The safest Vintage Story server backup is an offline copy of the active .vcdbs world file, plus the configuration and custom files needed to run it. Stop the server so no saves are being written, run /genbackup <filename> when available, then copy the resulting world file to storage outside the server host. For a restorable disaster-recovery set, also preserve serverconfig.json, installed mods, and any custom scripts or configuration.
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To restore, stop the server, place the backup .vcdbs file in the server’s Saves folder, set SaveFileLocation in serverconfig.json to that filename, restart, and verify the world before reconnecting players.
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What a Vintage Story server backup contains
A dedicated server’s active world is a file with the .vcdbs extension. The filename loaded by the server is controlled by the SaveFileLocation setting in serverconfig.json. That setting, rather than a path remembered from an old installation guide, is the authority when you are deciding which world to copy.
Vintage Story’s built-in /genbackup command is documented as creating “a full copy of the current save game” in the backups folder. That is valuable protection for the world itself. It should not be treated as a complete image of the server installation, however. The command description concerns the save game; it does not promise to include your server configuration, mods, scripts, or other files outside the world database. A recoverable server set therefore has two layers:
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- World data: the active
.vcdbsfile, and any generated copy inBackups. - Runtime data:
serverconfig.json, installed mods, custom scripts, and other configuration required by your particular server.
If you restore only the world file, the terrain and world state may return while the server still lacks the settings or extensions that made the original installation work.
Prepare a clean backup window
Back up when the server is not writing to the save. A file copy made while chunks, player data, or world metadata are being changed can capture an inconsistent state. The available documentation supports copying the save while the server is offline; it does not publish a guaranteed atomic-backup procedure for copying a live file.
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Use this shutdown checklist
- Tell players when the maintenance window starts and prevent new logins.
- Save any administrative work and issue the server’s normal shutdown command or close it through the hosting panel.
- Wait until the process has exited and the console or service manager shows that it is no longer running.
- Identify the configured data directory and open
serverconfig.jsonwith a text editor that will not add formatting. - Record the exact value of
SaveFileLocation, including capitalization and the.vcdbsextension.
Do not assume that the first .vcdbs file you see is the live world. Servers often retain old worlds and previous backups in the same general area. Match the filename to SaveFileLocation before copying anything.
Use the built-in /genbackup command
This is the quickest way to make a point-in-time world copy from the server console or an authorized in-game account.
1. Confirm the command on your installed version
The published command reference for /genbackup is marked outdated and says it was last verified for version 1.15. Syntax and permissions can change in later releases, so run /help genbackup on the server you actually operate. If the command is listed, follow the syntax shown there. The commonly documented form is:
/genbackup <filename>
2. Run it while the world is quiet
Even though the command is issued to a running server, schedule it when players are not changing the world. For the strongest consistency, stop the server first and use a manual file copy instead; if you use /genbackup during normal operation, avoid simultaneous maintenance that causes heavy writes.
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3. Choose a clear filename
Use a name that identifies the world and the date or event, such as survival-2026-10-14. Do not overwrite your only previous backup with an indistinguishable name. The command creates a copy in the server data folder’s Backups directory.
4. Confirm that the file was created
After the command reports success, stop the server for the off-server copy step. Browse to Backups and check that the new file is present. If it is not there, recheck the configured data path, permissions, spelling, and the command output before assuming a backup exists.
Because the command creates a world copy rather than a full installation archive, continue with the manual steps below for serverconfig.json, mods, and custom data.
Make a complete manual backup
A manual backup is the dependable option when you need to rebuild the server on a new disk or host. Perform it with the server stopped.
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The dedicated-server documentation commonly shows a layout containing data/Saves. Actual locations vary: Windows installations commonly use an AppData-based data directory, macOS locations changed in newer releases, and Linux or container deployments may use a path chosen by the administrator or image. Treat the path configured for your installation as authoritative rather than copying a similarly named folder elsewhere.
2. Copy the active world file
Open the directory named by SaveFileLocation. In the Saves folder, select the matching .vcdbs file and copy it to a separate backup staging folder. If you have just used /genbackup, you can copy that generated file from Backups instead; the backup files use the same format as files in Saves.
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3. Copy the server configuration
Copy serverconfig.json alongside the world file. It contains the setting that tells a dedicated server which save to load, as well as other server settings. Keeping it with the world prevents a restore from silently starting an old save or reverting important configuration.
4. Include extensions and custom data
Copy the installed mods and any custom scripts, configuration files, permissions data, or other files your server requires. The exact list depends on your installation. If a mod changes world data, preserve the mod version that was present when the backup was made; restoring a world without compatible extensions can produce missing content or startup errors.
5. Put a copy outside the host
A backup on the same disk is useful for an accidental deletion but does not protect against disk failure, host loss, or a damaged filesystem. Copy the completed set to a different machine or to removable storage such as an external USB hard drive or SSD. Keep the world file, serverconfig.json, and the matching mods together so they can be identified as one recovery point.
6. Verify the copy before declaring success
Confirm that the destination contains the expected .vcdbs file and the configuration and extension files you intended to preserve. Open serverconfig.json as text and verify that SaveFileLocation names the copied world. A copy operation that completed with an error, ran out of space, or targeted the wrong data directory is not a usable backup.
