To update a self-hosted ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) dedicated server, stop it cleanly, back up its save and configuration files, then run SteamCMD with ASA’s dedicated-server app ID, 2430930:
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steamcmd +force_install_dir <install_dir> +login anonymous +app_update 2430930 validate +quitRestart with the same map, ports, cluster options and mods, then verify that the server and client report matching builds. An update normally replaces server binaries rather than deleting your world; the practical risk comes from an interrupted shutdown, a failed file replacement or an incompatible mod. A dated backup outside the installation directory gives you a recovery path.
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What an ASA server update changes
An ASA dedicated server consists of executable files and supporting content, plus a separate data and configuration area. SteamCMD updates the installed server files. Your world, tribes, characters, settings and logs are stored under ShooterGame/Saved, so updating the binaries does not inherently wipe them.
The ARK Official Community Wiki identifies ShooterGame/Saved as the location for world, tribe, player, configuration, log and cluster data. Treat that directory as the critical state of your server. A safe update replaces program files while preserving this state and the launch configuration that tells the server which map and ports to use.
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Updates can still produce a non-working server when a process is left running, files are locked, a launch parameter changes, a mod has not caught up, or the client and server receive different builds. The procedure below separates those failure points so you can identify which one occurred.
Before you begin
Confirm how the server is operated
This guide covers a server you control directly, with SteamCMD available on the host. If a provider operates the machine, use the provider’s update control panel or maintenance process instead of running SteamCMD in a directory you do not manage. The managed-hosting section explains the timing and troubleshooting trade-offs.
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Before scheduling maintenance, note the map, query and game ports, cluster identifiers, launch arguments, enabled mods and the current server build. Keep the launch script itself. These records let you distinguish an update problem from a changed command line.
- Write down the installation directory used by SteamCMD.
- Save the exact launch command or script.
- Record the map name,
-port=<port>value, query port and any cluster options. - Export or list the enabled mod IDs and their load order.
- Tell players when the server will stop and when you expect it to return.
Check free disk space
SteamCMD must download and replace files in the installation directory. Leave enough free space for the download and temporary replacement files; otherwise an apparently successful maintenance window can end with missing or partially updated content. The supplied sources do not specify a universal disk-space figure, so check the host’s available capacity against the size of the installed server and the update shown by SteamCMD.
Step 1: Announce maintenance and stop the server cleanly
Warn players before stopping the process. A clean shutdown allows the server to finish writing the world and releases executable files before SteamCMD attempts to replace them. Do not run the update command against a live server process.
Stop from the normal control method
Use the service manager, panel, terminal session or launch script that normally controls your server. Wait for the process to exit completely rather than assuming that a closed console means the executable has stopped.
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- On a terminal launch, issue the server’s normal shutdown command or terminate it through the host’s process controls.
- On Windows, check Task Manager for the ASA server process before starting SteamCMD.
- On Linux, use your service manager or process tools to confirm no ASA server process remains.
If SteamCMD later reports locked files, return to this check first. Retrying while the process is still running can leave an incomplete update.
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Step 2: Create a dated backup outside the live directory
Copy the complete ShooterGame/Saved tree to storage outside the ASA installation directory before every update. Include the configuration and launch files that determine how the server starts.
Files to preserve
ShooterGame/Saved, including its world, tribe, player, configuration, log and cluster data.Game.ini.GameUserSettings.ini.- Your launch script or service definition.
- A record of enabled mods and their order.
Use a dated folder such as ASA-backup-2026-10-16-before-update. Keep the copy on another disk or host when possible; a backup inside the installation directory is vulnerable to the same disk failure, accidental deletion or directory replacement as the live server.
Verify the backup instead of assuming it exists
Check that the copied ShooterGame/Saved directory contains the expected world and cluster subdirectories and that the configuration files open normally. Record the backup location in your maintenance notes. Do not delete the pre-update copy until the new build has started, players have connected and the world has been checked.
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Windows copy example
Stop the server first, then copy the data to a separate volume. Replace the example paths with your actual locations:
robocopy "D:ASAShooterGameSaved" "E:ASA-backupsASA-backup-2026-10-16-before-updateSaved" /E /COPY:DAT /R:2 /W:5
copy "D:ASAShooterGameSavedConfigWindowsServerGame.ini" "E:ASA-backupsASA-backup-2026-10-16-before-updateGame.ini"
copy "D:ASAShooterGameSavedConfigWindowsServerGameUserSettings.ini" "E:ASA-backupsASA-backup-2026-10-16-before-updateGameUserSettings.ini"The exact configuration path can vary with the installation layout. If your files are elsewhere, copy the actual files rather than creating a second, unused configuration directory.
Linux copy example
mkdir -p /srv/asa-backups/ASA-backup-2026-10-16-before-update
cp -a /srv/asa/ShooterGame/Saved /srv/asa-backups/ASA-backup-2026-10-16-before-update/
cp -a /srv/asa/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Game.ini /srv/asa-backups/ASA-backup-2026-10-16-before-update/
cp -a /srv/asa/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini /srv/asa-backups/ASA-backup-2026-10-16-before-update/Adjust /srv/asa and the configuration subdirectory to match your host. Preserve file ownership and permissions when your service runs under a dedicated account.
