmin.service: start operation timed out. Terminating.
Apr 03 09:09:06 server.mydomain.com systemd[1]: directadmin.service: Failed with result 'timeout'.
Apr 03 09:09:06 server.mydomain.com systemd[1]: Failed to start DirectAdmin Web Control Panel.
 
I was unaware of this licensing switch as my DA is included with my server price and am now locked out of my directadmin server.

You have no way of authorizing a temporary license the original way to a server ip that's been licensed for years, so that people who are locked out of their servers because they did not know about this switch can update their DA?

Otherwise I will have to have someone at the datacenter physically access the server to upgrade DA, which is completely ridiculous in this day and age, seriously.
 
I wish we would have received an email about the licensing. I see they advised everyone here in the forum, but I don't usually visit the forum. I am very thankful they assisted me, so I recommend contacting support.
 
Otherwise I will have to have someone at the datacenter physically access the server to upgrade DA
Why? if you have SSH to your server you can do it by your self
As long your OS is not EOL or 32 bits (even Centos6 64 bits works) just fire the upgrade commands in your console and you are fine
 
Why? if you have SSH to your server you can do it by your self
As long your OS is not EOL or 32 bits (even Centos6 64 bits works) just fire the upgrade commands in your console and you are fine
Security. I can't SSH in until allowing it through DA.

I never thought I'd be locked out of something I'm paying for, this is such BS, I'm pissed.

So now I have to give up all my login info to the datacenter so they can physically access the server to upgrade DA? Really? That is my only option?
 
Security. I can't SSH in until allowing it through DA.
What do you mean? Your SSH is blocked by DA ? never heard about it, you are the root of your own server right ?
Or do you have some kind if firewall running that only let some IP in SSH ?
Some providers allows you to login trough VNC or similar program if you cant access by SSH.
Contact your provider about this, and what kind of credentials do you have now ?
 
never heard about it, you are the root of your own server right ?
Well.... I had this once too. The default install of the OS prohibited direct root login via SSH. As far as I know Debian and/or Ubuntu does this by default.
So you have to login as admin and then su to root.
However, admin was not in the allowedusers in the ssh config, which caused a refusal to root as well as admin, so shortly said, nobody could connect via SSH.
Once I discovered this, I changed the ssh config by loggin in to DA and changing it via DA. Since then I always check the root permission in the config and enable it if it's not. I'm using keys anyway.
However, lots of people just change this to disabled or keep it disabled so no direct root access is allowed, which is advised on various sites.
So yes... this way you also can get into trouble. Which is why permitting root access with ssh keys (and disable password access) is better than disabling direct root access.

However.... if this is the case with FDP... he has 3 options like you already stated one.
1.) He needs to get into Directadmin some way
2.) Request a KVM session (or VNC or something liket that) via provider/datacenter
3.) Somebody has to fysically change it for him in the datacenter by loggin in. (remote hands).
 
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