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What to prepare before updating
Schedule a short maintenance window and tell connected players that the server will be unavailable while its files are replaced. The dedicated-server download itself is free, but you still need enough disk space for SteamCMD to download the new build and stage changed files.
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Identify how this server is deployed
The correct update action depends on whether the server is launched directly on Windows, from a separate SteamCMD installation, or inside Docker. Find the launch script or container definition first. The update must target the files that the server actually starts; updating an unused copy does nothing for players.
| Deployment | How the update is triggered | Where persistence matters | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows executable or PowerShell/batch launch | Run SteamCMD for app ID 1963720, then start CoreKeeperServer.exe or the supplied script. |
The Windows DedicatedServer save/configuration directory and any custom launch files. |
SteamCMD or an update package can replace customized Launch.ps1 or Launch.bat. |
| Direct SteamCMD installation | Run the update command with the install directory explicitly selected. | The directory passed to +force_install_dir and the save path selected by the server. |
The command and the launch script point at different directories. |
| Docker | Follow the specific image’s README for its pull/recreate or internal SteamCMD procedure. | Keep both persistent volumes normally named server-files and server-data in the escapingnetwork project. |
Recreating or deleting a container without reattaching its volumes can make the server appear empty. |
Record local customizations
Before changing anything, note the command-line options, port, datapath, Game ID, player limit, and any environment variables used by the launch script or container. Copy customized Launch.ps1 and Launch.bat files somewhere outside the installation directory. The setup documentation warns that updates may overwrite those files.
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Windows and SteamCMD update procedure
1. Stop the server cleanly
Bring the server’s PowerShell or console window to the foreground. In the standard launch flow, press Q and wait for the process to close and save its world. Do not start SteamCMD while the server is writing to the save.
If an auto-restart wrapper is supervising the process, stop the wrapper first. The documented sequence is CTRL+C, then Y, then Enter; after the wrapper has stopped, close the game server itself with Q. A wrapper that immediately relaunches the executable can otherwise leave an old process running while SteamCMD replaces files.
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2. Back up worlds and configuration
On Windows, dedicated-server worlds are stored at:
%APPDATA%..LocalLowPugstormCore KeeperDedicatedServerworldsThe server configuration file is in the parent directory:
%APPDATA%..LocalLowPugstormCore KeeperDedicatedServerServerConfig.jsonCopy the entire worlds directory and ServerConfig.json to a separate backup location before updating. Keep the backup outside the installation directory so a file replacement cannot remove it. Label it with the date and the server build if you keep multiple restore points. Also preserve copies of customized launch scripts, because restoring a world without restoring the command-line settings can make the server start with a different datapath, port, or identity.
3. Update app ID 1963720 with SteamCMD
The current Core Keeper Codex workflow requests the anonymous license, updates the dedicated-server app, validates the installation, and exits:
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_license_request 1963720 +app_update 1963720 validate +quitIn that workflow, +app_license_request 1963720 comes before +app_update. The validate argument makes SteamCMD check the downloaded installation rather than merely applying changed files. Run the command from the SteamCMD setup used by this server and verify that its configured install directory is the one the launch script starts.
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A documented alternative explicitly selects the target directory:
steamcmd +force_install_dir <install-dir> +login anonymous +app_update 1963720 +quitReplace <install-dir> with the real server directory. Do not leave the angle-bracket placeholder in a command. This form is useful when SteamCMD has several installations or when the launch script lives outside SteamCMD’s default location. The newer workflow and the explicit-directory workflow both use app ID 1963720; the decisive requirement is that the updated directory and the launched directory are identical.
Watch SteamCMD’s output for a completed update and validation. If it reports an error, do not restart the server and assume the update succeeded. Check the login, directory, available disk space, and the final status line, then rerun the command after correcting the problem.
4. Restore only the files that should remain local
Do not overwrite newly downloaded server binaries with an old installation backup. Keep the updated executable files, and retain your backed-up world data, ServerConfig.json, and launch scripts. If an update supplied a new launch script, compare it with your saved customized version and reapply only the options you intentionally changed. This avoids carrying obsolete defaults into a newer build.
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Launch CoreKeeperServer.exe or the supplied PowerShell/batch script exactly as you did before the update. If the script uses a relative path, start it from the directory it expects. Wait for the normal ready message in the console or log before asking players to join.
6. Verify the result with a real client
Join from a client that has also completed the Core Keeper update. Confirm that the expected world loads, the player list behaves normally, and the server uses the intended Game ID or direct-connect settings. Review the server log for startup errors. If the client reports a version mismatch, stop again and follow the troubleshooting sequence below instead of repeatedly launching additional copies.
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Fixing a Core Keeper version mismatch
A mismatch is an operational symptom, not proof that the world is damaged. Check the process, directory, and client build in that order.
The old process is still running
Close the auto-restart wrapper before closing the server, using CTRL+C, Y, and Enter when that is the wrapper’s documented shutdown sequence. Then press Q in the server window and wait for it to exit. If an old process remains, the newly updated executable may never have been the process accepting connections. Start only one server instance after confirming the old one is gone.
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Compare the path passed to +force_install_dir, the SteamCMD working directory, and the executable path in Launch.ps1, Launch.bat, or your service definition. A common failure is updating a newly created folder while the launch script still points to an older copy. Correct the path, stop every running instance, run SteamCMD again, and launch from the corrected directory.
The client has a different build
Exit the client completely and allow its own platform update to finish. A server and client must be on the same Core Keeper build; updating only the server cannot make an out-of-date client connect. Test with one fully updated client before reopening the server to the rest of the group.