Step 3: Update the dedicated server with SteamCMD
Run SteamCMD against the ASA installation directory. The dedicated-server app ID is 2430930. The standard update operation is:
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steamcmd +force_install_dir <install_dir> +login anonymous +app_update 2430930 validate +quitReplace <install_dir> with the absolute path used by the server. The validate option asks SteamCMD to check the installed files and reacquire files that do not match the current build.
Windows command example
steamcmd +force_install_dir "D:ASA" +login anonymous +app_update 2430930 validate +quitLinux command example
/opt/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /srv/asa +login anonymous +app_update 2430930 validate +quitRun the command from an account with permission to write to the installation directory. If SteamCMD is not on your executable path, call its full executable or script path as shown above.
What the command arguments do
| Argument | Purpose |
|---|---|
+force_install_dir <install_dir> |
Sets the directory in which SteamCMD installs or updates the server. |
+login anonymous |
Logs in using the anonymous SteamCMD account used for this dedicated-server installation. |
+app_update 2430930 |
Requests the ARK: Survival Ascended dedicated-server app. |
validate |
Checks installed files and replaces files that fail validation. |
+quit |
Exits SteamCMD after the update operation finishes. |
Repeat the command for every released build
There is no separate ASA-specific updater to download for each patch. Repeat the same SteamCMD operation whenever a new server build is released. SteamCMD determines whether files need to be downloaded.
Step 4: Read the SteamCMD result
Do not close the maintenance window immediately after SteamCMD finishes printing lines. Review the output and confirm that it operated on the intended directory and completed the app update. A successful-looking login to the wrong directory can leave the real server unchanged.
If files are locked
- Stop SteamCMD.
- Confirm the ASA server process has fully exited.
- Check for a second server instance launched by a service, scheduled task or panel.
- Stop that instance and rerun the same command.
Do not delete random files to force an update. If validation repeatedly fails, preserve the backup and logs, confirm the installation path and permissions, then investigate disk space or filesystem errors.
If SteamCMD updates a different directory
Compare the path in +force_install_dir with the path in your launch script. The server may start from a directory different from the one you just updated. Correct the command or launch configuration, then update the directory that the running service actually uses.
Step 5: Restart without changing your launch parameters
Start the server with the existing launch script and parameters. Preserve the map, ports, cluster settings, configuration files and mod list while you verify the update. Changing several variables at once makes a failure difficult to diagnose.
Use the correct port syntax
ASA server setup documentation specifies the dedicated-server port form -port=<port>. Using ?port=<port> causes the server to use the default port 7777 instead of the port you intended.
ArkAscendedServer.exe TheIsland_WP?listen -port=7777 -QueryPort=27015The executable name, map and other arguments in your installation may differ. The important point is to retain your established syntax and values. If your launch script already uses a non-default game port, do not replace its -port= argument with a question-mark form.
Preserve cluster and mod settings
Keep the same cluster ID, cluster directory options, map rotation, session name, password and mod arguments. If a mod is disabled during troubleshooting, write down the original order so you can restore it deliberately after the base server is confirmed healthy.
Step 6: Verify the running build and test a connection
Once the process is running, check the server’s reported patch number in its console, log or administration interface. Then connect with a client that has also completed the current ASA update.
- Confirm the server process remains running after startup.
- Check the reported server patch or build number.
- Launch the game client and allow its update to finish.
- Compare the exact client and server numbers, not just the date or a shortened version label.
- Connect to the server and load the expected map.
- Verify that a known character, tribe, structure and inventory are present.
- Check that ports, mods and cluster travel work as expected.
Do not announce completion until a real client connection succeeds and the world state looks correct. Keep the pre-update backup until this check is complete.
How to fix an “outdated server” or version mismatch
A version-mismatch message generally means that the client or server is behind a recent release. It can also occur while a release is propagating or when server and client builds were published separately.
Compare exact versions first
Nitrado’s ASA troubleshooting guidance recommends checking the patch or version shown by the client. Recent ASA patch-note postings also show that server and client builds can be released separately and that a deployment can sometimes be reverted. Therefore, repeated reinstalls are not the first response: identify which side is behind and whether the release is currently stable.
- Write down the exact client build number shown by the game.
- Write down the exact server build number shown by the server console or log.
- Check whether the client has a pending update or needs a restart after updating.
- Run the SteamCMD update on the server if its build is older.
- Restart the server after SteamCMD completes.
- Check mod compatibility if the base builds match but the connection still fails.
When waiting is the correct fix
If an official deployment has been reverted or is still propagating, the client and server may temporarily disagree even after you have followed the correct procedure. In that case, wait for the matching build rather than repeatedly deleting and reinstalling the server. Nitrado states that provider-pushed ASA updates are typically delivered within three hours of release; that is a provider timing guideline, not a guarantee for every release or self-hosted machine.
