Most problems with a 7 Days to Die server come down to a few causes. Start with the one that matches what you see.
The console is quiet for a long time after the first start
Why: The game is about 17 GB and the first install takes around 14 minutes.
Fix: Wait for the install to finish and the server to report it has started before opening a ticket. Do not kill or restart the server while it installs.
Players get an incompatible version error when joining
Why: The game version, or a mod version, on their PC does not match the server. This often happens right after a game patch, or when a test build is set in Beta Branch.
Fix: Restart the server so Auto Update fetches the latest build, make sure players are on the same version in Steam (and the same test build if Beta Branch is set), and check mod versions match.
Players cannot connect after you added a mod
Why: The mod ships a .dll and EasyAntiCheat is still on.
Fix: Set EasyAntiCheat to false in Settings, then Game Settings, and restart. Players can then join, but they must start the game with EasyAntiCheat off, and the server then has no cheat protection.
A mod you uploaded does nothing
Why: Mods are read only at boot, or the folder is nested wrongly so the game cannot find the mod's ModInfo.xml.
Fix: Make sure each mod is its own folder directly inside Mods with ModInfo.xml in it, then restart the server.
Oxide plugins stop working or fail after a game update
Why: Oxide replaces one of the game's own files, and a brand new game update can arrive before uMod has caught up. The current Oxide build is fetched at every start.
Fix: Turn Oxide (uMod) off until uMod publishes a build for the new game version, then switch it on and restart. Remember Oxide also needs EasyAntiCheat off.
My world looks reset or empty after I changed a setting
Why: Changing Save Name or World starts a separate save. The old world is still on disk.
Fix: Change Save Name and World back to the previous values and restart. Your old world loads again.
The server does not show in the in-game server list
Why: Server Listing is set to Hidden or Friends only, or the list has not refreshed yet.
Fix: Set Server Listing to Public and restart, or join directly with JOIN A GAME, then CONNECT TO IP... and the address and port from the Overview page.
Saving the Server Name, Server Description or Server Password is refused
Why: These fields only accept a limited set of characters. Server Name takes no quotes or accented letters; Server Description allows an apostrophe but no quotes or accented letters.
Fix: Use plain letters, numbers, spaces and simple symbols, and stay within the length limit.
Still stuck?
Open a ticket in the category that fits and include the last 50 to 100 lines of the console. See How to open a support ticket and How to fix a server that will not start.
