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How to Back Up and Restore an Arma Reforger Server

A complete, stop-first procedure for backing up and restoring Arma Reforger server configuration and profile persistence, including -config, -profile, .save paths, session settings, compatibility, and migration troubleshooting.
Length11 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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The reliable Arma Reforger backup is a stopped server’s JSON configuration plus its active profile and persistence data. Stop the process, copy the file selected by -config and the complete directory selected by -profile (including the .save tree), then restore those files to a stopped target whose launch parameters and game/mod versions match. Start it privately, inspect the logs, and only then let players reconnect.

What an Arma Reforger backup must contain

A server installation by itself is not a backup. The executable and downloaded files can recreate a process, but they do not necessarily contain your mission state, persistence database, server settings, or the profile data that Reforger uses at runtime. Treat the configuration and the active profile as one recovery set.

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Item How to identify it Why it matters
Server configuration The JSON file named by the launch command’s -config option Contains network, persistence, and other server settings. The official hosting reference defines -config as the selector for this JSON file.
Active profile The directory named by the launch command’s -profile option Holds profile data, logs, downloaded add-ons, and saves. A restore pointed at a different profile can look like a fresh server even when the files were copied correctly.
Persistence files For current Overthrow guidance: profile/.save/app<appid>_user<userid>/game/ Contains the save points that preserve the playthrough. Copy the complete profile rather than trying to select individual files unless you have a documented reason.
Launch definition Your service, batch file, container definition, or panel settings containing -config, -profile, and any save-loading options Without the same paths and flags, the restored files may never be read.

Keep the backup outside the live server directory. A separate location protects it from an accidental reinstall, an in-place overwrite, or a cleanup operation that removes the game instance.

Find the profile and configuration actually in use

Read the launch command, not a guessed folder

The -profile value is authoritative. It determines where Reforger writes profile data, logs, downloaded add-ons, and saves. WindowsGSH describes its Saved directory as the location for these data; other hosts may expose the same location under a custom path. Do not assume that the profile is beside the executable or in a default operating-system folder.

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  1. Open the service definition, startup script, container command, or hosting-panel launch settings used to start this instance.
  2. Record the complete path following -profile, including drive letter, capitalization, and any spaces.
  3. Record the complete JSON path following -config. If the path is relative, also record the working directory from which the service starts.
  4. Inside the profile, locate the persistence directory. For an Overthrow installation using the current system, the relevant subtree is profile/.save/app<appid>_user<userid>/game/. The app and user identifiers are part of the directory name; do not rename them.

If the profile contains several app or user directories, identify the one used by the running instance rather than copying only the newest-looking folder. A complete profile backup avoids accidentally omitting logs, downloaded add-ons, or another file that the deployment expects.

Prepare a safe backup

Stop the server completely

Shut down the dedicated-server process and wait until it has exited. Overthrow’s dedicated-server guidance specifically requires the .save folder to be backed up or restored only while the server is completely stopped. Copying a file while Reforger is writing it can capture an incomplete save; restoring over an active process can cause the process to overwrite your restored data as it exits.

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Do not rely only on a panel’s “restart” button if it immediately starts a new process. Confirm that the old process is gone and that no scheduled supervisor is relaunching it before the copy begins.

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Record the deployment context

Alongside the files, record the date, Reforger server build, active mods or scenario, host, profile path, configuration filename, and the launch options. This label is not part of Reforger’s save format; it is for choosing the right backup later. Include whether the files came from an Overthrow deployment and whether the persistence system is the post-v1.4 .save system.

Copy the configuration and profile

  1. Copy the exact JSON file selected by -config into a backup directory outside the live installation.
  2. Copy the complete directory selected by -profile, including its .save subtree. Do not copy only a single visible save file when the surrounding directory structure is available.
  3. Preserve the directory names and file extensions. In particular, keep the app<appid>_user<userid> hierarchy intact.
  4. Keep the backup separate from the server’s writable directory. If the host offers snapshots, take the snapshot only after the process has stopped.
  5. Open the copied JSON and check that it is readable, then compare the backup’s file list with the source profile. This catches an interrupted transfer before the original instance is discarded.