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After the base server and client numbers match, inspect mods. A mod can require its own update or prevent the server from completing startup. Test with the documented mod list and load order, and change one mod at a time so you can identify the incompatible item. Keep the world backup before removing or altering mod-related data.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Will updating wipe your ARK server?
A normal SteamCMD update does not intentionally erase the world. The protection is procedural: stop the server cleanly, keep ShooterGame/Saved outside the installation directory, and restart with the same configuration. A mistaken installation path, a destructive script, a failed disk or a mod-related data problem can still make a world appear missing.
If the server starts as a new world
- Stop the server immediately so it does not overwrite the state you are trying to recover.
- Check the launch script and confirm that it points to the original installation and map.
- Check whether the expected
ShooterGame/Saveddirectory is present. - Compare its contents with the dated pre-update backup.
- Restore the backup only after preserving the current directory for diagnosis.
- Restart with the original map, cluster and configuration parameters.
Do not copy only a single visible save file when restoring a cluster or a modded server. Restore the complete saved tree and the matching configuration files from the same dated backup.
If characters or tribes are missing
That symptom can indicate that the server started with a different save location, map, cluster setting or configuration. Confirm the launch parameters and file paths before assuming the data was deleted. The saved directory contains more than the terrain save; tribe and player data must remain together with the world and cluster data.
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Rollback is a controlled restore, not a reason to keep experimenting on the only copy of the data. Use the dated backup made before the update and keep the failed installation available for troubleshooting.
- Announce that the server will remain offline while you restore.
- Stop the server and verify the process has exited.
- Rename the current installation or saved directory to preserve it for analysis.
- Restore the backed-up
ShooterGame/Savedtree. - Restore
Game.ini,GameUserSettings.iniand the launch script if they changed. - Install or restore the server build that matches the client build you intend to use.
- Start with the original parameters and test the world and a client connection.
The available guidance establishes the backup locations and update command but does not define a universal downgrade command or guarantee that every prior server build remains downloadable. If the previous build is no longer available through SteamCMD, preserve the backup and obtain the correct build through the host’s supported distribution method rather than guessing at files.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
Managed hosting removes the need to run SteamCMD manually, while self-hosting gives you direct control over files and timing. The choice affects who performs the update, who owns the backup, and how much access you have when something goes wrong.
| Decision area | Self-hosted ASA server | Managed ASA hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Update operation | You stop the process, run SteamCMD with app ID 2430930, review output and restart. | The provider pushes the server update through its hosting system. |
| Timing control | You choose the maintenance window after the build is available. | You depend on the provider’s rollout schedule. |
| File and launch access | Direct access to installation files, launch parameters, saves and logs. | Access depends on the provider’s panel and service policy. |
| Backup responsibility | You create and verify dated copies outside the installation directory. | Confirm what the provider backs up; keep an independent copy of important saves when the service permits it. |
| Typical release delay | SteamCMD can be run when the build is available to your host. | Nitrado says provider updates are typically pushed within three hours of release. |
| Mod and configuration control | You control mod files, order, launch arguments and configuration directly. | The panel may simplify management but can limit low-level access. |
| Troubleshooting | You can inspect processes, SteamCMD output, filesystem permissions and logs. | The provider handles infrastructure issues; you may have to wait for support or a rollout. |
Neither model removes the need to understand version matching and backups. A provider can update binaries, but you still need to know which map, mods and saved data the server should use.
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Quick Recap
Common failure symptoms and targeted fixes
SteamCMD says the update completed, but the server is still old
- Check that
+force_install_dirmatches the directory used by the launch script. - Confirm the server process was stopped before the update.
- Run SteamCMD again with
validate. - Restart the correct service or executable, not an older copy in another directory.
The server will not start after updating
- Read the startup log for the first error rather than the final shutdown line.
- Restore the original launch parameters and verify the map name.
- Check permissions, free disk space and locked files.
- Temporarily test the base server without recently changed mods, then reintroduce them one at a time.
Players see the server but cannot join
- Compare client and server build numbers exactly.
- Check that the server is listening on the intended game and query ports.
- Confirm the launch script uses
-port=<port>, not?port=<port>. - Check whether a client update is still pending.
- Investigate mod versions and load order after the base version matches.
The update hangs or repeatedly retries
- Stop any remaining ASA process.
- Confirm SteamCMD has write access to the installation directory.
- Check disk space and filesystem health.
- Verify that the installation path is absolute and correctly quoted.
- Preserve the backup and SteamCMD output before attempting a more invasive repair.
A repeatable maintenance checklist
- Publish the maintenance notice.
- Stop the ASA server cleanly.
- Verify that no server process remains.
- Copy
ShooterGame/Savedto a dated location outside the installation directory. - Copy
Game.ini,GameUserSettings.ini, the launch script and the enabled-mod list. - Run
steamcmd +force_install_dir <install_dir> +login anonymous +app_update 2430930 validate +quit. - Review SteamCMD output and confirm the intended directory was updated.
- Restart with the existing map, ports, cluster settings and mods.
- Check the server build and compare it with the client build.
- Connect, inspect the world, and test relevant cluster or mod features.
- Retain the pre-update backup until the test is complete.
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