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The reliable setup uses two backup layers: keep Valheim’s rotating local backups enabled for fast rollback, and copy the server’s actual save directory on a schedule to storage outside the live server. The external copy protects against disk failure, an incorrect configuration, or deletion that would otherwise remove both the live files and their local rotations.
What an automatic Valheim backup must protect
A dedicated server’s important state is stored in its configured Valheim save directory. That directory contains the world data and the permission-related files the server needs to run the world as expected. Backing up only a launcher, executable, or configuration snippet is not enough.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe source path is determined first by the -savedir launch argument. If the server starts with -savedir followed by a path, that path overrides the platform default. Your backup job must use the same path passed to the service or launch script; guessing the default can silently back up an empty or unrelated directory.
Default save roots
| Platform | Default root documented by Iron Gate | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheim |
Check the launch script or service for -savedir before using this location. |
| Linux | ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim |
Check the service account’s home directory and any -savedir override. |
On Linux, the tilde refers to the account that runs the server, not necessarily your interactive login. A system service may run as a dedicated user with a different home directory. Resolve the service account and inspect the effective command line before scheduling a copy.
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Confirm the world files before scheduling
- Open the startup script, service unit, container definition, or hosting-panel command.
- Locate
-savedir, if present, and record the complete path that follows it. - Open that directory while the server is stopped or in a maintenance window and verify that the expected world files and permission files are present.
- Use this verified directory as the sole source for the archive job.
Keep the backup destination outside the source tree. A folder such as Valheim/backups inside the live save directory can be copied into itself, consume space rapidly, and make pruning unreliable.
Use Valheim’s built-in rotation as the first recovery layer
Iron Gate’s dedicated-server guide documents four relevant launch settings. They create rotating recovery points on the server host, which makes a recent rollback quick but does not protect against loss of that host or its disk.
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| Argument | Documented default | Effect |
|---|---|---|
-saveinterval |
1800 seconds (30 minutes) |
Requests a world save every 1,800 seconds. |
-backups |
4 |
Retains four automatic backup generations. |
-backupshort |
7200 seconds (2 hours) |
Sets the delay before the first automatic backup. |
-backuplong |
43200 seconds (12 hours) |
Sets the interval for subsequent backups. |
With those defaults, the rotation normally gives you one backup about two hours old and three more at roughly 12-hour intervals, subject to when the server starts and when saves complete. The settings are useful for undoing a bad build, accidental deletion, or a recent corruption event. They are still local files: a failed boot disk, an administrator deleting the save directory, or a mistaken path change can remove the live world and all four rotations together.
Do not treat -backups 4 as a four-day history. The timing is governed by -backupshort and -backuplong, so the oldest default generation is usually only about 38 hours behind the newest one. Increase the external archive window when you need to discover and undo damage that may remain unnoticed for several days.
Choose a second destination that survives a server failure
Copy dated generations to an external hard drive, portable SSD, NAS, or another host. The destination should not be mounted as a subdirectory of the live save path, and it should have enough capacity for the number of generations you intend to retain.
| Approach | Recovery speed | Protection from host-disk loss | Consistency considerations | Cost and capacity | Retention control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in local rotation | Fastest for a recent mistake | Low; remains on the server environment | Managed by the game’s save process | Uses local disk space | Four generations by the documented default, adjustable with -backups |
| External drive or portable SSD | Fast when connected to the server | Good if physically separate and disconnected from the failure | Schedule after a completed save or briefly quiesce the service | Up-front device cost; capacity is your limit | Use dated folders and prune by age and count |
| NAS or remote host | Depends on network speed and access | Better against a local disk failure; depends on the remote system | Use a coordinated copy and verify transfer results | May add recurring storage and network costs | Automate age/count policies on the destination |
For a small community server, an external drive kept disconnected except during the backup window provides a strong second layer. A remote destination is more convenient for unattended operation, but it introduces network availability and account-permission dependencies. Whichever destination you choose, retain at least some generations that are not reachable through the server’s normal write path.
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Measure one complete save directory after a normal play session. Multiply that size by the number of dated generations, then add room for a temporary copy, logs, and growth as the world develops. For example, 2 GB generations retained hourly for three days require up to 144 GB before overhead; a 500 GB external drive leaves useful headroom. Compression may reduce storage use, but it adds CPU time and another failure point, so verify that an archive can be opened before deleting the uncompressed generation.
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An external hard drive has a one-time purchase cost and no network dependency, while a portable SSD generally costs more for faster reads and better resistance to movement. NAS or remote storage can spread copies across machines but may charge monthly fees and consume upload bandwidth. Price the retention window you actually need rather than buying storage for an arbitrary number of copies.
