Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIf a Project Zomboid dedicated server ignores an edit or restores old values after a restart, the file you changed is usually not the file the running process uses. The common causes are an inactive -servername profile, editing the wrong configuration layer, not reloading or restarting after the edit, or running the server as a different Linux user.
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Stop the server safely, back up the active files and save, identify the exact profile and data directory, change the matching file, apply the change, and verify it with showoptions and one client connection. The procedure below also separates settings that are read from the INI, sandbox rules, and the already-generated multiplayer world.
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Project Zomboid does not use one universal settings file. A dedicated server selects a named profile and reads several files from the Zomboid data directory. If the launch command uses -servername pizza, the server reads pizza.ini, pizza_SandboxVars.lua, the related spawn files, and the pizza multiplayer save. Editing servertest.ini in that situation can be completely valid text editing but have no effect, because that profile is not active.
The same symptom appears when a server-level value is changed in the sandbox file, a world rule is changed only in the INI, or a value has already been written into existing world cells. On Linux, the process may also be using another account’s home directory after a launch with sudo. Treat the problem as a profile, layer, timing, or user-context mismatch rather than as a damaged text file.
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Where the server keeps each file
Windows default locations
PZwiki identifies these default Windows locations for a profile named servertest:
C:UsersYourUsernameZomboidServerservertest.iniC:UsersYourUsernameZomboidServerservertest_SandboxVars.luaC:UsersYourUsernameZomboidServerservertest_spawnpoints.luaC:UsersYourUsernameZomboidServerservertest_spawnregions.luaC:UsersYourUsernameZomboidSavesMultiplayerservertest
Linux uses the analogous paths under the account’s home directory:
~/Zomboid/Server/servertest.ini~/Zomboid/Server/servertest_SandboxVars.lua~/Zomboid/Server/servertest_spawnpoints.lua~/Zomboid/Server/servertest_spawnregions.lua~/Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/servertest
These are defaults, not proof of the path your service uses. A launch option such as -cachedir, a system service, a container, or a different Linux account can redirect the data directory. Resolve the active command and account before editing.
Know which configuration layer owns the setting
| Setting or symptom | File or location to check first | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Password, public listing, ports, and server-level options | Active NAME.ini |
These are server behavior, connection, and mod-related options. |
| Loot, zombie speed, time, water shutoff, and PVP | Active NAME_SandboxVars.lua |
These are sandbox and world-rule values. |
| Existing loot rolls, water already shut off, or explored cells | Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/NAME |
The persistent world can retain state generated before a later setting edit. |
| Mods missing | WorkshopItems= and Mods= in the same active INI |
Both fields must describe the intended mod set. |
| Settings revert only on Linux | User, home directory, -cachedir, and launch service |
A different account or data directory can load another profile. |
The INI file
The INI contains server-level behavior and connection or mod fields. Passwords, listing behavior, ports, and the WorkshopItems= and Mods= entries belong here. Always edit the INI whose basename matches the active server name; an identically named file in the installation directory is not necessarily the runtime copy.
The SandboxVars file
NAME_SandboxVars.lua contains world rules such as loot abundance, zombie speed, time progression, water shutoff, and PVP. Changing an INI entry cannot alter a sandbox value, and changing the sandbox file cannot replace a server connection option. Preserve the Lua structure when editing: alter the value, not the surrounding keys or punctuation.
The multiplayer save
The save directory contains persistent world state. Loot that has already been rolled, cells that players have explored, and water that has already shut off can remain unchanged after a later configuration edit. A successful file save therefore does not guarantee that an already-generated part of the world will be regenerated. Test a change in an appropriate new or unaffected area before concluding that the file was ignored.
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1. Stop the server and make a backup
Use the server’s normal shutdown method and wait until the process has exited. Copy the active INI, sandbox file, spawn files, and multiplayer save to a dated backup location before changing anything. At minimum, preserve:
NAME.iniNAME_SandboxVars.luaNAME_spawnpoints.luaNAME_spawnregions.luaZomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/NAME
Use the actual profile name in place of NAME. A backup lets you undo a malformed Lua edit or an unintended world change without guessing which version was active.
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2. Identify the profile selected at launch
Inspect the startup script, service unit, or host panel for -servername NAME. That argument selects the INI, sandbox file, related spawn files, and matching save folder. For example, a process started with -servername pizza uses pizza.ini and the pizza save, not the servertest set.
If no custom name is supplied, the default profile is commonly servertest. Confirm by checking which matching files have current timestamps and which save folder contains the world your players join; do not rely on a remembered default.
3. Resolve the effective data directory
On Windows, check the Zomboid folder for the account that launches the server. On Linux, inspect the service’s user, home directory, working directory, and any -cachedir argument. The process may read ~/Zomboid for its own account rather than the directory belonging to the administrator who opened an editor.
A Steam Community support reply identifies a specific failure mode: launching with sudo can place or read the settings file in the sudo account’s data directory. Treat that report as a troubleshooting lead, not as a universal rule. Run the server and edit the files under the same intended account, then verify the effective home and data path from the service configuration and the files it actually updates.