Know which Vintage Story folders matter
Several folder names are easy to confuse:
| Folder or file | Purpose | How it relates to a dedicated-server backup |
|---|---|---|
Saves |
Stores world files used by the server or client. | The restored .vcdbs file must be placed here for the server to load it. |
Backups |
Stores copies created by /genbackup. |
Copy a selected backup from here to off-server storage, and to Saves when restoring. |
BackupSaves |
Stores backups created from the single-player Modify World dialog. | It is not the same as the dedicated server’s Backups workflow; use the file that belongs to the server world you intend to recover. |
serverconfig.json |
Dedicated-server settings, including SaveFileLocation. |
Preserve it with the world so the server loads the intended file and retains its settings. |
The data-folder location itself is platform- and installation-dependent. On a managed host or container, the visible folder may be a mounted volume. If a folder contains no recent files, inspect the service or launch configuration for the configured data path instead of creating a second, empty backup tree.
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| Approach | Automation | Scope | Recovery speed | Off-host copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
/genbackup |
Manual command unless you wrap it in your own administration routine. | Documented as a full copy of the current save game; extra server files are not promised. | Fast to create and easy to select from Backups. |
Not unless you separately copy the generated file. |
| Scheduled file copy while stopped | Can be orchestrated with your operating system or hosting panel, provided the server is shut down before the copy. | Can include the world, serverconfig.json, mods, scripts, and other required data. |
Depends on how quickly your storage and host can copy the set. | Yes, if the job targets another disk or machine. |
| Manual offline archive | No automation; an administrator performs each copy. | Whatever files you deliberately select, including a complete server configuration. | Predictable for occasional maintenance, but requires a person to be present. | Yes, when copied to separate storage such as an external USB drive or SSD. |
A practical arrangement is to use /genbackup for convenient world snapshots, then periodically make a stopped-server archive that includes the configuration, mods, custom data, and an off-host destination.
Restore a Vintage Story world backup
Restoration is a controlled replacement, not a merge. Decide which recovery point you want before changing the live files, and preserve the current state in case you need to undo the attempt.
1. Stop the server and preserve the current state
- Announce the outage and stop the server cleanly.
- Copy the currently configured
.vcdbsfile andserverconfig.jsonto a separate temporary folder. This gives you a rollback if the selected backup is wrong. - Make sure the backup you intend to use is complete and readable at its source location.
2. Place the backup in Saves
Backup files use the same format as files in Saves. Copy the selected .vcdbs from Backups or your external storage into the server’s Saves folder. Keep the original backup untouched; work from a copy when possible.
3. Point SaveFileLocation at the restored filename
Open serverconfig.json and set SaveFileLocation to the exact restored filename, including the extension. If you leave the old value in place, the server can start normally while loading the old world, making the restoration appear to have failed.
4. Restore matching runtime files
Put back the mods, scripts, and custom configuration that belong to the recovery point. If you intentionally want a vanilla test, make that a separate copy of the server; do not overwrite the only production configuration while diagnosing a problem.
5. Start and validate before reopening
- Start the server and watch the console for file, permission, or mod errors.
- Join with an administrator account and check the expected spawn area, recent builds, player inventories, and important machines or chunks.
- Confirm that the intended mods load and that server settings match your preserved configuration.
- Only after those checks pass should you allow ordinary players back in.
If the server fails to start or loads the wrong state, stop it again, restore the preserved configuration and live world, and try another known-good recovery point. Do not repeatedly edit the only backup in place.
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Troubleshoot common backup and restore failures
The command is unknown or rejected
Run /help genbackup on the installed release and check permissions. The public command page is explicitly outdated and was last verified for version 1.15. If the command is absent or its syntax differs, use the stopped-server manual copy procedure.
The backup file is not where expected
Check the server’s configured data path, not just the directory used by a desktop client. Verify that you looked in Backups for a command-generated copy and in Saves for the active world. Also check whether the service account can write to the directory.
The server starts the wrong world
Open serverconfig.json and compare SaveFileLocation character by character with the file in Saves. A duplicate filename, missing extension, or edit made to a different copy of serverconfig.json can leave the server pointed at an older world.
The world loads but content is missing
This usually indicates that the world file was restored without the matching mods or custom data. Stop the server, restore the extension files associated with that recovery point, and start again. Do not assume that a world-only /genbackup contains those files.
The restored world is damaged or incomplete
Try a different dated recovery point. If the original copy was made while the server was writing, it may not represent a consistent state; take future manual copies only after a complete shutdown. Keep the suspect file unchanged for diagnosis rather than replacing every backup with it.
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Quick Recap
A repeatable recovery checklist
- Schedule a maintenance window and stop all writes.
- Confirm the active world from
serverconfig.jsonand itsSaveFileLocationvalue. - Create a
/genbackupsnapshot when supported, or copy the world manually while offline. - Archive the matching
serverconfig.json, mods, scripts, and custom configuration. - Copy the set to storage outside the server host.
- Keep dated recovery points rather than overwriting the only copy.
- For a restore, stop the server, place the chosen
.vcdbsinSaves, setSaveFileLocation, restore matching runtime files, and validate with an administrator before reopening access.
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