SteamCMD downloads updates for Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS2) and American Truck Simulator (ATS), but it does not schedule them. Automatic updating means running SteamCMD from a Windows Task Scheduler job, cron job, or systemd timer against the exact directory used by your dedicated server. Stop the server, back up its configuration and exported package files, run the correct app ID, check the result, then restart and verify the reported version before players reconnect.
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The two SteamCMD applications and the command you need
SCS Software documents two dedicated-server applications. Use the app ID that matches the game your server actually runs:
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| Euro Truck Simulator 2 | 1948160 | steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir "C:GameServer" +login anonymous +app_update 1948160 +quit |
steamcmd +force_install_dir /path/to/server +login anonymous +app_update 1948160 +quit |
| American Truck Simulator | 2239530 | steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir "C:GameServer" +login anonymous +app_update 2239530 +quit |
steamcmd +force_install_dir /path/to/server +login anonymous +app_update 2239530 +quit |
The paths in the table are examples. Replace them with the directory containing the installed dedicated-server files. The directory passed to +force_install_dir must be the same directory from which the running server is launched. Updating another copy of the files succeeds from SteamCMD’s point of view but leaves the live server unchanged.
SCS’s documentation explicitly notes that SteamCMD does not auto-update a server. Valve describes SteamCMD as the command-line tool for downloading and updating Steam game-server files, so scheduling the command is the missing step. There is no timeless build number to put in a script: Steam depots change over time, and the SteamCMD output and server log are the authoritative checks for the build currently installed.
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What an unattended update should do
An update is more than downloading files. A safe job controls the entire maintenance window:
- Warn players and stop accepting new connections.
- Stop the dedicated-server process cleanly so files are not locked or left half-written.
- Back up
server_config.sii,server_packages.sii, andserver_packages.dat. - Run SteamCMD with the correct app ID and install directory.
- Record SteamCMD’s output and exit status.
- Restore preserved configuration if an installer or maintenance operation changed it.
- Re-export server packages when the game or mod set has changed.
- Start the server and check its log, token, ports, and reported game version.
- Tell players that the server is available only after those checks pass.
If any step fails, the job should leave the server stopped or keep it on the known-working build rather than repeatedly restarting a broken installation.
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Identify the live installation
Find the command, service unit, container volume, or scheduled task that starts your current server. Note its working directory and executable path. Compare that directory with the path you plan to pass to +force_install_dir. On a machine that has multiple test and production copies, use an absolute path and document which one is production.
Install SteamCMD for the host operating system
SteamCMD must be installed and runnable by the same account that will execute the scheduled job. On Windows, use the full path to steamcmd.exe if it is not on the system PATH. On Linux, use the full path or confirm that steamcmd resolves in the non-interactive service environment; a command that works in your shell can fail under systemd because its PATH is different.
Choose an account and permissions
Give the update account read and write access to the server directory, its SteamCMD files, and the backup destination. Avoid running the game server as a broad-privilege administrator or root account unless your host requires it. The account must also be able to stop and start the server process or its service. Test those permissions manually before creating an unattended schedule.
Make a first manual update
Stop the server, run the exact command you intend to schedule, and read all output. Confirm that SteamCMD says the app is up to date or downloads the expected files. Start the server from the same directory and record the version shown in its log. This baseline makes it possible to distinguish a scheduler problem from a game or mod problem later.
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Protect configuration, tokens, and exported packages
The dedicated server uses server_config.sii for settings including the server logon token. Back it up before every maintenance run and do not publish the token in a script, log, screenshot, or public repository. If the token is lost or overwritten, players and external services may no longer authenticate as before.
The files server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat describe the DLC and mod package set exported for the dedicated session. They are part of the server’s operational state, not disposable download caches. Keep a dated copy with the configuration backup. A simple backup directory can contain one subdirectory per maintenance run, such as the UTC date and time, with the three files and the SteamCMD log.
When the game version or the mod/DLC set changes, run the game’s export_server_packages command again and copy the refreshed server_packages.sii and server_packages.dat to the server. Do this before restarting for players. If the package export still describes an old mod set, clients can be rejected or the server can fail while loading.
Windows: automate with Task Scheduler
Run the update command manually
For ATS, a typical command is:
steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir "C:GameServer" +login anonymous +app_update 2239530 +quit
For ETS2, change only the app ID:
steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir "C:GameServer" +login anonymous +app_update 1948160 +quit
Use the actual SteamCMD path if it is not in PATH. The trailing backslash inside a quoted Windows path is accepted by SteamCMD; if you build a wrapper script, keep the path quoting intact. SteamCMD’s return code and console output should be written to a log file that the scheduled task can retain.
