The Tool Desk
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The exact error text and defaults can change between game builds. The troubleshooting reports behind this guide span 2014–2026, so treat version-specific messages and port details as a checklist to verify against your current host and build rather than as permanent guarantees.
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First decide whether it is a startup failure or a connection failure
These two problems look similar to players but require different fixes. Watch the server process and its console, not only the game browser.
| What you observe | Likely stage | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| The process closes, crashes, or returns to the shell before showing a world or listening state. | Startup | Read the first error, check the config argument, validate files, then inspect prerequisites and world data. |
| The process stays open and the console continues running, but nobody can see or join it. | Connection | Check the host address, router forwarding, operating-system firewall, and the server’s listening ports. |
| Players reach the server but are kicked during authentication or when joining a modded game. | Join/EAC or mod compatibility | Compare EAC settings and the exact mod set on the server and clients. |
Do not open ports or disable EAC as a first response to a process that never reaches a running state. Those changes cannot repair a missing executable, an unreadable configuration file, or a corrupt world.
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A safe triage order
Stop the server before changing files. Keep a copy of the current configuration and world folders so a failed experiment can be reversed. Work through these checks in order; changing several variables at once makes the original error harder to identify.
- Capture the first error. Start the server once and record the earliest red or fatal line in the console or output log. Later stack traces can be consequences of the first failure.
- Confirm the launch command. Look for the
-configfileargument and make sure its value is the actual path and filename ofserverconfig.xml. - Restart after edits. The server reads
serverconfig.xmlat startup; changing it while the process is running does not reload the settings. - Validate the installation. Repair or redownload the dedicated-server files before changing gameplay settings.
- Install missing Windows prerequisites. A dedicated-only Windows installation has been reported to stop immediately when required Visual C++ dependencies are absent.
- Test the world separately. A missing or corrupt map can stop loading even when the executable and configuration are valid.
- Only after the process stays running, check networking. Open the required ports on both the router and the host firewall and test from an external connection.
- Change EAC only for EAC or mod symptoms. Keep it enabled for an unmodded server; disable it only when your mod setup requires that and every joining player follows the same setting.
Read the console and output log before changing anything
The first actionable line is more valuable than a generic message such as “server stopped.” Start the process once, wait for it to fail, and scroll upward from the bottom of the console or output log until you find the earliest error, exception, or “failed to” entry. Copy the complete line, including the filename and path. A path tells you whether the problem is a missing file, an access permission, or a wrong working directory; a named world points you toward map data.
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Keep the timestamp and the server build shown by the launcher. Error wording can differ after an update, and an old forum diagnosis may not map exactly to a current build. If the log contains several errors, fix the first one, restart, and see whether the later messages disappear. Do not paste credentials, private IP addresses, or full user-directory names when asking for help.
“No server config file loaded”: repair the launch command
One reported startup case printed No server config file loaded. The documented cause was a missing or incorrect -configfile argument, not a port problem. The argument must name the file that exists on disk, including its extension and the correct capitalization where the host filesystem is case-sensitive.
Check the path and filename
- Open the script, shortcut, service definition, or hosting-panel startup field that actually launches the server.
- Find
-configfileand inspect the value after it. A relative path is interpreted from the process’s working directory, which may differ when a service or panel starts the server. - Confirm that the target is a real file named
serverconfig.xml, not a text file with a hidden second extension such asserverconfig.xml.txt. - If the path contains spaces, use the quoting style required by your launcher and keep the argument attached to the intended file path.
- Start the server manually once, if possible, using the same executable and configuration path. If manual startup works but the service does not, compare their working directory and arguments.
Do not create several copies of the configuration and guess which one is active. Rename or archive unused copies, then point the launcher at one known file. After correcting the argument, fully stop and start the server so the loader runs again.
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Restart after every serverconfig.xml change
serverconfig.xml is read during startup. A panel may show a saved value while the running process still uses the old one. Use the panel’s stop action or terminate the process cleanly, wait until it has exited, and then start it again. If the process is frozen, record the log first and use the host’s documented force-stop method; avoid deleting files while the process may still be writing a world.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWhen testing, change one setting at a time and note the old and new values. If a new setting causes a failure, restore the backup rather than editing an already damaged file. XML syntax errors, truncated files, or invalid characters can prevent a configuration from loading; the log should identify the line or file when it can.
