Install MetaMod:Source first, then SourceMod. Stop the Team Fortress 2 dedicated server, extract each archive for the server’s operating system into the server’s tf game directory, confirm that the files merge into tf/addons/ and tf/cfg/, and perform a full restart. Verify the result at the server console or through RCon with meta version, sm version, and sm plugins list.
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What you are installing
MetaMod:Source is the loading layer that lets Source-engine extensions run. SourceMod is a separate framework that depends on MetaMod:Source. Installing SourceMod without a working MetaMod installation leaves its commands unavailable, so the order is not optional: load MetaMod:Source, restart, then add SourceMod.
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Expected file layout
After both packages are extracted and merged correctly, the important locations look like this:
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tf/
├── addons/
│ ├── metamod/
│ ├── metamod.vdf
│ └── sourcemod/
└── cfg/
└── sourcemod/Release archives do not all have identical top-level folders. Open the archive before extracting and check its contents. The goal is to merge its addons and (for SourceMod) cfg directories with those already under tf. A common mistake is creating a nested path such as tf/SourceMod-.../addons; the server will not scan that location.
Choose the correct package and deployment method
Match the dedicated server’s operating system
| Server host | Package to download | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Windows dedicated server | Windows build of MetaMod:Source and SourceMod | The archive contains the Windows binaries and is extracted into the Windows server’s tf directory. |
| Linux dedicated server | Linux build of MetaMod:Source and SourceMod | The archive contains Linux binaries; inspect MetaMod’s logs if loading fails. |
The administrator’s desktop operating system is irrelevant. A Windows laptop managing a Linux server still requires the Linux server packages.
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Use the latest stable build from the official MetaMod:Source and SourceMod download pages for a normal public or private server. SourceMod uses rolling releases, so its stable download changes over time and updates are continuous. Development builds can contain newer fixes but may introduce compatibility changes; use one only when a plugin or engine update specifically requires it and you can test or recover the server.
Self-managed files versus a managed host
| Deployment | Advantages | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted or a server you control | Direct access to every file, log, restart, and backup. | You must select packages, preserve permissions, stop the process before updates, and diagnose failures. |
| Managed TF2 hosting | A panel may provide file browsing, archive extraction, and restart controls without shell access. | Confirm that the plan permits MetaMod:Source and SourceMod, provides access to tf/addons and tf/cfg, and allows a complete stop/start. Support and file paths vary by provider. |
The installation logic is identical in both cases. A panel changes how you upload and extract files; it does not change the required directory structure or verification commands.
Install MetaMod:Source first
1. Stop the server and make a backup
Use the server console, service manager, or hosting panel to stop TF2 completely. Do not overwrite extension files while the game process is running. Copy the existing tf/addons and tf/cfg directories, or at least your customized configuration and plugin files, so you can restore them if an update goes wrong.
2. Download the server-OS archive
Open the official MetaMod:Source download location and select the package for the operating system of the dedicated server. Do not choose based on the computer you use for administration. Keep the downloaded archive intact until you have confirmed its top-level folders.
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3. Extract into the TF2 game directory
Extract the archive into the directory that contains the server’s gameinfo.txt and addons folder: the TF2 tf directory. If the archive contains an addons folder, that folder should merge with tf/addons. The resulting MetaMod directory must be tf/addons/metamod/, not a similarly named folder one level deeper.
4. Check the VDF file
Look for tf/addons/metamod.vdf. MetaMod:Source 1.10.0 and later normally include this file for standard games. It tells the Source engine to load MetaMod. If it is missing, or if it targets a different game, generate or obtain a TF2-specific VDF and place that file directly in tf/addons/. A VDF stored inside tf/addons/metamod/, in the server root, or for another game will not perform the intended load.
5. Start the server and test MetaMod
Start the server again after the files and VDF are in place. At the server console or through RCon, enter:
meta versionA successful response reports MetaMod:Source version information. If the console says the command is unknown, stop the server and work through the troubleshooting section below before installing SourceMod; SourceMod cannot compensate for a MetaMod load failure.
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Install SourceMod into the same game directory
1. Download the current stable build
Use the official SourceMod downloads page and select the stable archive for the dedicated server’s operating system. SourceMod requires MetaMod:Source 1.9.0 or higher, and the recommended practice is to use the latest available MetaMod version rather than deliberately retaining an older release.
2. Merge both archive directories
With the server stopped, extract the SourceMod archive into the same TF2 tf directory used for MetaMod. SourceMod contributes files under two top-level directories:
tf/addons/sourcemod/contains the framework, binaries, plugins, and configuration subdirectories.tf/cfg/sourcemod/contains SourceMod configuration files.
Allow the archive’s addons and cfg folders to merge with the existing folders. Do not replace the whole tf directory and do not leave the archive’s release-name folder between tf and addons.
3. Confirm the dependency and paths
Before restarting, verify that tf/addons/metamod/, tf/addons/metamod.vdf, tf/addons/sourcemod/, and tf/cfg/sourcemod/ exist. MetaMod’s VDF remains directly under tf/addons; SourceMod does not require a second VDF in the TF2 directory.
4. Perform a complete restart
Start the server only after both packages are in place. A map change or a soft reload is not a substitute for stopping and starting the dedicated-server process: the engine must initialize the loader and binaries from disk.