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Build a maintenance script
Create a batch or PowerShell script that performs the complete sequence in order. Put the stop operation first, create a backup before SteamCMD runs, invoke the command with the production directory, and start the service only when the update returns success. The stop and start commands depend on how you installed the server: they may be service-control commands, a management panel action, or commands for the particular executable you use. Do not use a blind process kill if a clean service stop is available.
Have the script check the exit code immediately after SteamCMD finishes. Write the date, app ID, target directory, exit code, and full SteamCMD output to a log. If the code is nonzero, preserve the old files, alert the administrator, and do not announce the server as ready. A second check can search the server log after startup for its reported game version and a successful listening message.
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Create the scheduled task
- Open Task Scheduler and choose Create Task, not the simplified basic wizard.
- On General, give the task a name such as ETS2 dedicated server maintenance. Select Run whether user is logged on or not and Run with highest privileges only when the account and your stop/start method require it.
- On Triggers, choose a weekly or daily maintenance time that fits your players. A weekly check is often sufficient for a small private server; a more frequent trigger reduces the time you remain behind a release but creates more maintenance windows. Add a delay or randomization if several machines share a network or storage device.
- On Actions, select Start a program, point to the wrapper script, and fill in Start in with the script directory. Do not rely on a mapped drive letter; scheduled tasks commonly run without your interactive drive mappings.
- On Conditions, clear power or idle restrictions that would prevent a hosted machine from running the job. Keep any network requirement that is genuinely needed for SteamCMD.
- On Settings, enable a time limit and a single-instance rule. If an update is still running when the next trigger arrives, stop the new instance from overlapping it. Configure a restart-on-failure policy only if it cannot create a loop that repeatedly starts and stops the game server.
- Use Run from Task Scheduler to test the job while watching the backup and SteamCMD logs. Then start the server and verify the post-update checks before leaving the task enabled.
If the task reports success but the server remains old, inspect the log for the path passed to +force_install_dir and compare it with the working directory in the server’s launch action. A different drive, trailing folder, or test copy is the usual explanation.
Linux: systemd timer or cron
Use a controlled update script
For ETS2, the SteamCMD command pattern is:
steamcmd +force_install_dir /path/to/server +login anonymous +app_update 1948160 +quit
For ATS, use:
steamcmd +force_install_dir /path/to/server +login anonymous +app_update 2239530 +quit
Use an absolute path and ensure the service account owns or can write to it. The script should stop the dedicated-server service, create a backup directory, copy the three configuration/package files, run SteamCMD, test its exit status, and start the service only after a successful download. Redirect both standard output and standard error to a dated log. Keep the SteamCMD log outside the game directory if you want to replace or roll back that directory as a unit.
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systemd timer pattern
A systemd-based installation normally has one service for the game server and a separate oneshot service for maintenance. The maintenance service can run commands equivalent to systemctl stop your-server-unit, the backup operation, SteamCMD, and systemctl start your-server-unit. Use the real unit name from your host; do not create a second launch path that points at a different directory.
Create a timer that starts the maintenance service at a quiet time and add a randomized delay when several servers share a host. Set the maintenance service to wait for networking, use the intended user, and write to the system journal as well as a persistent application log. After enabling the timer, run the maintenance service manually once and inspect its status with the systemd status and journal commands. The timer should not be considered tested until you have observed a complete stop, backup, SteamCMD run, restart, and version check.
cron alternative
Cron is suitable for a simple host when you already have reliable stop/start scripts. Use the crontab belonging to the server account, specify absolute paths, and redirect output to a rotating log. Cron does not load your interactive shell profile, so explicitly set the PATH or call SteamCMD by its full path. Add a lock so a slow download cannot overlap the next run. A cron entry that launches SteamCMD while the server is still running can leave files inconsistent; the lock does not replace a clean stop.
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Verify the update before players return
Do not rely on SteamCMD’s final line alone. Check each layer:
- SteamCMD result: the process exit status is successful, and its log shows the intended app ID and install directory.
- Files: modification times and sizes changed in the production directory when an update was available, not in a staging or test directory.
- Configuration:
server_config.siistill contains the intended settings and logon token. - Packages: the exported
server_packages.siiandserver_packages.datmatch the current DLC and mod collection. - Server startup: the process stays running, binds the expected ports, and reports the intended game version in its log.
- Client compatibility: a test client on the same game build can discover and join the session, and the server does not reject it for a package or version mismatch.
Keep the old backup until a successful player connection has been confirmed. If the server starts but reports the previous version, stop it again and investigate the installation path rather than allowing clients to connect to a mixed state.
