Find Large Files and Inodes on cPanel/WHM Servers

admin

2 years ago

cPanel WHM Linux server storage report showing large files inode hot spots and Help4 Network Bash script output

The Help4Network large file and inode checker is now documented around the current v1.7.0 source release on GitHub. This is still a command-line tool today, but it is being shaped as the foundation for a full WHM/cPanel plugin so hosting admins can review account storage pressure faster and cleaner from the panel.

The public repository is Help4Network/find_large_files_and_inodes on GitHub. The current public script also remains available from Fix I.T. Phill at https://fixitphill.com/scripts/find_large_files_and_inodes.sh.

What the v1.7.0 tool does

Scans cPanel account home directories instead of wandering through noisy virtual paths.
Classifies accounts as GOOD / CHECK / BAD using disk, inode, and large-file thresholds.
Shows account disk usage and account inode usage.
Shows filesystem inode pool usage for the account path.
Lists top files over the configured size threshold.
Lists top inode-heavy directories for accounts that need attention.
Saves the final output to a timestamped TXT report.
Offers to email the report through the server’s local WHM/cPanel mail system when running interactively.

The script is intentionally report-first. It does not delete customer files for you. That is a good thing. Disk cleanup on hosting servers should be reviewed before removal, especially when backups, mail, cache, session data, application uploads, and customer media are involved.

Download, inspect, then run

For servers you care about, download the file, inspect it, confirm the version, and then run it. Avoid piping remote scripts straight into a shell on production systems unless you have a very controlled process.

curl -fsSLO https://fixitphill.com/scripts/find_large_files_and_inodes.sh
grep '^VERSION=' find_large_files_and_inodes.sh
bash -n find_large_files_and_inodes.sh
chmod 700 find_large_files_and_inodes.sh
sudo ./find_large_files_and_inodes.sh

The current script should report VERSION="1.7.0". If your cached copy shows an older version, download it again or check the GitHub source.

Useful run options

sudo TOP_FILES=5 LARGE_FILE_MB=250 ./find_large_files_and_inodes.sh
sudo REPORT_DIR=/root ./find_large_files_and_inodes.sh
sudo REPORT_FILE=/root/customer-storage-review.txt ./find_large_files_and_inodes.sh

These environment overrides let you tune the report without editing the script. For example, a small shared-hosting server may care about files over 100 MB, while a media-heavy server may need a higher threshold to avoid noise.

How to read GOOD / CHECK / BAD

GOOD: no large files over the configured threshold and account usage is under the normal limits.
CHECK: something is worth reviewing, but it may be normal for that customer or workload.
BAD: disk or inode use is high enough to deserve prompt admin attention.

Do not treat BAD as permission to delete. Treat it as a triage flag. Review the path, account owner, site purpose, backup status, and modification dates before making cleanup decisions.

Common places to review carefully

Old full-account backups left inside a cPanel account.
Softaculous or application installer backups.
Large log files from broken cron jobs or application loops.
Email mailboxes with years of attachments.
Cache directories that are safe to clear through the application or panel.
Upload folders full of temporary import files.
WordPress sites with runaway thumbnail generation or old staging copies.

Plugin roadmap

The next step is turning this into a full WHM/cPanel plugin. The command-line report is the foundation; the panel plugin can add the admin interface around it.

WHM navigation entry for storage and inode review.
Per-account scan controls with clear status labels.
Scheduled reports for hosting admins.
Email or ticket-friendly report delivery.
Safer defaults for shared hosting and CloudLinux-style environments.
Permission boundaries so the UI does not become a reckless file manager.
Version and update checks against the Help4Network GitHub source.

That plugin direction matters because inode pressure is one of those hosting problems customers rarely understand until email, uploads, backups, or WordPress updates start failing. A clear WHM view can turn a messy ticket into a guided cleanup conversation.

Commercial and customer-report note

The script header includes Help4Network credit terms. End users can use it freely. Commercial/customer use requires visible credit to remain in redistributed copies, derived reports, or customer-facing output. Do not strip those notices if you use the tool in a hosting support workflow.