Download a Protected Folder as ZIP and Understand the ZipArchive Requirement

This article explains protected-folder ZIP download behavior and why PHP ZipArchive must be available for folder packaging even though other QCSB recovery workflows can operate without it.

What you need to know

  • Basic includes Local storage and the first active Workspace. Pro adds FTP/SFTP, multiple Workspaces, advanced permissions, and background continuation. Max/All Access adds Google Drive, OneDrive, Private Connections, Recovery Vault management, and bulk operations.
  • A plan gate decides whether a feature exists at the current Effective tier. Joomla access and QCSB permission rules separately decide whether a particular user may use that feature.
  • Recovery protection is a safety boundary for destructive operations and is separate from Max/All Access Recovery Vault management. QCSB may create protected copies even when the current user cannot open the management UI.
  • Delete, replace/overwrite, and destructive move are blocked when the required protected copy cannot be created and verified.

How to do it

  1. Confirm PHP ZipArchive is available; QCSB Status reports Recovery folder ZIP readiness.
  2. Open the Recovery Vault and click Download for the protected folder.
  3. QCSB packages the protected folder as a ZIP and streams it to the browser.
  4. If ZipArchive is unavailable, install/enable the PHP ZIP extension rather than expecting folder download to fall back to an unsafe raw directory exposure.
  5. Extract the downloaded ZIP outside production and verify the expected files before relying on it as the recovery copy you need.

Verify the result

  • The Recovery item/state matches the action you performed.
  • A restored/downloaded item matches the expected content and destination.
  • Purge/cleanup does not erase the historical audit trail.

Troubleshooting

  • If a file action fails, retry with one small test item and read Transfer Details or the operation toast before changing global settings.
  • If a destructive action is blocked because recovery protection failed, repair recovery storage/capacity first; do not bypass the protection boundary.

Community Discussion

For practical QCSB workflows and discussion with other Joomla site owners, visit the QC Storage Bridge Community. For private support, bug reports, account-specific entitlement issues, or feature requests, use the QuantaCade support system.