Validate or reinstall the dedicated-server files
A partial update, interrupted download, or accidental deletion can leave the launcher present while a required server file is missing. The commonly cited recovery is to stop the server, remove the damaged steamapps content, download the server again, and validate it with SteamCMD. The following command is reported as the standard repair form:
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_update 294420 validate +quitThe app ID 294420 is identified in the available reports as the dedicated-server application, but that identification was not independently confirmed in the supplied material. Check the current official distribution instructions for your game build before running a destructive reinstall. Do not delete your world or configuration backups with the installation files.
Use validation without losing saves
- Stop the server and copy
serverconfig.xml, save folders, and any custom scripts to a separate location. - Record the installation directory used by the startup script or service.
- Run the validation in that installation, or use your host’s repair/reinstall control if SteamCMD is not available.
- Start the server with the known-good configuration and test a new temporary world before restoring a suspect world.
- Restore custom files one at a time. The first file that recreates the crash identifies the next investigation target.
A validation fixes missing or altered program files; it does not repair a corrupt save, an invalid mod, or a firewall rule.
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Windows prerequisites can stop a dedicated-only install
A 2021 report described a Windows server that stopped right after launch because required Visual C++ dependencies were not present. Installing the full game on the same machine supplied the missing components and allowed the server to run. This is a report-based workaround, not proof that every current build has the same dependency behavior.
What to do on Windows
- Install the current runtime prerequisites specified by the game’s or host’s documentation, using the correct architecture for the server process.
- Reboot if the installer requests it, then start the server from the same account and path as before.
- Check Windows Event Viewer or the output log for a named DLL or runtime failure. Do not download individual DLL files from unofficial “DLL fix” sites.
- If a full game installation is available and permitted on that machine, the cited report used it as a way to supply missing dependencies; remove it only after confirming the dedicated server still starts independently.
On a rented Windows host, ask support to verify the runtime installation rather than modifying system components you do not administer.
Rule out a missing or corrupt world
The server can launch its executable and configuration successfully, then fail while loading a map or world. A missing, partially copied, or corrupt world file is a separate failure from a bad config. The commonly reported remedies are reinstalling the server files or generating a new world.
Use a new world as a controlled test
- Stop the server and back up the existing save directory.
- Change the world-generation or save selection to a new temporary world, or use the host’s documented “generate new world” option.
- Restart and watch the log through world creation and the point where the server begins accepting connections.
- If the new world works, the executable, basic configuration, and prerequisites are probably usable; restore the old save only after making another backup.
- If every world fails at the same line, return to the executable, configuration, and dependency checks instead of repeatedly deleting saves.
Never overwrite the only copy of a shared world to test a hypothesis. A successful new world is evidence about the old save, not a guarantee that the save can be repaired.
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The available Linux coverage is newer than many forum reports and does not establish one universal package or command for every distribution. The first checks remain the same: capture the first log error, verify the -configfile path, validate the server files, and test a new world.
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Linux adds a service-context trap: a system service, container, or panel may start the server with a different working directory, user, environment, and file permissions than an interactive shell. Confirm that the service account can read the executable and serverconfig.xml, write the log and save locations, and access the world files. Compare the path shown in the service definition with the path you inspected manually. If manual startup succeeds but the service fails, the difference in account, working directory, or environment is more relevant than a port change.
Do not copy Windows paths into a Linux launch command. Preserve the exact path format used by the host, and check case-sensitive filenames. For distribution-specific runtime packages or service-manager syntax, follow the current instructions for that distribution and game build; the supplied evidence does not establish one package list that is safe to apply everywhere.
Ports and firewalls matter when the server is running
If the process remains open and the console reaches a listening or ready state, investigate networking. The cited hosting guidance lists TCP port 26900 and UDP ports 26900 through 26903, with the same ports allowed through the router and the operating-system firewall. It also advises avoiding the range 27000–27099 because of heavy Steam traffic. These values are version- and host-dependent; verify the current official or host documentation before changing a production firewall.
Check each network layer
- Confirm the server’s configured listen or game port and whether the host panel assigns a different external port.
