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Survival Guide

DayZ

Detailed connection, admin, file, settings, mods, backup, wipe, and troubleshooting notes for DayZ dedicated servers.

Order / ManageGet Help

Connect & First Checks

Before editing files

  • Use the official launcher, DZSA launcher, Steam favorites, or direct IP/port.
  • For modded servers, players must load the exact same mod set and order.
  • Server browser visibility can take several minutes after startup.

Files & Folders

Stop server before edits

serverDZ.cfgPrimary config: hostname, password, admin password, max players, mission, verification, query/Steam settings.
mpmissions/<mission>Mission files such as init.c, economy XML, types.xml, events.xml, cfgeconomycore.xml.
profilesLogs, BattlEye files, crash dumps, and runtime profiles depending on startup args.
@ModName foldersWorkshop mod folders at server root.
keysMod .bikey files required for signature verification.

Common Settings

High-use values

hostnameServer browser name.
passwordPlayer password.
passwordAdminAdmin login password for #login.
maxPlayersPlayer cap.
verifySignaturesSignature verification. 2 is common for public modded servers.
forceSameBuildRequires same game build. Recommended for public servers.
template / missionMap/mission path, such as dayzOffline.chernarusplus.

Admin Setup

Staff access

  • Set passwordAdmin in serverDZ.cfg.
  • Join and type #login yourpassword in chat.
  • Use #shutdown, #restart, #monitor, #lock, #unlock as supported by DayZ admin commands.
  • BattlEye RCon is separate and requires BEServer config if used.

Mods & Plugins

Install carefully

  • Upload @mod folders to server root.
  • Copy each mod .bikey into keys.
  • Add mods to -mod= in the same order players load them. Use -serverMod= only for server-side mods.
  • After removing mods, check mission files for leftover classnames.

Backups, Wipes, Rollbacks

Protect player data

  • Back up serverDZ.cfg, profiles, mpmissions, keys, and storage data.
  • Economy wipes often involve mission storage files, not just config XML. Archive before deleting.
  • Before editing types.xml/events.xml, keep a known-good copy. XML errors can break loot economy.

Troubleshooting

Common tickets

Client has PBO errorMissing key, wrong mod order, or client/server mod mismatch.
Admin login failspasswordAdmin typo or serverDZ.cfg not reloaded after restart.
Server not listedCheck query/Steam port, mod signatures, and full startup completion.
Loot not spawningEconomy XML invalid or storage not reset after major economy changes.