The installation did not finish cleanly
Rerun the current command with validate and read the final SteamCMD result. Validation is useful when a download was interrupted or files were changed unexpectedly. Keep the world backup untouched while repairing binaries so a failed update does not become a data-loss event.
A container is still serving the old image or files
For Docker, confirm that the old container has stopped and that the replacement uses the intended image tag and both persistent volumes. Pulling a new image does not help if an old container is still bound to the port, and deleting a data volume can remove the server’s worlds. Use the image’s README for its exact pull/recreate procedure rather than copying a command from a different image.
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Updating a Docker or Linux deployment
Preserve both Docker volumes
The escapingnetwork Docker project separates persistent server-files and server-data volumes. Preserve both during an update. The files volume generally holds the installed server content, while the data volume is the persistent state that must survive container replacement; rely on the image documentation for the exact mount semantics used by your tag.
- Announce maintenance and stop the running container cleanly.
- Back up both persistent volumes, including the world and configuration data they contain.
- Record the image name, tag, environment variables, port mappings, and any custom command or entrypoint.
- Pull the image or run the image’s documented SteamCMD update process.
- Recreate the container while reattaching both existing volumes and preserving the same settings.
- Start it, inspect the logs until the server is ready, and connect with an updated client.
The exact Docker command varies by image and version, so there is no safe universal one-line update command. Do not use docker volume rm as a cleanup step unless you have deliberately exported and verified a replacement backup.
Linux installations outside Docker
If a Linux deployment uses SteamCMD directly, the same app ID and update sequence apply:
steamcmd +login anonymous +app_license_request 1963720 +app_update 1963720 validate +quitUse the install directory and launch script defined by that deployment. The Windows save path above does not describe a Linux filesystem; locate the data directory from the Linux launch configuration or the package documentation, and back up the equivalent world and configuration files before replacing binaries.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Settings that can affect an update
A build update should not silently change your intended connection model. Check these options after restoring a launch script or recreating a container.
Save location with -datapath
The -datapath option can move saves away from the default location. If the server was started with this option, back up the directory it names rather than assuming the default Windows path contains the active world. A script that loses -datapath can start a new-looking world even though the old data is still safe elsewhere.
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Direct connections and cross-play
Setting -port enables direct connections and effectively enables cross-play. Omitting -port uses the Steam relay network instead. Preserve the option and its value when rebuilding a launch script or container; changing it alters how players discover and reach the server.
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When -maxplayers is omitted, the current Core Keeper Codex reference lists a default maximum of eight players. If your server intentionally uses another limit, confirm that the option survived the update and that the value still fits your group.
Game ID rules
The same reference states that a Game ID must contain 15 to 28 alphanumeric characters and cannot contain Y, y, x, 0, or O. An invalid or omitted ID causes a random ID to be generated. Treat these rules as version-sensitive: the reference is for dedicated-server package version 1.2.1.5, verified on 2026-09-07, so check the current package documentation if a later build changes validation.
Rollback and recovery if the update causes trouble
Restore the world and configuration
If the updated server starts but the expected world is missing, stop it before it creates or modifies additional data. Restore the backed-up worlds directory and ServerConfig.json to the active data location, including the location selected by -datapath if that option is in use. Start once and verify the world before allowing players back in.
Restore custom launch behavior
If an update replaced Launch.ps1 or Launch.bat, compare the new file with your saved copy. Reapply only known settings such as -datapath, -port, -maxplayers, and the Game ID. Keep the updated script’s required executable name and syntax.
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When binary rollback is necessary
A data backup restores worlds and settings, not an older server executable. If the new build itself is incompatible with your environment, you need a backup of the previous server files or a documented way to obtain that exact build. Do not claim that restoring ServerConfig.json alone rolls back the server version. Once the desired binaries are restored, verify that clients use the matching build before reconnecting.
Quick Recap
Choosing an update approach
| Criterion | Windows executable or SteamCMD | Docker |
|---|---|---|
| Install-path control | High when +force_install_dir is used; verify the launch script points there. |
Defined by the image, container definition, and mounted volumes. |
| Update trigger | A repeatable SteamCMD command using app ID 1963720. |
Image-specific pull/recreate or an internal SteamCMD workflow. |
| World/config persistence | Back up the Windows worlds path and its parent ServerConfig.json, or the path selected by -datapath. |
Back up and reattach both server-files and server-data volumes in the escapingnetwork layout. |
| Custom launch settings | Save copies because Launch.ps1 and Launch.bat may be overwritten. |
Preserve environment variables, mounts, command, and entrypoint when recreating. |
| Rollback convenience | Strong only if you retain prior binaries as well as saves and scripts. | Image tags can help identify a prior image, but data volumes still need independent backups. |
| Connection model | Controlled by options such as -port, relay behavior, and the launch script. |
Controlled by the image’s settings plus container port mappings and preserved arguments. |
Post-update maintenance checklist
- Confirm every server process and auto-restart wrapper was stopped before SteamCMD ran.
- Keep a dated copy of
worlds,ServerConfig.json, and any customized launch files. - Run SteamCMD with app ID
1963720against the directory the server actually launches. - Use
app_license_requestbeforeapp_updateand includevalidatewhen following the current Codex workflow. - Check that
-datapath,-port,-maxplayers, and the Game ID were not lost. - For Docker, preserve both persistent volumes and recreate only after the image-specific instructions are clear.
- Start one instance, wait for readiness, and test with a fully updated client.
- Keep the pre-update binary backup if you may need a true version rollback, because world backups alone do not restore executables.
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