4. Change the matching layer
Use the configuration map above to decide whether the value belongs in NAME.ini, NAME_SandboxVars.lua, or the persistent save. For mods, check both WorkshopItems= and Mods= in the active INI. For a world rule, edit the sandbox file with the profile’s exact basename. Do not copy a setting into a second profile as a test; that makes it harder to tell which file is authoritative.
5. Apply the change correctly
For a normal maintenance window, save the file while the server is stopped and start the server again. Most changes require that restart so the process reads the edited profile from disk.
PZwiki’s dedicated-server documentation also states: “Changes can be saved to servertest.ini while the server is running. After servertest.ini is saved, use admin command reloadoptions to make the changes live.” The command applies to the running profile represented by that filename; it does not make an edit to an inactive profile authoritative. If the change concerns a sandbox value or persistent world state, use a controlled stop and restart unless the setting’s behavior is known to be reloadable.
6. Verify the running values
After startup, use the administrator showoptions command to inspect the options the server has loaded. Reopen the active profile files as a second check, then connect with one client and test the behavior that motivated the edit. Change one related group at a time so a failed test identifies a profile or layer problem instead of several simultaneous edits.
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If showoptions displays the new value but gameplay does not change, investigate whether the world save already contains the old state. If the command displays the old value, return to the profile name, data directory, account, and reload/restart steps rather than changing the value again.
7. Keep connectivity troubleshooting separate
PZwiki lists UDP port 16261 and UDP port 16262 as the required dedicated-server ports (2025). Check forwarding and firewall rules independently from configuration persistence. Open ports can allow a client to reach a server, but they cannot make an incorrectly selected profile load or make an INI edit apply.
Diagnose the symptom you see
Password, listing, or port changes revert
- Confirm that the launch command’s
-servernamematches the INI you edited. - Check that the server process has the same data directory you opened in your editor.
- Save the active INI and restart, or run
reloadoptionsas an administrator after saving while it is running. - Use
showoptionsto confirm the loaded value before testing a client.
If the loaded value is correct but players still cannot connect, investigate UDP 16261 and 16262, firewall rules, and forwarding as a separate networking issue.
Loot, zombie speed, time, water, or PVP does not change
- Open the active
NAME_SandboxVars.lua, not the INI. - Confirm that the profile name is identical across the sandbox file, launch argument, and save directory.
- Stop and restart after saving unless you have a documented reload path for that particular rule.
- Test in a location whose state was not already generated under the previous value.
Existing loot rolls, explored cells, and a water shutoff that already occurred are properties of the multiplayer save. Editing the rule later does not necessarily rewrite those results.
Mods are absent or appear to reset
Open the active INI and inspect both WorkshopItems= and Mods=. The intended workshop identifiers and mod identifiers must be present in the same profile the process selects. If one field was edited in servertest.ini while the server runs another name, the runtime will continue using the other profile’s values. After correcting the active file, restart and verify the loaded options before inviting players.
The file changes on disk, but the server overwrites it
First determine whether you edited a profile that another process is not using. If the profile and data directory are correct, check the shutdown sequence: editing while the server is still writing and then terminating it abruptly can leave an older in-memory value to be written back. Stop it cleanly, make the backup, edit while stopped, and start once. On Linux, also verify that the service account has permission to read and write the intended files and that no second service instance is running under another account.
Only Linux hosts keep reverting settings
Compare the account that owns the server process with the account that owns the edited files. A launch through sudo can select a different home directory, while -cachedir or a service definition can redirect the entire Zomboid data tree. Run and edit as one deliberate account, then inspect the effective home, cache directory, profile basename, and save path. Do not solve the symptom by copying files between accounts until you know which account the service will use on its next restart.
Choosing the right fix path
Use the quickest path that answers the actual mismatch. If the server loads an old value in showoptions, prioritize profile correctness, data-directory selection, and reload timing. If it loads the new value but the world looks unchanged, prioritize the persistent save and whether the affected cells were generated earlier. If only mod behavior is wrong, inspect both mod fields in the active INI rather than changing sandbox values. If players cannot reach the server but the loaded options are correct, stop editing files and investigate the two required UDP ports.
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| Observed result | Most useful next check | What it rules in or out |
|---|---|---|
showoptions shows the old value |
Profile name, effective data path, account, then restart or reloadoptions |
The runtime has not loaded the edit. |
showoptions shows the new value, but old loot remains |
Test an unaffected or newly generated area | The save may contain state created under the previous rule. |
| INI values work, sandbox values do not | Check NAME_SandboxVars.lua and perform a controlled restart |
The wrong configuration layer or timing is likely. |
| Files update under one account but not after service restart | Compare service user, home, and -cachedir |
The service may read a different Zomboid tree. |
| All values look right, but clients cannot join | Check UDP 16261, UDP 16262, forwarding, and firewall rules | This is reachability, not persistence. |
Common mistakes that make diagnosis harder
- Editing while the wrong profile is running: matching the filename to a remembered default is not enough; match it to
-servername NAME. - Changing several layers at once: alter one INI or sandbox group, reload or restart, and verify before making another edit.
