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cPanel & WHM Installation Customization Guide

This article explains how to customize your cPanel & WHM installation, including installation methods, available installer options, configuration files such as wwwacct.conf, database version settings, automatic account restoration, release tier configuration, and package management considerations for RHEL‑based and Ubuntu system

cPanelDNSWHM customization

~4 min read • Updated Feb 14, 2026

1. Introduction


Before installing cPanel & WHM, you can customize several important configuration settings. These adjustments help ensure that the installation process is optimized, secure, and aligned with your server’s requirements.


2. Installation Methods


New installations of cPanel & WHM use the Fast Installation method by default. This method significantly reduces installation time by:


  • Using tarballs to download certain cPanel & WHM components.
  • Using system packages such as RPM or .deb to install the Perl local::lib library.
  • On Red Hat–based systems (e.g., AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CloudLinux) it uses RPM packages.
  • On Debian‑based systems (e.g., Ubuntu) it uses .deb packages.

3. Installation Options


You can customize the installation process using the following command‑line options:


  • --confirm — Require confirmation before running the installer.
  • --force — Force installation on unsupported configurations.
  • --keep — Do not delete the target directory after installation.
  • --nochown — Do not change ownership of extracted files.
  • --noexec — Do not execute the installation script.
  • --nox11 — Prevent launching an X terminal.
  • --skip-cloudlinux — Skip automatic conversion to CloudLinux even if a license exists.
  • --skip-wptoolkit — Skip automatic installation of WP Toolkit.
  • --skip-imunifyav — Skip automatic installation of ImunifyAV.
  • --target NewDirectory — Extract installation files into a custom directory.
  • --tar arg1 — Access archive contents using the tar command.

4. Basic Server Setup


The /etc/wwwacct.conf file contains the basic configuration for cPanel & WHM. After installation, you can manage these settings in WHM’s Basic WebHost Manager Setup interface.


How to Create the wwwacct.conf File

  • Create the /etc/wwwacct.conf file as the root user.
  • Add each parameter on a separate line in the format KEY VALUE.

Example structure:


ADDR 192.0.2.0
NS2 ns2.domain.tld
CONTACTPAGER [email protected]
LOGSTYLE combined
CONTACTEMAIL [email protected]
HOMEMATCH home
TTL 14400
NSTTL 86400
NS ns1.domain.tld
ETHDEV eth0
ADDR6
HOST
NS4
DEFMOD jupiter
HOMEDIR /home
NS3
SCRIPTALIAS y

Important: You must define the following values: ADDR or ADDR6, DEFMOD, HOMEDIR, LOGSTYLE, NS, NS2, and SCRIPTALIAS.


5. Configuration Values


You can configure the following parameters in wwwacct.conf:


  • ADDR — Shared IPv4 address
  • ADDR6 — Shared IPv6 address
  • CONTACTEMAIL — Administrator email address
  • CONTACTPAGER — SMS notification address
  • DEFMOD — Default cPanel theme
  • ETHDEV — Default network interface
  • HOMEDIR — Default home directory path
  • HOMEMATCH — Pattern for home directory partitions
  • HOST — Server hostname
  • LOGSTYLE — Apache log format (combined)
  • NS / NS2 / NS3 / NS4 — Default nameservers
  • TTL / NSTTL — Default DNS TTL values
  • SCRIPTALIAS — Enable or disable /cgi-bin/ alias

6. cpanel.config Settings


The installer reads the /root/cpanel_profile/cpanel.config file to apply predefined settings for Tweak Settings and other system configurations.


How to Configure

  • Create /root/cpanel_profile/cpanel.config as root.
  • Add settings in key=value format.

Example:


nobodyspam=1

Configuring the MySQL/MariaDB Version

Use the mysql-version key to define the database version. The value must contain only one decimal point (e.g., 8.0).


Important: Unsupported versions will cause installation failure.


7. Automatic Account Restoration


The /etc/cpanelacctrestore file allows automatic restoration of accounts during installation.


Steps:

  • Create the /etc/cpanelacctrestore file.
  • List each username on a separate line.
  • Upload backup files to directories such as /home, /home2, /root, or /usr.

8. Release Tier Configuration


The /etc/cpupdate.conf file determines which cPanel & WHM release tier your server uses.


Example:


CPANEL=stable

9. The cpsources.conf File


The /etc/cpsources.conf file defines where your server retrieves update packages. Incorrect modifications may cause system issues.


If you see the following error, the file likely contains invalid data:


FATAL: Unable to retrieve tier version info: timeout

To fix this issue, move the file and run:


/usr/local/cpanel/scripts/upcp

10. Package Management on RHEL and Ubuntu


Using yum (RHEL‑based systems)

RHEL‑based systems use yum. Only vendor‑provided repositories should be used during installation.


Using apt (Ubuntu‑based systems)

Ubuntu systems use apt. Avoid third‑party sources to prevent system conflicts.


11. EasyApache 4 Configuration


You can preconfigure an EasyApache 4 profile by creating the /etc/cpanel_initial_install_ea4_profile.json file before installation.


Note: The file must be a valid JSON and a valid EasyApache 4 profile.


Conclusion


By customizing your cPanel & WHM installation in advance, you can build a secure, optimized, and fully tailored hosting environment. Proper configuration ensures smoother installation, better performance, and long‑term stability for your server infrastructure.


Written & researched by Dr. Shahin Siami

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