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If a Don’t Starve Together dedicated server remains on “Launching Server,” start with server_log.txt in both shard folders, then check firewall or antivirus access for the dedicated-server executable. If the log is clean, start the Master shard before Caves, test with mods disabled, and verify the cluster configuration. These are community-reported remedies rather than an official Klei fix, so use the log to identify which branch applies to your installation.
What the “Launching Server” hang usually means
The launcher has created or found the cluster, but one of the server processes has not completed startup. A dedicated cluster normally has a Master (Overworld) shard and, when caves are enabled, a Caves shard. The hang can therefore come from a blocked executable, a shard that starts in the wrong order, a mod that fails during world initialization, damaged game or cache files, or a cluster configuration mismatch.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallKlei has documented where dedicated-server logs are stored, but no official Klei fix for this exact symptom was identified. The practical steps below come from community forum and Steam reports. They are useful leads, not guarantees; forum thread dates were not available and individual reports sometimes conflict.
1. Read the server log before changing anything
Do not begin by deleting files or rebuilding the world. The last lines of the log normally provide the best clue and preserve information that can be lost after a restart.
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Find the Master and Caves logs
For a Windows cluster, a commonly reported location is:
DocumentsKleiDoNotStarveTogetherCluster_#Masterserver_log.txt
DocumentsKleiDoNotStarveTogetherCluster_#Cavesserver_log.txtReplace # with the save-slot number used by your cluster. Klei’s support guidance places a dedicated-server log according to the -cluster launch option, so a custom cluster path can differ from the example above. Look in the Master and Caves directories inside the cluster actually passed to the server.
Read the end of each file
- Stop the dedicated server and make a copy of the entire cluster folder.
- Open
server_log.txtin the Master folder and scroll to the final entries. - Repeat for the Caves folder.
- Look for the first error before any repeated lines. A very large log can indicate that the same error is looping.
- Record whether the failure appears in Master, Caves, or both before applying a fix.
A Master-only error points you toward the primary world, its mods, or its configuration. A Caves-only error makes shard order, the Caves world, and the shared cluster settings more likely. If both logs stop at the same point, check the executable and network permissions first.
2. Allow the dedicated server through security software
Firewall and antivirus blocking is the most frequently suggested fix in the available community reports. The executable often named in those reports is dontstarve_dedicated_server_nullrenderer.exe. Your installation may use a different path or filename, so create an exception for the executable that Steam actually launches.
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Windows firewall checklist
- Close the server and Steam’s dedicated-server tool.
- Open Windows Security and choose Firewall & network protection.
- Select Allow an app through firewall, then Change settings.
- Allow the dedicated-server executable on the network profiles you genuinely use. A private home network is different from a public network; do not enable broad access on public networks unless you understand the risk.
- If the executable is not listed, use Allow another app and browse to the server program installed by Steam.
- Start the server again and check both shard logs.
Antivirus and endpoint protection
Open the antivirus product’s quarantine, blocked-app, or ransomware-protection history. Restore or allow the dedicated-server executable if it was blocked, and add a narrowly scoped exclusion for the server folder only when you trust the files. Re-enable protection after testing if you temporarily disabled it. A security exception should not be treated as proof that the game is safe to run from an unknown download; use the Steam-installed files.
Router and local-network checks
If the server starts locally but other players cannot see or join it, the router or an upstream firewall may still be blocking traffic. First confirm that the process is allowed on the computer; forwarding ports before the local firewall is correct will not fix a blocked executable.
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3. Start the Master shard before the Caves shard
Several community reports associate a stuck Caves process with Caves starting before the Master (Overworld) process. The Caves shard needs the cluster’s primary shard to be available when it connects.
- Stop every dedicated-server process, including orphaned processes left after a failed launch.
- Launch the Master shard using the same cluster and save slot as before.
- Wait for the Master log to show that initialization has progressed rather than immediately starting Caves.
- Launch Caves only after Master is running.
- If your startup script launches both shards, put the Master command first and add a delay or readiness check rather than starting both at exactly the same instant.
If Master starts but Caves still hangs, inspect the final Caves log lines and test the Caves shard with mods disabled. Do not create a new cluster until you have copied the original one.
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4. Test the world with all mods disabled
Outdated, corrupt, or incompatible mods were a common explanation in the reports. A mod can fail while the world is loading even when the dedicated-server program itself starts correctly.
Protect the save first
Back up the complete cluster folder, including the Master and Caves directories, before changing the mod list. Community users warn that removing mods can remove mod-created items or structures; one cited example was a storeroom. Keep the backup outside the live cluster path so the server cannot overwrite it.
Use a controlled mod test
- Stop the server and copy the cluster as described above.
- Disable all server mods in the cluster’s configuration rather than deleting the world.
- Start Master first, then Caves.
- Check whether the server reaches its normal ready state and whether both logs continue past the previous stopping point.
- If the server works, re-enable one mod at a time, restarting the server after each change.
- When the hang returns, remove the last mod tested and check that mod’s compatibility, version, dependencies, and configuration.
Re-enabling mods one at a time takes longer than restoring the entire list, but it identifies the failing change and reduces the chance of damaging the save. If the server still hangs with every mod disabled, mods are unlikely to be the immediate cause; continue with the file and configuration checks.
5. Verify Steam files and handle cached index files carefully
Verify the dedicated-server installation
- Open Steam and go to Library.
- Change the library filter to Tools.
- Locate the free Don’t Starve Together Dedicated Server tool.
- Open its properties, choose Installed Files, and run Verify integrity of game files.