Verify that both systems loaded
Run these commands at the server console or through RCon, one at a time:
meta version
sm version
sm plugins list| Command | Successful result | What failure means |
|---|---|---|
meta version |
MetaMod:Source version information is printed. | MetaMod did not load; SourceMod cannot work until this is fixed. |
sm version |
SourceMod version information is printed. | MetaMod may be working, but SourceMod files, compatibility, or paths are wrong. |
sm plugins list |
A list of currently loaded SourceMod plugins appears. | SourceMod loaded but one or more plugins may be missing, disabled, or failing separately. |
Keep the distinction clear: an unknown meta command is a MetaMod loading problem, while an unknown sm command after a successful meta version test is a SourceMod problem. Plugin errors shown by sm plugins list are a later, plugin-specific issue rather than proof that the base installation failed.
Troubleshoot by symptom
“Unknown command: meta”
- Confirm that the archive matched the dedicated server’s operating system.
- Check that MetaMod’s files are under the active TF2 directory, producing
tf/addons/metamod/. - Check that
tf/addons/metamod.vdfexists and is a TF2-specific VDF. - Verify that you fully stopped and restarted the server after extraction.
If any of these checks fails, correct the files, stop the process again, and perform another full start before testing.
“Unknown command: sm”
First run meta version. If MetaMod is unknown as well, resolve that dependency. If MetaMod reports its version, inspect whether SourceMod was extracted into the same tf directory and whether tf/addons/sourcemod/ and tf/cfg/sourcemod/ exist. Check that the SourceMod archive was for the server OS and restart the process completely.
The folders exist, but the commands remain unavailable
Look for unwanted directory nesting. The server must see tf/addons/metamod/, not tf/MetaMod-Release/addons/metamod/. The same rule applies to SourceMod. Compare the path shown by your panel or file client with the directory that the startup configuration actually uses; some hosts expose several game instances with similarly named folders.
MetaMod fails on Linux
Open metamod-fatal.log in MetaMod’s bin directory. The log can identify a binary or required-version problem that the console summary omits. Recheck the AlliedModders required-version guidance, ensure the Linux package was selected, and verify that the server process can read and execute the extracted files.
The VDF is absent or points to another game
Place a TF2-specific metamod.vdf directly in tf/addons/. Do not put it inside the MetaMod folder. A VDF for another Source game can prevent the expected loader from being registered even when the rest of the directory looks correct.
SourceMod loads but a plugin does not
Use sm plugins list to see whether the plugin is listed and whether it reports an error. Check that plugin’s own documentation for required extensions, configuration, and placement. Additional MetaMod plugins have their own installation instructions; when a plugin uses a VDF, its documentation specifies the appropriate location under addons/metamod. Do not move such files based on the core MetaMod VDF layout.
Update without losing custom work
Updating SourceMod
SourceMod’s rolling-release model means that the latest stable package can change independently of a particular TF2 map or plugin. Stop the server, back up your current installation, and extract the new server-OS archive into the same tf directory. Preserve customized files, especially anything under SourceMod’s configuration areas such as configs/, and review release notes for compatibility after TF2 engine updates. Run the three verification commands after restarting.
Updating MetaMod:Source
Use the same stop, backup, OS-match, extraction, and full-restart process. Check that the update still leaves tf/addons/metamod.vdf in place and that the VDF targets TF2. Test meta version before testing SourceMod; this isolates a loader regression quickly.
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Follow each plugin author’s documentation for file names, dependencies, and VDF placement. Keep a record of which files you changed so a rollback can restore the previous version without deleting unrelated configuration.
Manual access and control-panel details
Shell or FTP access
Navigate to the directory that contains the TF2 server’s tf folder, upload the archive, and extract it so its contents merge into tf. If your FTP client asks whether to merge folders, choose the merge operation rather than creating a new parent folder. Confirm the final paths in the client before restarting.
Hosting control panels
Use the panel’s file manager or archive extractor to open the specific TF2 instance, not a general account directory. Upload the package, extract it into tf, and inspect the resulting tree. Some panels expose a “restart” button that only changes the map or sends a soft command; use the panel’s stop function followed by start when you need a full process restart. If the panel hides VDF files or denies access to tf/addons, ask its support team whether MetaMod:Source and SourceMod are supported before proceeding.
Installation checklist
- The dedicated server is stopped before files are changed.
- The MetaMod:Source archive matches the server’s operating system.
- MetaMod files are merged into the active
tfdirectory. tf/addons/metamod/exists.tf/addons/metamod.vdfexists and targets TF2; MetaMod:Source 1.10.0 and later normally provide it for standard games.- MetaMod starts successfully when
meta versionis run. - The SourceMod archive matches the same server operating system.
tf/addons/sourcemod/andtf/cfg/sourcemod/exist.- MetaMod:Source is version 1.9.0 or newer for SourceMod, with the latest version preferred.
- The server receives a complete stop/start after both packages are extracted.
sm versionreports SourceMod, andsm plugins listdisplays the loaded plugins.
How to tell where the problem is
Use the first failed command as your boundary. Failure at meta version points to the OS package, active game directory, MetaMod path, VDF, permissions, or restart. A successful MetaMod test followed by failure at sm version narrows the issue to SourceMod’s archive, paths, compatibility, or restart. A successful SourceMod test with errors in sm plugins list means the base frameworks loaded and the remaining investigation belongs to the individual plugin.
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