# Questions about using ipfs

**URL:** <https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/questions-about-using-ipfs/4603>\
**Category:** Help\
**Tags:** ipfs-cluster\
**Created:** [January 3, 2019, 12:07pm UTC](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/questions-about-using-ipfs/4603 "2019-01-03T12:07:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![leerspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@leerspace](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/u/leerspace)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 12:25pm UTC](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/questions-about-using-ipfs/4603/2 "2019-01-03T12:25:44Z")

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> [@xiaoqge](#):
>
> I need to migrate an IPFS server now. What do I need to copy? Is the copy ~/.ipfs directory?

Yes. See this thread for more details:

> [@Migrate from old IPFS server to new](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/migrate-from-old-ipfs-server-to-new/4568):
>
> Hello. I have up running website which is serving music from ipfs. I want to install new ipfs server and migrate all data (music files) from old server to new. How can I do that? Thank you in advance

> [@xiaoqge](#):
>
> If my local node hard drive is damaged, can I get my previous data from the public gateway [Ipfs.io](http://Ipfs.io) to restore it? The document says that if a file is not accessed for a long time, there may be no node cache for this file. Does that mean it is lost?

If your hard drive is damaged and no other nodes can provide it (from having it cached or pinned), then that data is _probably_ lost; though the loss might be temporary if there’s a node that can provide the content that is periodically online or someone adds the content to IPFS again.

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_[View the full topic](https://discuss.ipfs.tech/t/questions-about-using-ipfs/4603)._