How to fix a server that will not start

A server that will not start almost always has one cause, and the console tells you what it is. Work through these steps in order.

1. Read the console

1. Open your server in the panel and click Start.
2. Open the Console tab.
3. Click Errors to show only error lines, then Warnings.
4. Read the last few lines before the server stopped. They usually name a file, a setting or a mod.

See How to use the console and run commands.

2. Undo your last change

Servers that worked yesterday and fail today failed because of something that changed. Think about what that was.

• A setting. Open Settings, then Game Settings and put the previous value back. The panel tells you when a value is not allowed. See How to change your server settings.
• A mod or plugin. Remove the newest one from Files and start again. Check it supports your game version.
• A version change. Restore a backup taken before it. Changing version with the server wizard deletes the files by default, so a backup is your safe way back. See How to change your server type or game version.
• A file you edited by hand. Open it in Files and look for a typo, a missing quote or a wrong value.

3. Check memory

If the server starts and then stops after loading, or lags and crashes as players join, it may be using more memory than your plan has.

1. Open the Overview page.
2. Look at Usage, then the RAM tab.
3. If memory is at your plan's limit, remove mods, lower view distance or world size, or move to a bigger plan. See How to change your plan or billing cycle.

4. Restore a backup

If you have a backup from before the problem, restore it. See How to create, download and restore backups. A restore replaces everything since that backup, so make a note of what you will lose.

5. Stuck on Starting or Stopping

Wait a few minutes first. Large and modded games can take a long time to load, and watch the console for activity. If the console is silent and the badge has not changed after a long wait, use Kill and start again. See How to start, stop, restart and force-stop your server.

6. Players cannot join a server that is online

If the badge says Online but nobody can join:

• Copy the address again from Overview and check the port. See How to join your server.
• Check everyone runs the same game version and mods.
• Check passwords, whitelist and bans.
• Restart once.

Still stuck? Contact us

Open a ticket in the category Server won't start and choose the server. Include:

• what you changed just before it stopped working
• the last 50 to 100 lines of the console, or tick the option to attach the server log
• the Server ID, which you can copy from the rename window

See How to open a support ticket.