FTP access error: 530-User cannot log in, home directory inaccessible

Symptoms

• FTP users are not able to connect to a site with the following error:

  CONFIG_TEXT: Connected to example.com (203.0.113.2).
  220 Microsoft FTP Service
  Name (example.com): user
  331 Password required
  Password:
  530 User cannot log in, home directory inaccessible.
  Login failed.
  Remote system type is Windows_NT.

  Or:

  CONFIG_TEXT: Status: Insecure server, it does not support FTP over TLS.
  Command: USER johndoe
  Response: 331 Password required
  Command: PASS ********
  Response: 530 User cannot log in, home directory inaccessible.
  Error: Critical error: Could not connect to server

• FTP user is absent in the IIS > Sites > 203.0.113.2 > localuser or there are no such FTP site at all.

• The following message can be seen while executing plesk repair ftp command:

  C:\> plesk repair ftp
  The junction 'C:\vhosts\Servers\1\localuser\username' does not exist ............................................................. [ERROR]

Cause

Misconfiguration of the FTP websites and FTP users.

Resolution

1. Log into the server via RDP.

2. Execute the following command via the command line:

   C:\> plesk repair ftp -y

   Note: There is a probability, that the issue is resolved completely by this command. Check FTP access once again. In case the issue will persist, proceed further with the resolution.

3. Execute the following command via the command line in order to re-create FTP site in IIS:

   C:\> "%plesk_cli%\repair.exe" --reconfigure-ftp-site -webspace-name example.com

4. Execute the following command in order to re-create missing FTP users if any:

   C:\> "%plesk_cli%\repair" --repair-webspace-system-users -webspace-name example.com

If it is needed to re-configure all websites, do the following:

1. Log into the server via RDP.

2. Retrieve a list of all subscriptions:

   C:\> plesk bin subscription -l > C:\domains.txt

3. Change your directory to %plesk_cli%

   C:\> cd "%plesk_cli%"

4. Execute the repair.exe utility for each domain:

   C:\>for /f "tokens=*" %d in ('type C:\domains.txt') do repair.exe --reconfigure-ftp-site -webspace-name %d

   C:\>for /f "tokens=*" %d in ('type C:\domains.txt') do repair.exe --repair-webspace-system-users -webspace-name %d

Additional Information

[Troubleshooting] Unable to log in to FTP: Cannot log in, home directory inaccessible