Build the scheduled backup job
1. Decide when a copy is safe
A copy taken while Valheim is writing can contain an inconsistent set of files. Multi-file world saves may be captured halfway through an update. The conservative choices are to copy shortly after a known completed save or to stop, pause, or otherwise coordinate the service for the archive step when the player population allows it.
With the documented 30-minute save interval, an operator can schedule a copy a few minutes after each expected save, then adjust the offset after observing the server log. If you change -saveinterval, recalculate the schedule rather than retaining a fixed timetable that may overlap saves. Community container implementations use consistency checks or retries for active-file reads; adopting a retry or “copy to temporary directory, then rename” pattern is safer than assuming that a successful file transfer is automatically a consistent snapshot.
2. Create dated generations on Windows
The following PowerShell example copies the default Windows location to an external volume mounted as E:. Replace the source with the path discovered from -savedir when the server uses an override.
$source = [Environment]::ExpandEnvironmentVariables('%USERPROFILE%/AppData/LocalLow/IronGate/Valheim')
$root = 'E:/ValheimBackups'
$stamp = Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss'
$destination = Join-Path $root $stamp
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $destination -Force | Out-Null
robocopy $source $destination /E /COPY:DAT /R:2 /W:5
if ($LASTEXITCODE -ge 8) { exit $LASTEXITCODE }robocopy returns several success and warning codes; the example treats codes 8 and higher as a failed copy so Task Scheduler can report an error. Do not add a source-inside-source destination. If the server runs under a service account, use an explicit source path and ensure that account can read it and write the destination.
In Task Scheduler, create a task that runs under an account with those permissions, set the trigger to the post-save time you selected, and enable a retry if the external volume is temporarily unavailable. Configure the task history or an equivalent alert so a disconnected drive does not look like a successful backup. Avoid relying on a mapped drive letter that exists only for your interactive login; use a volume path available in the task’s security context.
3. Create dated generations on Linux
This shell example uses the documented Linux default and writes each run to a new UTC-stamped directory. Replace SOURCE with the effective -savedir value when necessary.
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#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail
SOURCE="$HOME/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim"
ROOT="/srv/valheim-backups"
STAMP="$(date -u +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
mkdir -p "$ROOT/$STAMP"
rsync -a "$SOURCE/" "$ROOT/$STAMP/"Save the script outside the live save directory, make it executable, and run it as the same service account that owns the save files. A cron entry such as 5,35 * * * * runs at five and 35 minutes past each hour, which can place the copy after a 30-minute save; verify the actual save timing before relying on that offset. If the server is frequently busy, use a stop-and-copy wrapper or a service-aware consistency check instead of assuming a live read is safe.
For a systemd service, a separate timer can invoke the backup script after the server has had time to save, but do not start overlapping jobs. Use a lock file or equivalent so a slow network transfer cannot create two writers in the same destination. On a remote host, authenticate with a restricted account that can write only the backup directory.
4. Verify that a run really produced a usable generation
- Check the job’s exit status and scheduler history.
- Confirm that the new dated directory contains the expected world and permission files, not just an empty folder.
- Record the generation’s timestamp and approximate in-game save time.
- Watch destination free space; a full external disk can turn a partial copy into a misleading “completed” job.
- Keep logs outside the live save directory so log rotation cannot alter the source being copied.
- Complete the copy in a temporary directory and rename it only after verification, so pruning never mistakes an incomplete run for a valid generation.
Set retention that matches the damage you are willing to lose
Retention needs two dimensions: how far back a generation reaches and where those generations live. Four local rotations cover recent mistakes but not a week-old corruption discovered after several automatic cycles. External archives let you choose a longer window, provided you prune deliberately.
A practical starting policy
- Keep Valheim’s built-in four-generation rotation for immediate rollback.
- Keep one external generation per scheduled run for a short period, then retain fewer points as they age.
- Use both a maximum age and a maximum count so an unusual outage cannot fill the destination indefinitely.
- Preserve at least one generation on a destination that is not continuously writable by the server.
A container implementation documents hourly external backups with a three-day default age and configurable maximum age and count. Treat that as an example policy, not a universal Valheim requirement. Choose a longer window when the world is important, updates are infrequent, or corruption might go unnoticed for several days; choose a shorter window only when storage and recovery needs justify it.
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Pruning should remove whole dated directories, never files from the newest generation first. Have the job identify generations by directory timestamp, sort oldest first, and delete only entries older than the age limit or beyond the count limit. If a copy is still running, mark its directory as temporary and rename it to the final timestamp only after the transfer and verification succeed. Test pruning with a dry run before enabling deletion, particularly on a shared NAS path.
Test restoration before an emergency
A backup is not dependable until you can restore it. Test on a spare copy or maintenance instance so the production world is not overwritten during the exercise. The procedure below gives you a repeatable drill.