Why app_update ran but the server is still old
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| SteamCMD says the app is current, but the log shows the old version. | The command updated a different directory from the one used by the running server. | Compare +force_install_dir with the server launch working directory and correct both to the same absolute path. |
| No files change and the scheduled task appears successful. | The task runs under an account without write permission, or SteamCMD is not the executable you tested interactively. | Run the task manually under its configured account, use an absolute SteamCMD path, and inspect the captured exit code and error output. |
| The server will not start after the update. | A configuration file was replaced, a package export is stale, or a mod is incompatible with the new build. | Restore the backed-up configuration, re-export packages, then update or remove the incompatible mod before restarting. |
| Players receive a version-mismatch message. | The server restarted on a different build, or clients reconnected before maintenance completed. | Read the server log and SteamCMD output, keep the server closed while versions are aligned, and announce the corrected build. |
| The first run works, but later runs do nothing. | The scheduler’s working directory, environment, or permissions differ from the interactive shell. | Use absolute paths, set the service account explicitly, retain logs for every run, and test the scheduled context rather than only the command prompt. |
| Two update jobs run at once. | A slow download overlaps the next trigger, or both a cron entry and a systemd/Task Scheduler job are enabled. | Keep one scheduler, enforce a single-instance lock, and disable overlapping triggers. |
Handling mods and release timing
A game update can arrive before every mod has been updated. The dedicated server may download the new game files correctly and still fail because a mod depends on the previous build. Treat the game, dedicated server, exported package files, and enabled mods as one compatibility set.
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For a public server, announce a maintenance window and decide in advance whether to delay the update until the mod set is ready. For a private server, you can update a staging copy first, run the package export there, and test a client connection before touching production. If the new build breaks a required mod, restore the previous working files and package backups, hold the server on that build, and reopen it only after the mod is compatible. Do not silently remove a required mod: players may lose access to saved content or receive a different session configuration.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
SCS Software confirms that a dedicated server can run on a rented or paid-for server. Renting hardware or a managed game server does not change the SteamCMD principle, but it changes who performs the maintenance.
| Consideration | Self-hosted machine | Managed or rented server |
|---|---|---|
| Operating-system access | You control the OS, filesystem, service account, and SteamCMD installation. | Access ranges from full shell or administrator access to a provider panel with restricted commands. |
| Scheduling and restart control | You create Task Scheduler, cron, or systemd jobs and can coordinate stop, update, backup, and restart exactly. | The provider may offer an update toggle and automatic restarts; verify whether it uses the production directory and whether custom scripts are allowed. |
| Backups | You choose the retention period and must back up configuration and package files yourself. | Backups may be included, extra-cost, or limited to machine images. Confirm that server_config.sii, server_packages.sii, and server_packages.dat are covered. |
| Restart automation | You can add health checks, locks, and rollback logic, but you are responsible for maintaining them. | Managed panels often restart processes automatically, although they may restart before a mod or package export is ready. |
| Geographic latency | You select the physical location if you own or colocate the machine. | You select from the provider’s available regions; choose the location that best serves your players. |
| Support | Operating-system, network, SteamCMD, and mod troubleshooting is yours. | Support may cover the host and panel, but game-file and mod compatibility can remain your responsibility. |
| Recurring cost | Uses your existing hardware, electricity, and network capacity. | Has a recurring rental charge, with features and backup retention varying by plan. |
Choose self-hosting when you need unrestricted scheduler and filesystem control and are comfortable maintaining it. Choose managed hosting when continuous availability, remote infrastructure, or provider support matters more than controlling every operating-system detail. In either case, ask where the live server directory is and how to obtain SteamCMD logs before relying on automatic updates.
Design a rollback and notification plan
Keep versioned backups
Use a separate, access-controlled backup location and retain several successful maintenance points. Include the configuration, both package files, and the update log. A backup is useful only if you know which game build and mod set it belongs to, so record that information in the backup name or a small text manifest.
Stop on failure
The safest default is fail-closed: if SteamCMD returns an error, if package export fails, or if the server log does not show a healthy startup, leave the server stopped and notify the administrator. Automatic retries should be limited and delayed. Repeatedly starting a partially updated server can overwrite useful logs and make rollback harder.
Notify accurately
Send a maintenance announcement before stopping the server and a completion message only after the post-update checks pass. If you rolled back or held the update because of a mod, say so plainly and give players the next expected maintenance window. Do not claim a particular build number until the local SteamCMD output and server log show it.
A practical maintenance checklist
- Confirm whether the instance is ETS2 app 1948160 or ATS app 2239530.
- Confirm that the scheduled command targets the directory used by the live server.
- Confirm SteamCMD can run under the scheduled account and can reach the Steam service.
- Announce the maintenance window.
- Stop the server cleanly.
- Back up
server_config.sii,server_packages.sii, andserver_packages.dat. - Run SteamCMD and retain its complete output and exit status.
- Restore preserved settings if necessary.
- Run
export_server_packagesagain when the game, DLC, or mod set changed. - Start the server and verify the logon token, ports, reported version, and package loading.
- Test a client connection.
- Notify players only after the test succeeds.
With that sequence in place, SteamCMD supplies the files, the scheduler supplies the timing, and your verification and backup steps prevent a routine game update from becoming an outage.
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