I built my site on localhost dev machine. I worked out all the major problems, loaded all the images, verified payment extensions, did multiple backups while building, etc.
The backups were always pleasantly small, like 85MB total:
2 MB database
34MB code
50MB content.
After I published the site live, I set up the htaccess and robot files and set the proper file permissions, and then I tested payments and then I cruised around the site and made a few small language edits.
Then I did an AbanteCart data backup of the new live site. It worked great, all three backup components succeeded in just a few minutes. Total size of backup folder was 85MB.
I ftp'd the backup folder down to my local machine and deleted it from the live admin/system/backup folder.
During the next week, I added two new products to the live site with 2MB of new images. I also edited the filenames and Title names of about 20% of my image files for SEO optimization.
I did a 2nd backup. It worked fine, so i didn't really look at it. I just downloaded it and deleted it from the live admin/system/backup folder.
Then I edited a few more image filenames and titles, and some language.
I tried another backup today, and the 3rd step (dynamic content) failed.
So I investigated some.
The Files folder (dynamic content) from the 1st backup is 50MB.
The Files folder from the 2nd backup is 120MB!
I don't know the actual size of the Files folder from the 3rd backup attempt because it timed out and failed.
BUT, the AbanteCart Backup page indicates that it is now 246MB.
Why is my site expanding from 50 to 120 to 246MB of dynamic content in 2 weeks during which I have made very few edits and the site has received very little traffic?
The admin/system/backup folder is empty.
I cleared the error log. Is there some hidden archive of log errors stored somewhere?
I have also checked my resources folder. It has less than 10 duplicate images. It looks virtually identical to my original localhost resources folder in terms of structure and number of folders and files. Image file replication does not seem to be the obvious cause.
I have no video or other resource files on the site.
Where should I be looking to find the source of this rapid file-size expansion?
What are the possible causes?
At this rate, my site will supernova in a matter of weeks, consuming my host company before collapsing into a singularity at a rate exceeding discernible scalar invariant curvatures of space and time. A2 is in Michigan. The SN corona is unlikely to extend beyond Pennsylvania into New Jersey, but the subsequent black hole formation will make all of that irrelevant.
So it would be good if you could take a look at this soon.
Thanks.