- Wait for Steam to finish, then restart the computer before testing the cluster again.
Verification repairs files in the installed tool. It does not replace your world data, so continue to keep the cluster backup.
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Understand the index-file report
Some users tried deleting boot_modindex, modindex, and shardindex from the cluster’s Master/save folder. One report said that deleting those files alone did not resolve the failure. If you test this step, stop the server, back up the cluster, delete only the named cache/index files, and let the server recreate them on the next launch. Never delete the whole cluster as a first-line fix.
6. Check cluster settings and the shared key
A cluster folder normally contains cluster.ini and worldgenoverride.lua. The Master and Caves shards must point to the same cluster and agree on the shared cluster_key in the [SHARD] section.
Validate the key and paths
- Open the Master and Caves configuration files from the same
Cluster_#folder. - Confirm that the
cluster_keyvalue is identical in both shard configurations. Treat it as case-sensitive when comparing the text. - Check that both launch commands use the intended cluster name and save slot.
- Make sure the Caves process is not accidentally reading a different cluster directory.
- Save a copy of each file before editing and change one setting at a time.
A mismatched key can prevent the shards from connecting even though each process appears to launch. A server that does not appear in the browser can also indicate a closed firewall or a cluster-key mismatch; distinguish browser visibility from a process that is visibly stuck on “Launching Server.”
7. Restart and test with the least complicated launch
A restart was reported to resolve a recurring failure for one user. It is a low-risk step after you have copied the cluster.
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- Exit the game and Steam.
- In Task Manager, check for leftover dedicated-server processes and end only the processes you recognize as belonging to this failed launch.
- Restart Windows.
- Start Steam and the dedicated-server tool normally.
- If the server still fails, make one controlled test by running the launcher with administrator privileges. Right-click the executable or shortcut, choose Run as administrator, and approve the prompt.
Administrator mode can reveal a permissions problem, but it is not a substitute for correcting folder permissions or firewall rules. If elevated mode works, compare the cluster-folder permissions and security software rules instead of permanently running every process as administrator.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.8. Ports: why published advice conflicts
Port instructions in community guides do not agree, and none of the available reports establishes a single current Klei requirement for every dedicated-server setup. Use the Steam dedicated-server tool’s current readme or Klei’s current documentation as the authority for your installation before changing a router.
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| Source type in the reports | Port advice | How to treat it |
|---|---|---|
| Older guide written before Caves versions | UDP 10999 | Historical default; may not cover current shard setups. |
| Current hosting guide | UDP 10999–11000 | Different from the older single-port advice; verify before applying. |
| Guide dated 2026 | UDP 10999 and 27018 | Unverified and inconsistent with the other reports. |
Do not open all three sets at once simply because they are listed. Port forwarding is relevant when players outside your local network must reach the server; it will not repair a mod error or a shard that starts in the wrong order. Record any rule you add so it can be removed if it is unnecessary.
9. Match the symptom to the next test
| Observed symptom | Most useful next check | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Both shards stop immediately and logs are empty or very short | Firewall, antivirus, executable path, and permissions | The process may be blocked before initialization. |
| Master progresses but Caves hangs | Master-before-Caves order, Caves log, Caves mods | The failure is isolated to the secondary shard or its connection. |
| Server starts with mods disabled | Re-enable one mod at a time | A mod or its configuration is implicated. |
| Server launches but is absent from the browser | Firewall, router rules, and matching cluster_key |
Visibility and shard startup are separate problems. |
| Failure begins after an update or file change | Steam file verification, then compare the recent mod/config changes | A changed file or compatibility issue is more likely than a random network fault. |
| Deleting index files changes nothing | Restore the backup if needed and return to logs, security rules, and mods | One community report found index deletion alone ineffective. |
10. Prepare a useful support report if it still will not launch
When the basic tests fail, post the evidence rather than only saying that the server is stuck. Community guidance recommends posting server_log.txt on the Klei forums.
- State whether the server is local or reachable over the internet.
- Identify the save-slot directory, but remove private usernames or paths you do not want to publish.
- Include the final section of both Master and Caves
server_log.txtfiles, especially the first error before repeated lines. - List whether the server starts with all mods disabled.
- Describe the order in which Master and Caves were launched.
- Say whether Steam file verification, a restart, or administrator mode changed the result.
- Describe firewall or antivirus exceptions you tested without posting sensitive network credentials.
Keep the original cluster backup until the issue is resolved. It gives you a recovery point if a configuration edit or mod removal changes the world.
Quick Recap
What not to do
- Do not delete the entire
Cluster_#folder before making a backup. - Do not remove all mods permanently before confirming that a clean launch works; mod-created content may disappear.
- Do not assume a port number from an old guide is still correct for your shard layout.
- Do not start Caves first when diagnosing a two-shard cluster.
- Do not treat a successful administrator launch as proof that permanent elevated privileges are required.
- Do not post complete configuration files containing passwords, keys, or private paths.
A practical order that minimizes risk
- Back up the cluster.
- Read the final lines of Master and Caves
server_log.txt. - Allow the actual dedicated-server executable through the local firewall and antivirus.
- Start Master, wait for progress, then start Caves.
- Run a no-mod test and re-enable mods individually if it succeeds.
- Verify the Steam dedicated-server tool’s files.
- Check the shared
cluster_key, cluster paths, and shard commands. - Restart the computer and perform a short administrator-mode test.
- Only then investigate router ports, using current official or tool documentation rather than conflicting historical lists.
- If the hang remains, publish the relevant logs and the exact steps already tested on the Klei forums.
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