- Create the required router forwarding rules to the server’s private address if the machine is behind NAT. Reserve that private address so the rule does not follow another device after a reboot.
- Allow the same protocol and port on the operating-system firewall. Opening TCP alone does not substitute for the required UDP rules.
- Test from outside the host’s local network; a test from the same LAN can succeed even when internet forwarding is wrong.
- Check for carrier-grade NAT, double NAT, or a provider firewall when local tests work but remote players cannot connect.
Do not spend time on forwarding rules while the server exits during launch. A closed port cannot cause a process to print “No server config file loaded.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.EAC and mods: fix join failures without masking startup errors
EACEnabled in serverconfig.xml defaults to true according to the cited configuration guidance. Leave it enabled for a vanilla server. DLL-based mods commonly require setting it to false, and joining players must disable EAC on their side as well. A server and client with mismatched EAC expectations can produce kicks during connection.
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Use an EAC change only when the symptom fits
- Vanilla server, process exits: keep EAC enabled and investigate the startup log, files, prerequisites, or world.
- Modded server, players are kicked after reaching the server: confirm the mod’s EAC requirement, set the server value accordingly, and make the client setting match.
- Players cannot join but the process is stable: check EAC and mod versions alongside ports and firewall rules.
Disabling EAC reduces the protection intended for unmodded play and is not a general crash fix. Change it for a defined compatibility reason, document the change, restart the server, and test with one known-compatible client.
Self-hosted versus rented servers
| Responsibility | Self-hosted machine | Rented host |
|---|---|---|
| Files and validation | You control the installation directory, SteamCMD, backups, and reinstall. | The panel may provide repair or reinstall; support can verify the installation. |
| Configuration path | Inspect the script, shortcut, or service definition for the real -configfile. |
Inspect the startup command field or ask support which file the panel loads. |
| Ports | You manage router forwarding and the OS firewall. | The provider normally manages the outer firewall; you still need the panel’s assigned port and in-game settings. |
| Logs | Read the console and local output log directly. | Use the panel’s live console and download the full log before opening a ticket. |
A rented host can remove hardware, router, and runtime variables, but it cannot make an invalid world or wrong configuration path valid. Give support the first error, timestamp, server version, and the exact time of the failed start.
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The window flashes and closes
Run the server from a terminal or panel console so the output remains visible. Capture the first error, then check the config argument, validate files, and install the required Windows runtime if applicable. If the error names a save or map, test a new world before deleting anything.
The console says no config was loaded
Fix or add -configfile, point it to the real serverconfig.xml, and restart. Check for a relative-path mistake caused by a service or hosting panel.
The server stays online but nobody can connect
Stop changing startup files. Confirm the listening port, router forwarding, OS firewall, provider firewall, and external test path. Use the port values in the current host documentation; the 26900/TCP and 26900–26903/UDP set is a reported baseline, not a timeless default.
Players are kicked when mods are installed
Compare the server and client mod files, then compare EAC settings. For DLL mods that require it, disable EAC on both sides and restart; keep EAC enabled when the server is intended to be vanilla.
Prevent the next failed start
- Keep dated backups of
serverconfig.xmland every world before updates or mod changes. - Record the exact launch command, working directory, server build, and enabled mods.
- Update during a maintenance window and validate files before restoring a live save.
- After each change, perform a complete stop/start and wait for a ready state before inviting players.
- Retain the last successful log so a new failure can be compared with a known-good launch.
- For rented hosting, export the configuration and save backups instead of relying solely on the provider’s retention policy.
What the available evidence can—and cannot—establish
There is no published failure-rate statistic in the supplied material, so no percentage or prevalence claim is justified. The reports support a practical order: first error, configuration argument, restart, file validation, Windows prerequisites, world data, then networking and EAC according to the symptom. They do not establish that every current build uses identical error text, defaults, port assignments, or app identifiers. When your log conflicts with an older guide, trust the current log and documentation for your build, preserve your backups, and change one variable at a time.
In short, separate “the server will not start” from “players cannot join.” Startup failures are investigated in the process, configuration, installation, dependency, and world; join failures are investigated in ports, firewalls, EAC, and mods. Following that boundary prevents the most common wasted fixes.
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