- Stop the Valheim server cleanly. Do not replace files while the process is active.
- Preserve the current configured save directory by renaming or copying it to a clearly labeled quarantine location. Keeping the failed directory allows later investigation.
- Select a dated external generation or an appropriate built-in rotation.
- Copy the selected generation into the path specified by the server’s effective
-savedir. Do not restore it to a guessed default when an override is configured. - On Linux, set ownership and permissions to the service account that normally runs the server. A correct file set with the wrong owner can prevent the service from reading or updating the world.
- Start the server and confirm the expected world name, terrain, inventories, structures, and permission behavior with a test client.
- Keep the preserved failed directory until the restored world has been checked and accepted by the administrators.
If the restored world is older than expected, record which generation was selected and why. That timestamp helps distinguish a backup-scheduling gap from a world-save problem. Measure how long the drill takes and document who can perform it; recovery speed matters as much as having files somewhere.
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Troubleshoot common failures
The archive is empty or contains the wrong world
Re-read the launch command and resolve -savedir. Service accounts, containers, and custom startup scripts often use a path different from the interactive user’s default. Confirm the world files in the source immediately before the next scheduled run.
Backups contain partial or unreadable saves
Move the schedule away from the save boundary, add a retry, or coordinate the copy with a brief stop or maintenance pause. A transfer that succeeds at the file level can still represent an inconsistent point in time if files were changing during the read.
The destination fills quickly
Measure the size of one complete generation, multiply by the number of retained runs, and add headroom for temporary copies. Apply age and count limits, and ensure pruning never targets the source directory. If the destination is an external disk, check that it is mounted at the expected drive letter or mount point before writing.
The scheduler reports success but no new generation exists
Inspect exit codes, task history, and the destination path under the account that actually runs the job. A mapped drive visible to an interactive login may not exist for a service account. Prefer a volume path that is available in the service context and alert when the destination is missing.
The server will not start after a restore
Stop it again, verify that the restored files are under the effective save root, and correct Linux ownership and permissions. Keep the preserved pre-restore directory so you can return to it while diagnosing a malformed or incomplete generation.
A backup overlaps the next scheduled run
Check copy duration, especially across a network. Increase the interval, reduce transfer contention, or add a lock that makes the later invocation exit cleanly. Never let two jobs prune or write the same generation concurrently.
A concise operating checklist
- Resolve and document the real
-savedirpath. - Include world and permission files under that root.
- Leave the built-in rotation enabled with settings appropriate for your rollback window.
- Copy to an external or remote destination outside the live tree.
- Schedule after completed saves, or quiesce the service during the copy.
- Use dated generations, verify each run, and prune by age and count.
- Keep at least one copy outside the server host’s continuously writable storage.
- Practice stopping, preserving, restoring, and checking a world before a real failure.
- Review free space, failed-job alerts, and restore timing at regular intervals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are Valheim dedicated-server world saves stored?
By default, Iron Gate documents %USERPROFILE%AppDataLocalLowIronGateValheim on Windows and ~/.config/unity3d/IronGate/Valheim on Linux. The actual location is whatever path follows -savedir, which overrides those defaults.
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How many Valheim backups should I keep?
Leave the built-in four-generation rotation enabled for quick rollback, then choose external retention by risk. An hourly schedule with a three-day age limit is one documented container example, not a requirement. Use a longer window if corruption may go unnoticed for a week or more, and cap both age and count so storage cannot grow without limit.
Can I back up while players are online?
You can copy while the server is running, but files may change during the read and produce an inconsistent generation. Schedule shortly after a completed save, add retries or consistency checks, or briefly stop or pause the service when a clean snapshot is more important than uninterrupted play.
Is an external drive better than cloud or NAS storage?
An external hard drive or portable SSD has an up-front cost and fast local recovery; keeping it disconnected between runs also limits exposure to server compromise. NAS or remote storage supports unattended copies and protects against a local disk failure, but adds network, permissions, availability, and possibly recurring-cost dependencies.
How do I restore a corrupted Valheim world?
Stop the server, preserve the current save directory, copy a selected dated generation into the effective -savedir path, and correct Linux ownership and permissions. Start the server only after the replacement is complete, then verify the world, inventories, structures, and permissions with a test client.
Why is my automated backup empty even though the task says it succeeded?
The job may be running as a different account, using the wrong default path, or writing to a missing mapped drive. Confirm the effective -savedir, run the task under the service account, check exit codes and scheduler history, and require the job to verify expected world files before marking a generation complete.
The Bottom Line
Use Valheim’s four local rotating backups for fast rollback, but schedule dated copies of the path specified by -savedir to an external or remote destination. Run copies after completed saves or with the server quiesced, verify each generation, prune by age and count, and rehearse a restore while the original data is preserved.
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