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Delete Data on your Ultra service

This guide explains how to identify and permanently delete files and directories from your Ultra service using SSH, NCDU, Midnight Commander, FileBrowser, SFTP/FTPS, or a mapped network drive.

We do not keep user-accessible backups of files deleted from an active service. Deleted data cannot normally be recovered. Verify each path and keep your own backup of important data before proceeding.

Each Ultra service has a storage limit. If you reach that limit, your web server and applications may go offline. SSH, SFTP, and FTPS will remain available so that you can remove data.

After freeing space, restart or repair the web server and affected applications from the User Control Panel (UCP). Keep at least 10 GB free to reduce the risk of application crashes and 502 Bad Gateway errors.

To increase your storage allocation, move to an eligible higher-tier plan by following the Upgrade or Downgrade Your Service guide.

Prerequisites

Confirm that the data is no longer needed or has been backed up.
Set your SSH/FTP password:

Open your service in the User Control Panel.
Click Connect.
Open the Connect tab.
Click Change password beside SSH access.

To use SSH, follow the Connect to Your Ultra Slot via SSH guide.

Find Large Files and Directories

Before deleting data, use NCDU to identify which files and directories are using the most storage.
Connect to your service through SSH.
Scan your home directory:

ncdu -x --si ~/

Use the arrow keys to navigate.
Highlight a file or directory and press d to delete it.
Confirm the deletion when prompted.
Press q to exit NCDU.
The --si option displays values using decimal units, making the results easier to compare with the GB value displayed in the UCP.
For additional commands and exclusion options, see the NCDU guide.

Delete Data with SSH

Linux does not provide a system-wide recycle bin for files deleted through SSH. The rm command permanently removes the specified files.

Delete a File

Check the file and its path before deleting it:

ls -lah -- "$HOME/path/to/filename.mkv"

Delete the file:

rm -- "$HOME/path/to/filename.mkv"

Delete a Directory

The -r option recursively removes a directory and everything inside it.
Review the directory before deleting it:

ls -lah -- "$HOME/path/to/directory"

Delete the directory with a single confirmation prompt:

rm -rI -- "$HOME/path/to/directory"

To confirm every individual deletion instead, use:

rm -ri -- "$HOME/path/to/directory"

Delete Paths Containing Spaces

Quote $HOME and the remainder of the path together when the path contains spaces.
Delete a file containing spaces:

rm -- "$HOME/path/to/file with spaces.mkv"

Delete a directory containing spaces:

rm -rI -- "$HOME/path/to/directory with spaces"

Do not use a quoted tilde in a path such as "~/path/to/file". A tilde inside quotation marks does not expand to your home directory. Use "$HOME/path/to/file" instead.

Avoid adding the -f option unless you fully understand its effect. It suppresses confirmation prompts and can make an incorrect command considerably more destructive.

For more information about managing files through SSH, see Your Ultra Shell—A Beginner’s Guide.

Delete Data with Midnight Commander

Midnight Commander provides a two-pane terminal file manager.
Connect to your service through SSH.
Start Midnight Commander:

mc

Navigate to the file or directory you want to remove.
Press F8.
Confirm the deletion.
See the Midnight Commander guide for detailed usage instructions.

Delete Data with FileBrowser

FileBrowser provides a web interface for managing files in your home directory.
Install or open FileBrowser from the UCP.
Navigate to the file or directory you want to remove.
Select the item.
Click Delete.
Confirm the deletion.
See the FileBrowser guide for installation and usage instructions.

Delete Data with SFTP or FTPS

SFTP or FTPS is usually the easiest option if you prefer managing files through a graphical interface.
Configure an FTP client such as FileZilla by following the Connect to Your Ultra Slot with FTP guide.
Connect to your Ultra service.
In the remote file pane, navigate to the files or directories you want to remove.
Select the files or directories.
Press Delete on your keyboard.

You can also right-click the selected items and click Delete.

Review the selected paths and confirm the deletion.

Use the following connection details.

Connect with SFTP

Hostname: <servername>.usbx.me or your service IP address
Username: <your-ultra-username>
Password: <your-ssh/ftp-password>
Port: 22

Connect with Explicit FTPS

Hostname: <servername>.usbx.me or your service IP address
Username: <your-ultra-username>
Password: <your-ssh/ftp-password>
Port: 21
Encryption: Explicit FTPS

The remote file pane displays the files and directories stored on your Ultra service. Select the items you want to remove, then press Delete or use the right-click context menu.

Delete Data from a Network Drive

You can manage files from Windows File Explorer by mounting your Ultra service as a network drive.

Follow one of these guides to configure the network drive:

After mounting the service:

Open the mapped drive in Windows File Explorer.
Navigate to the file or directory you want to remove.
Select the item.
Press Delete.
Confirm the deletion if prompted.

Deleting data through a mapped network drive removes it from your Ultra service. Do not assume that Windows will retain a recoverable copy in the Recycle Bin.

Delete Torrent Data

When removing a torrent, verify whether the selected option removes only the torrent task or both the task and its downloaded data. The exact option name differs between torrent clients.

If your storage usage does not update after removing a torrent and its associated data:

Restart the torrent client.
Check your storage usage again.
Confirm that another hardlink to the data does not remain.

Check Storage Usage

Check your storage usage through the UCP or execute the following command through SSH:

quota -s

The command displays your storage allocation and current quota usage.

Do not rely on df to determine your personal remaining storage. It may report the free space of the underlying storage array instead of the storage allocation assigned to your account.

Compare GB and GiB

The UCP reports storage in GB, while many applications report storage in GiB.

1 GiB equals approximately 1.07374 GB.
50 GiB equals approximately 53.69 GB.

A difference caused by these units does not indicate missing storage.

Check Hardlinks

Sonarr, Radarr, and similar applications commonly use hardlinks. Two paths can refer to the same underlying data without consuming twice the storage.
Deleting one hardlink does not free the underlying data while another hardlink still exists. NCDU marks recognized hardlinked files with an H.

Check both of the following locations:

Your torrent download directory.
Your organized media directory.

If the same file exists as a hardlink in both locations, remove every unwanted link before expecting the underlying storage to be released.

Troubleshoot a Usage Mismatch

If the UCP or quota -s continues to report unexpectedly high usage:

Wait briefly and check the usage again.
Restart the torrent client if it recently deleted data.
Scan your home directory:

ncdu -x --si ~/

Check for remaining hardlinks.
Compare the data found by NCDU with the value reported by quota -s.
Restart or repair the affected applications after restoring sufficient free space.

If the quota remains inconsistent with the files in your home directory, open a support ticket and include the output of:

quota -s

If you require further assistance, you can open a support ticket here.

Delete Data on your Ultra service
Prerequisites
Find Large Files and Directories
Delete Data with SSH
Delete a File
Delete a Directory
Delete Paths Containing Spaces
Delete Data with Midnight Commander
Delete Data with FileBrowser
Delete Data with SFTP or FTPS
Connect with SFTP
Connect with Explicit FTPS
Delete Data from a Network Drive
Delete Torrent Data
Check Storage Usage
Compare GB and GiB
Check Hardlinks
Troubleshoot a Usage Mismatch