# mc support inspect

LLMS index: [llms.txt](/llms.txt)

---

> **SILO behavior:** diagnostics run locally without SUBNET registration or automatic uploads. License info/unregister operate on local state; license update retains the explicit-file path. Online registration/renewal and uploads are disabled. Retained upstream syntax below does not enable those services. See [mcli compatibility](/compatibility/mcli/#subnet).


<a id="mc-support-inspect"></a>

<a id="command-mc.support.inspect"></a>

## Description {#description}

The [`mc support inspect`](#command-mc.support.inspect) command collects the data and metadata associated to objects at the specified path.

MinIO assembles this data from each backend drive storing an [erasure shard](/operations/concepts/erasure-coding/#minio-erasure-coding) for each specified object. The command produces an encrypted zip file that includes all matching files with their respective *host+drive+path*.

Diagnostic output stays local; SUBNET online services are disabled. Compatibility flags do not enable uploads.

> [!NOTE]
> **Changed: RELEASE.2023-01-11T03-14-16Z**
>
> The file uploads to MinIO for use by the engineering team in support efforts. If the upload fails, such as in an air-gapped environment, the command saves the file to the current working directory.

> [!NOTE]
> **Changed: RELEASE.2022-12-12T19-27-27Z**
>
> When writing the zip archive, MinIO also encrypts the zip index of file names included in the archive.

> [!NOTE]
> **Changed: RELEASE.2024-10-29T15-34-59Z**
>
> Inspect now generates unique file names to help distinguish one inspect file from another. The file name reflects the inspected path.

> [!WARNING]
> **Important**
>
> [`mc support inspect`](#command-mc.support.inspect) requires a MinIO deployment server from October 2021 or later.

## Wildcards {#wildcards}

The command supports wildcard `*` pattern matching for prefixes or objects when using the Bash shell. For non-Bash shells, a message displays indicating that wildcard patterns are only supported in Bash.

```shell
mc support inspect ALIAS/bucket/path/**/xl.meta
```

This command collects all `xl.meta` associated to objects at `ALIAS/bucket/path/`.

## Examples {#examples}

### Download Metadata for an Object {#download-metadata-for-an-object}

You can download the metadata for an object. Metadata stores in an `xl.meta` binary file.

The following command downloads the `xl.meta` from `mybucket/myobject` on the `minio1` deployment.

The file downloads from all drives as a zip archive file.

```shell
mc support inspect minio1/mybucket/myobject/xl.meta
```

The contents of the `xl.meta` file are not human readable. You can convert the contents of an `xl.meta` file to JSON format.

### Download All Objects at a Prefix Recursively {#download-all-objects-at-a-prefix-recursively}

The following command downloads all objects recursively found at a prefix.

> [!CAUTION]
> **Caution**
>
> This can be an expensive operation. Proceed with caution.

```shell
mc support inspect minio1/mybucket/myobject/**
```

## Syntax {#syntax}

The command has the following syntax:

```shell
mc [GLOBALFLAGS] support inspect       \
                         [--legacy]   \
                         TARGET
```

### Parameters {#parameters}

##### `--legacy` {#mc.support.inspect.-legacy}

*mc-cmd*

*Optional*

Use the older method of exporting inspection data, which does not encrypt data by default.

##### `TARGET` {#mc.support.inspect.TARGET}

*mc-cmd*

*Required*

The path to the location or object to inspect. The path should include the *alias &lt;alias&gt;* of the MinIO deployment and, if needed, the prefix and/or object name.

### Global Flags {#global-flags}

This command supports any of the [global flags](/reference/minio-mc/#minio-mc-global-options).