OpenClaw Clone to New VPS

Overview: Deploy OpenClaw to a new VPS using SSH and a non-interactive installer, then copy your ~/.opencl workspace and verify/update credentials.

Prerequisites

• SSH access to the new VPS: IP address, username, and password (or SSH key)

• The new VPS runs a supported Linux distribution (verify with the official docs)

• Ensure outbound connectivity on the new VPS (to fetch the installer)

• Security: When prompted for passwords, avoid hardcoding them; prefer password prompts or SSH key-based auth.

Procedure

Step 1: Verify SSH connectivity

• Test access from the current environment to the new VPS.
• Example (interactive login test):

  ssh USER@VPS_IP
  

• Replace USER with the provided username and VPS_IP with the target IP.
• Exit the test SSH session once verified.

If auth uses an SSH key, ensure the private key is available and permissions are tightened (e.g., 600).

Step 2: Install OpenClaw via non-interactive script

• Run the official installer in non-interactive mode on the new VPS:

  ssh USER@VPS_IP 'bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh)" -- --no-onboard'
  

• Explanation:
  • --no-onboard skips the interactive onboarding wizard.
  • This command performs the installation over SSH without prompting.

If the new VPS blocks curl or https://openclaw.ai, download the installer locally and scp/transfer it before running bash install.sh -- --no-onboard.

Step 3: Copy ~/.openclaw from the source to the new VPS

• Source path (current environment): ~/.openclaw

• Target directory on the new VPS: ~/.openclaw

• Create a compressed archive, transfer it, and extract on the new VPS:

  # Compress (on source)
  cd ~ && tar czf openclaw-data.tar.gz --exclude='*.log' --exclude='cache' --exclude='node_modules/.cache' .openclaw
  
  # Transfer
  scp openclaw-data.tar.gz USER@VPS_IP:~/
  
  # Extract (on new VPS)
  ssh USER@VPS_IP 'rm -rf ~/.openclaw && tar xzf ~/openclaw-data.tar.gz -C ~/'
  
  # Cleanup (optional, on both sides)
  rm openclaw-data.tar.gz
  ssh USER@VPS_IP 'rm ~/openclaw-data.tar.gz'
  

Notes and cautions:

• Review the contents you intend to copy. Avoid copying local temporary files or caches that should not be restored on the target.
• The example excludes *.log, cache, and node_modules/.cache to reduce archive size; adjust based on your directory layout.
• No ongoing synchronization; this is a one-time transfer.

Step 4: Update or validate key credentials on the new VPS (Optional)

• Ask the user: "Do you want to update credentials on the new VPS? (e.g., Telegram bot token, API keys)"
• If user responds with "no" or "skip", skip this step and proceed to Step 5.
• If user responds with "yes" or wants to update, inspect and update sensitive settings in the new ~/.openclaw directory:
  • Telegram bot tokens and API keys (e.g., ~/.openclaw/config.* or environment files)
  • Provider credentials (if any), webhooks, and service URLs

Where to find credentials:

• Check ~/.openclaw/config or related config files for tokens or service identifiers.
• Refer to provider-specific configuration files or environment settings.

Step 5: Optional: Restart or reload OpenClaw on the new VPS

• ⚠️ This step restarts the OpenClaw service on the NEW VPS, not your current environment
• Reload or restart the OpenClaw service on the new VPS as needed:

  ssh USER@VPS_IP 'sudo systemctl restart openclaw || openclaw restart || echo "Restart manually per your system"'
  

• Verify by checking logs or by accessing the OpenClaw web UI (if exposed).

Post-install checks

• Confirm the new VPS runs OpenClaw:
  • Check service status (e.g., ssh USER@VPS_IP 'sudo systemctl status openclaw').
  • Review logs for errors (ssh USER@VPS_IP 'journalctl -u openclaw -n 50' or relevant log path).
• Validate that workspaces and agents appear correctly from ~/.openclaw.
• Test provider/telebot connectivity with a simple request or health check.

Security and hygiene

• Rotate freshly provisioned credentials or tokens that are environment-specific.
• Restrict SSH access: disable password auth, use key-based auth, configure firewall rules, and limit which users can SSH.
• Keep OpenClaw up to date on both source and target.

Troubleshooting

• Installer fails over SSH:
  • Verify outbound connectivity and required tools (curl/bash).
  • Check the official docs for an alternative installation methods.
• rsync errors:
  • Ensure the target directory exists and permissions allow writes.
  • Reduce verbosity flags if needed to isolate issues.
• Credentials mismatch:
  • Compare token/secret values and update them on the new VPS.
  • Avoid committing secrets to version control; use environment variables or secrets management.