There is no authoritative number for how often every server should back up. Choose a schedule that reflects how much playtime your community can afford to lose, and take an extra copy before a host migration, major mod change, or server upgrade. Retain more than one dated copy when the storage allows it so that a newly discovered corruption does not replace your only good restore point.

Restore the server on the same host or a new host

1. Build and stop the target instance

Install the intended Reforger dedicated-server build and the required mods or scenario on the target. Do not let players join while you are replacing persistence. Stop the target process completely before copying any backup files into its profile.

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2. Put the files in the target paths

  1. Set the target launch definition so -config points to the JSON file you intend to restore and -profile points to the target profile directory.
  2. Back up or move the target’s newly created profile before replacing it. This gives you a rollback if the paths were misidentified.
  3. Copy the saved JSON into the location selected by -config.
  4. Copy the saved profile and its persistence tree into the location selected by -profile, preserving the .save/app<appid>_user<userid>/game/ structure where applicable.
  5. Ensure the account that runs the dedicated server can read the restored files and write new saves in the profile. A restore that is readable but not writable may start successfully and then fail to persist later changes.

3. Check the launch options before starting

Confirm that the service is not still pointing to an old profile or a temporary configuration. The configuration parameter names are case-sensitive, so preserve their spelling and capitalization. If you deliberately changed a path or network value for the new host, change only that value and keep the persistence-related settings from the known-good configuration until the restore has been validated.

4. Start privately and read the logs

Start the server with no public announcement or with access restricted to an administrator. Watch the startup logs for the profile path, configuration errors, add-on failures, and save-loading messages. The server should read the restored profile rather than create an empty one. Stop and correct the path if it immediately generates a new profile in an unexpected directory.

5. Verify the world before reopening the server

  • Connect as an administrator and confirm the expected mission, map, progression, and player-related state.
  • Check that the expected mods and scenarios load without errors.
  • Make a small controlled change, save it, restart once, and verify that the change persists.
  • Only after those checks should you reopen the server to the wider player base.

Control which session save Reforger loads

The official server reference documents -loadSessionSave as the mechanism for loading a session save. It can load the latest available session save or a specified save file. Use it as a deliberate part of the launch configuration during a restore rather than assuming that merely copying a file will select it.

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Setting Effect Restore consideration
loadSessionSave Controls automatic session-save loading. The documented behavior includes automatically loading the latest available save point on first startup. Check that it is enabled when the restored instance should resume from a session save. If you need a particular save, use the documented specified-save form rather than relying on file order.
saveRetention Sets how many save points are retained. The official reference lists a default of 10. A lower value can mean that an older recovery point is no longer present. Keep the value that matches the backup’s operating policy, and do not assume a deleted save can be reconstructed from the configuration alone.
keepSessionSave Controls whether playthrough save points are retained after the mission ends. Enable the behavior required by your scenario before testing a restore; otherwise a save may disappear at a mission transition even though the filesystem copy was correct.

These settings govern how Reforger handles available saves; they do not replace an offline copy of the profile. A filesystem backup remains the recovery method for a damaged host, a deleted profile, or a migration.

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Version and persistence compatibility

Version matching is critical. Overthrow states that, since version 1.4, its saves use the .save persistence system under the profile path. Earlier .db saves are no longer used by that system, and saves made before v1.4 will not load. A file can therefore be present and intact yet unusable by the current deployment.

  • Identify the game and Overthrow versions associated with the backup before restoring.
  • When moving between hosts, first reproduce the source version and mod set as closely as possible.
  • Test an old backup on a private instance before making it the production profile.
  • Keep the original backup untouched if a migration tool or version change offers to convert or rewrite files.

This compatibility statement is specific to the Overthrow persistence guidance. Other scenarios or mods may have their own migration rules; do not infer that a save from one scenario is portable to another simply because both run on Reforger.

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Keep network and JSON settings intact during a move

The official server configuration reference lists UDP port 2001 as the default public port. If the new host uses that default, allow it through the host firewall and any upstream provider firewall. If you intentionally choose another port, update the deployment and player connection instructions together rather than silently changing it during a restore.

