Contents

• Overview
• Prerequisites
• Confirm the symptoms
• Why disabling GFIAgent stops the backup loss
• Disable GFIAgent
• Verify local backups remain in the folder
• If backups still disappear
• If Kerio Connect shows “Failed to unregister appliance.”
• Upgrade and re-enable GFIAgent only after verification

Overview

Use this article when a Kerio Connect 10.0.9 server reports that a backup completed successfully, but the backup ZIP named in the confirmation email is missing from the configured backup folder.

This issue is associated with the GFI AppManager integration path. When the affected server is registered in GFI AppManager and the local GFIAgent service is running, Kerio Connect 10.0.9 can hand the completed backup ZIP to AppManager-related backup handling. In the affected behavior, the local ZIP can then be removed even though Kerio Connect still reports a successful backup or names a local backup path.

The immediate workaround is to stop and disable GFIAgent on the affected server. That removes AppManager from the backup path, so Kerio Connect keeps the backup in the local target directory.

Important: Disabling GFIAgent disables GFI AppManager functionality for that Kerio Connect server. Use this workaround when retaining local backups is the priority and you do not want AppManager to handle backups for that server.

💡The issue has been reported to the Kerio Development team and a fix for it is planned for release with the 10.0.10 version; this article showcases a workaround to be applied until the fix becomes available.

Prerequisites

• Kerio Connect administration access for checking the backup configuration and running a manual backup.
• Operating-system administrator access on the Kerio Connect server so you can stop and disable the GFIAgent service.
• Access to the configured backup destination folder so you can confirm whether the ZIP file remains after the backup completes.
• A short maintenance window if your organization depends on GFI AppManager remote management, because disabling GFIAgent removes that integration while the service is disabled.

Confirm the symptoms

Before changing services, confirm that the issue matches the AppManager-related 10.0.9 backup behavior rather than normal backup rotation or a separate storage problem.

1. Confirm the affected server is running Kerio Connect 10.0.9. If the server is not on 10.0.9, do not assume this version-specific AppManager issue is the cause; use the evidence checklist in this article and contact GFI Support for analysis.
2. In Kerio Connect Administration, go to Configuration > Archiving and Backup > Backup.
3. Check the Target backup directory. Write down the exact path, for example C:\Kerio-BU\.
4. Check the Current status. The affected pattern is that Kerio Connect shows Last backup finished successfully.
5. Check the backup notification email. The affected pattern is that the email says Backup completed successfully and names a ZIP file in the target directory, for example C:\Kerio-BU\D20260405T070008Z.zip.
6. Open the target backup directory directly in the operating system. The affected pattern is that the directory is empty or the specific ZIP named in the email is missing.
7. If the AppManager settings page is available in Kerio Connect Administration, check whether the server is registered. The affected pattern is a registered AppManager state, such as Registered. You can manage this Kerio Connect in AppManager. If you cannot confirm the registration state, continue only if disabling AppManager integration is acceptable for this server.

Why this confirmation matters: Kerio Connect normally expects a successful backup to be visible in the target backup directory. Backup rotation can remove older differential backups, but it does not explain a newly completed backup email naming a ZIP that is already missing from the folder.

Tip: Kerio Connect backup ZIP names identify the backup type. F indicates a full backup, D indicates a differential backup, and C indicates a backup copy or manual backup.

Why disabling GFIAgent stops the backup loss

GFIAgent is the local service used by the GFI AppManager integration. When the server is registered in AppManager, that service is part of the path used for AppManager remote management, notification, and backup-related handling.

In Kerio Connect 10.0.9, the backup can be created locally and then passed into the AppManager/GFIAgent path. If that integration path removes the local file, the administrator sees a confusing result: Kerio Connect reports that the backup completed, but the local backup folder does not contain the ZIP.

Stopping and disabling GFIAgent prevents Kerio Connect from using that AppManager path. Kerio Connect then completes the backup as a local backup and leaves the ZIP in the target directory, provided the target directory itself is valid and writable.

Disable GFIAgent

Follow the steps for Disabling GFIAgent on Kerio Connect Server.

Verify local backups remain in the folder

1. Return to Kerio Connect Administration.
2. Go to Configuration > Archiving and Backup > Backup.
3. Click Start Now to run an immediate manual backup.
4. Wait until Kerio Connect reports Last backup finished successfully.
5. Open the configured target backup directory in the operating system.
6. Confirm that a new ZIP file appears in the folder and remains there after the backup completes. A manual backup may use a filename beginning with C, while scheduled differential and full backups use D and F.
7. Leave GFIAgent disabled until at least the next scheduled backup has completed, then verify that the scheduled backup ZIP also remains in the folder.

If both the manual backup and the next scheduled backup remain in the folder, the workaround has removed the AppManager backup path from the problem.

If backups still disappear

If backup ZIP files still disappear after GFIAgent is stopped and disabled, do not assume the same AppManager issue is still active. At that point, gather evidence for GFI Support because the remaining cause may be backup rotation, a storage problem, permissions, antivirus cleanup, or another backup failure.

Collect the following items before opening or updating the support ticket:

• Kerio Connect version and build.
• Operating system and version.
• Exact backup target directory.
• Screenshot of Configuration > Archiving and Backup > Backup showing the schedule, target directory, and current backup status.
• Screenshot of the target backup folder after the backup completes.
• The backup notification email, including the subject and the ZIP path named in the message.
• Error log entries covering the backup window.
• Agent log entries covering the same time window, if the server is or was registered in GFI AppManager.
• A screenshot of the AppManager settings page showing whether the server is registered.

You can view logs from Kerio Connect Administration by selecting the Logs icon and then selecting the log type. The default log directory is:

• Windows: C:\Program Files\Kerio\MailServer\store\logs
• macOS: /usr/local/kerio/mailserver/store/logs
• Linux: /opt/kerio/mailserver/store/logs

If you need to open a new case, use Reaching Support and Opening a New GFI Support Ticket and attach the evidence above.

If Kerio Connect shows “Failed to unregister appliance.”

You may see Failed to unregister appliance. when you try to remove the server from AppManager. Treat that as a separate AppManager registration problem.

For the immediate backup issue, do not rely on the failed unregister action. Stopping and disabling GFIAgent is the faster and safer workaround because it removes AppManager handling from the backup path without requiring the registration cleanup to succeed first.

After local backups are stable, repair the registration only if you still need GFI AppManager for that server. Use Resetting KerioConnect's Connection to GFI AppManager: A Step-by-Step Guide for the reset workflow.

Upgrade and re-enable GFIAgent only after verification

Do not re-enable GFIAgent simply because Kerio Connect shows a successful backup. Re-enable it only after you have upgraded to a Kerio Connect release whose release notes confirm that the AppManager backup behavior is fixed, and only if you still need GFI AppManager integration on that server.

1. Review KerioConnect - Release Notes for the release you plan to install.
2. Upgrade Kerio Connect by following Upgrading Kerio Connect Server to the Latest Version or your organization's approved maintenance process.
3. If you still need AppManager, re-enable GFIAgent.
4. Run a manual backup from Configuration > Archiving and Backup > Backup > Start Now.
5. Confirm that the backup ZIP remains in the target folder.
6. Confirm the next scheduled backup also remains in the target folder.

If backups disappear again after GFIAgent is re-enabled, disable GFIAgent again to protect local backups and contact GFI Support with the evidence listed in this article.