- Testing only in an old area: generated cells can preserve loot, exploration, and water state, making a successful setting change look ineffective.
- Using
reloadoptionsfor everything: the documented command applies to a saved INI while the server is running. It does not automatically regenerate world state or substitute for a restart when a rule requires one. - Copying files between Linux users without checking the service: the next launch can simply read the other account’s directory again.
- Confusing connection failures with persistence: ports affect reachability; they do not select the profile or save an edit.
A verification checklist that prevents repeat failures
- The server is stopped cleanly before a maintenance edit, and the active files and save have a dated backup.
- The launch command or service clearly shows the intended
-servername NAME. - The edited INI, sandbox file, spawn files, and save directory all use that same
NAME. - The files are under the effective Zomboid data directory, including any
-cachediroverride. - The process account and editing account are intentionally the same, especially on Linux.
- The setting is in the correct layer: INI,
NAME_SandboxVars.lua, or persistent save behavior. - The server was restarted, or the administrator ran
reloadoptionsfor an eligible INI edit. showoptionsreports the intended value.- One client has tested the actual behavior before another setting group is changed.
- UDP 16261 and UDP 16262 are checked only when the remaining symptom is reachability.
Why the active profile matters more than the filename you remember
servertest is a common default, but it is only a profile name. The server name is a bundle: it determines the INI, sandbox rules, spawn definitions, and multiplayer save used together. A perfectly edited servertest.ini is inert when the process runs -servername pizza; conversely, changing the active INI cannot alter a different save folder that already contains generated world state.
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This also explains apparent “resets” after a restart. A restart is doing exactly what it was told to do if the service points to another profile, another home directory, or another cache directory. Locate the command and the process context first, then judge whether the setting itself failed to persist.
When to rebuild or change the world
Do not delete or replace the multiplayer save merely because a setting appears unchanged. First prove that the active profile and layer are correct, confirm the loaded value with showoptions, and test an unaffected area. The documented behavior supports a narrower conclusion: persistent state can outlive a later edit. That means a configuration repair may be successful even when previously rolled loot, explored cells, or an already-completed water shutoff remain as they were.
Backups are especially important before any experiment involving the save. Keep the original NAME save intact, make one controlled change, and record which profile and account were used. This preserves a rollback path and prevents an attempted fix from becoming permanent world-data loss.
How to document a working setup
Once the value is correct, write down the profile basename, the effective Zomboid data directory, the service account, and whether the setting came from the INI or sandbox file. Include whether the change required a restart or was applied with reloadoptions. This small record helps distinguish a genuine revert from an edit made to an inactive profile during the next maintenance window.
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For a shared server, give administrators the exact active filenames rather than generic instructions such as “edit servertest.” A profile named pizza should be described as pizza.ini, pizza_SandboxVars.lua, and the pizza save. That naming discipline prevents different operators from editing different layers or accounts.
Evidence and version caveats
The file locations, profile behavior, reload guidance, and default ports described here follow PZwiki’s dedicated-server material, whose page was last modified December 21, 2025. PZwiki is community-maintained, so build-specific behavior can change. A separate settings reference updated September 30, 2026 describes the INI, sandbox, and save layers; use the labels in the files shipped by your current build if they differ.
The Linux user explanation is based on a single Steam Community support reply. Verify the effective account and data path on your host rather than assuming every sudo launch behaves identically.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does editing servertest.ini do nothing?
The server may be running another profile. Check the launch command for -servername NAME; if it says pizza, edit pizza.ini and the matching files instead of servertest.ini.
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PZwiki says an INI can be saved while the server runs, then the administrator can use reloadoptions to apply it. For sandbox rules or changes involving generated world state, use a controlled stop and restart unless that rule is known to reload safely.
Why does showoptions show the new value but gameplay still looks unchanged?
The multiplayer save may already contain the old state. Existing loot rolls, explored cells, and a water shutoff that already happened are persistent. Test an unaffected or newly generated area before assuming the file was ignored.
Why do settings revert only when I run the server on Linux?
Compare the editing account with the service account, home directory, and any -cachedir setting. A launch with sudo can make the process read or write another user’s Zomboid directory.
Which files should I back up before changing settings?
Back up the active NAME.ini, NAME_SandboxVars.lua, spawn-point and spawn-region files, and Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/NAME. Use the actual profile name, not an assumed servertest name.
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Are ports responsible for settings not saving?
No. UDP 16261 and UDP 16262 affect dedicated-server reachability. Check them when clients cannot connect after the loaded options are correct; open ports cannot make an inactive profile apply.
The Bottom Line
When Project Zomboid settings do not stick, verify the active -servername profile and effective data directory before editing again. Put server options in NAME.ini, world rules in NAME_SandboxVars.lua, and remember that the multiplayer save can preserve already-generated state. Back up first, restart or use reloadoptions for eligible INI changes, then confirm with showoptions and one client. On Linux, make the service and editor use the same account and home path.
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