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JSON parameter names are case-sensitive. A misspelled or differently capitalized key can be ignored or fail validation, leaving the server with an unexpected default. Compare the restored file with the source configuration, paying particular attention to the persistence keys, address and port values, and any scenario or mod identifiers. Do not strip unknown keys merely because a management panel does not display them.

Filesystem restore versus an in-game save/load mod

The Workshop mod “msave Discrete GM Save & Load” provides Save, Save As, and Load controls on dedicated servers. Its listing says that saves can be hot-loaded without a full restart and that current players reconnect after loading. That is useful for a game master who needs to switch scenario state during play, but it is not a substitute for backing up the server’s configuration and profile.

Decision point Filesystem backup and restore In-game save/load workflow
Recovery scope Can preserve the JSON configuration, profile, add-ons, logs, and persistence files as a deployment unit. Primarily changes the scenario or session state exposed by the mod; it does not protect the host configuration or a deleted profile.
Downtime Requires the server to be stopped while files are copied or replaced. The listing describes hot-loading without a full restart, with current players reconnecting after a load.
Portability Can be moved to another host when paths, versions, mods, and persistence formats are compatible. Depends on the mod being installed and usable in the target scenario and does not solve version or profile-path mismatches.
Protection against loss An offline, dated copy gives you a recovery point if the live profile or host is damaged. Provides operational convenience during play, not an independent copy against disk failure or accidental deletion.

Use the mod for its in-game workflow if it fits your scenario, and still perform stopped-server filesystem backups for host failure and migration recovery.

Troubleshoot a restore that does not work

The server starts with a new world or missing progress

  • Recheck the exact -profile path in the running launch command. A correctly copied save in an unused directory is indistinguishable from no save at all.
  • Confirm that the expected .save/app<appid>_user<userid>/game/ hierarchy exists under that profile.
  • Check loadSessionSave and the selected session-save behavior.
  • Verify that the backup is not a pre-v1.4 Overthrow .db save being opened by the current .save system.

The configuration appears to be ignored

  • Confirm that -config points to the restored JSON, not a panel-generated default.
  • Check spelling and capitalization of every persistence key; JSON parameter names are case-sensitive.
  • Inspect startup logs for a parse error and correct the JSON before restarting.

The server cannot save after a successful restore

  • Check that the service account has write access to the restored profile and its .save directory.
  • Confirm that the profile is on writable storage with available space.
  • Stop the process before making another manual copy; never overwrite live persistence files while the server is running.

Players cannot connect after migration

  • Verify the configured port and firewall rules. UDP 2001 is the documented default public port.
  • Confirm that the address, port, and other network values were not changed accidentally when the JSON was copied.
  • Check logs for a mod or scenario failure that prevents the intended server session from starting.

A restore works but an older save is unavailable

The retained files may already have been pruned according to saveRetention, or the mission may have ended without preserving a session save because of keepSessionSave. Restore the next-oldest dated filesystem backup that still contains the required save; changing retention after the fact cannot recreate a file that was never retained.

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Pre-launch checklist

  • The original server was fully stopped before the backup was copied.
  • The backup includes the JSON selected by -config.
  • The backup includes the complete active -profile directory and its persistence tree.
  • The backup is stored outside the live server directory and labeled with host, version, mods, and date.
  • The target launch definition points to the intended configuration and profile paths.
  • The target uses compatible Reforger, scenario, and Overthrow versions; pre-v1.4 Overthrow .db saves are not expected to load in the current .save system.
  • loadSessionSave, saveRetention, and keepSessionSave match the desired recovery behavior.
  • JSON key capitalization is unchanged.
  • UDP 2001 or the intentionally selected replacement port is open where required.
  • The restored server has been started privately, checked in logs, and tested through one save-and-restart cycle before players return.

The practical recovery rule

When an Arma Reforger server must be moved or rebuilt, restore the deployment context as well as the files: the same configuration, the same active profile, the same persistence layout, and compatible versions. Stop first, copy completely, point the launch command at those copies, validate save-loading settings, and test before going public. That sequence prevents the most common failure—having a perfectly preserved save that the running server never reads.

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