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How to use Missing Attachments Scanner for Confluence

How to use Missing Attachments Scanner for Confluence

Introduction

The Missing Attachment Scanner performs a comprehensive background scan on all the attachment files in all spaces (including those in trash).

By identifying the missing attachments, it helps to

  • prevent (unknown) data loss

  • facilitate data recovery with earlier discovery

  • identify any underlying issues

  • reduce the errors logged in Confluence backend

  • fix broken links in the Confluence pages

How to know when attachments are missing

It is not possible to eyeball missing attachments from the Confluence page.

If they are rendered on the Confluence page, you may spot “? Unknown Attachment

Otherwise, you only detect it when a user clicks on the link to download it.
The following error message like this will appear in atlassian-confluence.log

getAttachmentData Could not find data for attachment: Attachment: image2022-1-8 11:48:26.png v.1 (873607111)

Some possible reasons for missing Confluence attachments

  • Files being removed accidentally

  • Files not fully copied over during server migrations or space imports

  • Malicious attacks caused by trojans or ransomware

  • Files quarantined by virus scans with updated virus definition files

  • Errors during the file uploads/deletion

  • Incomplete page move operations ( before Confluence 8.1)

  • File/Folder permissions set wrongly

  • Confluence disk space full

You can also check the Large Attachment Checker to identify the contributors to disk full issue

How to access Missing Attachment Scanner

It can be accessed from the admin sidebar.