Converting an addon domain to a standalone cPanel account gives you full control over that domain's resources, including dedicated databases, FTP accounts, and SSH access. This process creates a new account while copying your addon domain's files and settings, allowing you to manage the domain independently with its own control panel.
OBHost users with proper permissions can perform this conversion through the cPanel interface, though it requires careful preparation and adequate disk space to complete successfully.
What You Need Before Converting an Addon Domain
Before you begin the conversion process, you must meet several important requirements:
- Proper permissions: You need the rearrange-accts access control list (ACL) permission to convert addon domains. Contact your hosting provider if you're unsure about your permissions.
- Sufficient disk space: The conversion process temporarily requires triple the amount of space that the addon domain currently uses. This is because the original data remains on the source account until you manually remove it after conversion.
- Backup your data: Always create a complete backup of the original account that owns the addon domain before starting the conversion process.
- Remove subdomains: Delete all subdomains associated with the addon domain before converting it. If subdomains remain, the conversion will fail.
How to Convert Your Addon Domain to a Full Account
Follow these steps to convert your addon domain into a standalone cPanel account:
Step 1: Select the Addon Domain
Navigate to the Convert Addon Domain interface in your control panel. You'll see a list of all available addon domains and their current owners. Use the search box to quickly find the specific domain you want to convert.
Click the Convert button in the Actions column next to the addon domain you want to convert. This opens the conversion configuration interface.
Step 2: Configure Account Settings
In the Account Settings section, configure the basic information for your new account:
- Username: The system automatically generates a username based on the addon domain name, but you can customize it if needed.
- Contact Email: Enter the primary email address where you want to receive notifications about this account.
- Package: Select a hosting package for the new account. This determines resource limits like disk space and bandwidth.
- Preserve Account Ownership: If you're a reseller, enable this option to ensure the new account remains under the same reseller account that owned the addon domain.
Step 3: Review Selection Details
The Selection Details section shows which items will be copied during the conversion:
Website Configuration: This includes your website files from the addon domain's document root and VirtualHost configuration files. Enable this option to copy all website content to the new account.
Email Accounts: Select which email accounts associated with the addon domain should be transferred to the new account.
Databases: Choose which databases to copy to the new account. Remember that database names may change based on the new account's username.
SSL Certificates: Decide whether to copy SSL certificates installed for the addon domain to the new account.
Step 4: Complete the Conversion
After configuring all settings, click the button to start the conversion process. The system will create the new account and copy the selected data. This may take several minutes depending on the amount of data being transferred.
Once the conversion completes successfully, you'll receive confirmation and can access the new account using its own cPanel login credentials.
What Happens After Conversion
After successfully converting your addon domain to a full account, you need to perform several cleanup tasks:
Remove duplicate data: The original addon domain's files and data remain on the source account after conversion. You must manually delete this data from the original account to free up disk space and avoid unnecessary storage charges.
Update DNS if needed: In most cases, DNS settings remain functional after conversion. However, verify that your domain resolves correctly to the new account.
Test the new account: Log into the new cPanel account and verify that all files, databases, and email accounts transferred correctly.
Update application configurations: If you use content management systems or other applications, update database connection strings and file paths to reflect the new account structure.
Common Issues and Solutions
If you encounter problems during the conversion process, these solutions may help:
Conversion fails immediately: Check that you've deleted all subdomains of the addon domain. Even one remaining subdomain will cause the conversion to fail.
Insufficient disk space error: Free up space on your server or upgrade your hosting plan. Remember, you need approximately three times the addon domain's current size in available disk space.
Email accounts not working: Verify that email accounts were selected during the conversion process and update any email client configurations with the new account's server details.
Database connection errors: Database names change during conversion to include the new username prefix. Update your application configuration files with the new database names and credentials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I convert an addon domain back to an addon domain after making it a separate account?
No, once you convert an addon domain to a standalone account, you cannot automatically reverse the process. If you need to move the domain back, you would need to add it as an addon domain again and manually transfer the files and data.
Will my website experience downtime during the conversion?
The website may experience brief periods of downtime during the conversion process. To minimize impact, perform the conversion during low-traffic hours. The actual downtime is typically just a few minutes while DNS propagates.
Do I need to change my domain's nameservers after conversion?
No, you typically don't need to change nameservers unless you're moving to a different hosting provider. The domain will continue working on the same server but under its own dedicated account.
What happens to email accounts during the conversion process?
Email accounts associated with the addon domain can be transferred to the new account during conversion. Select the email accounts you want to move in the Selection Details section. After conversion, update email client settings with the new account's credentials.
How long does the conversion process take?
The conversion time depends on the amount of data being transferred. Small websites may convert in just a few minutes, while larger sites with many files and databases could take 30 minutes or longer. The system will notify you when the process completes.
For assistance with converting addon domains or questions about your hosting account, OBHost's support team is available 24/7. Visit our contact page or email support@obhost.org for help with your conversion.
