Thanks for the feedback!
If this happens every time you update, something is wrong and we’d need to figure out why together.
The plugin update process is the same for all plugins, and is handled by WordPress itself. For most hosting providers the process works well; WordPress asks the server to download a zip file of the new update, that zip is then unzipped, and the new files are all moved, one at a time, to take the place of the existing plugin files.
However, in some cases that process can fail.
- A connection issue happens as the zip file is downloaded, and the download does not happen.
- The server fails to move some or all of the new plugin files to their new location because there are too many files for the server to handle.
Jetpack does include a lot of files. If resources are limited on the server, that can be an issue.
If the plugin update process fails before WordPress starts moving files you’ll only see a plugin update failure message in your dashboard. If that happens later, your site may get stuck in maintenance mode, or it may go down altogether.
When this happens, the only way to fix things is to log in to your site via FTP or CPanel, delete the existing plugin folder (for example wp-content/plugins/jetpack if Jetpack was the plugin concerned by the failed update), and reinstall the plugin manually as explained here:
https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Managing_Plugins#Manual_Plugin_Installation
You need to delete that plugin folder because some of the files are missing from the plugin install, and that can only cause issues when trying to use the plugin.
If this keeps happening, it may be worth contacting your hosting provider; they may be able to move you to a more recent server where resources won’t be an issue and where the plugin update will always complete just fine. They may be able to update the version of PHP on your server so things run faster and chances of a choke because of the many files will be lower.
I realize you’ve most likely given up on Jetpack for now; it is perfectly understandable if you’ve had update issues multiple times. That said, even if you don’t intend to give Jetpack another try I would still recommend that you contact your hosting provider about this and ask if they can do something to speed things up on your site. It will be helpful for whenever you update WordPress itself, themes, and other plugins.
I hope this all clarifies things a bit!
If you ever decide to give Jetpack another try, do not hesitate to reach out to us if you run into issues. We’re always there to help, and we won’t stop until the problem is fixed! You can post here in the forums or email us.
