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The reliable way to back up an Arma Reforger dedicated server is to stop it, copy the JSON file named by -config together with the complete active -profile directory, and store that copy outside the live server installation. The profile contains logs, downloaded addons and persistence data; for current Overthrow deployments, the gameplay saves are under profile/.save/app<appid>_user<userid>/game/.
To restore, stop the destination server, put the backed-up configuration and profile data in place, confirm that the launch command points to the intended paths, then start the server and inspect its logs before allowing players to connect. Version compatibility matters: Overthrow states that saves created before version 1.4 in its former .db format will not load in the current .save system.
What a complete Arma Reforger backup contains
A server backup is more than a copy of the executable or a single save file. Treat these items as one recovery set:
- The server configuration JSON: the file selected by the launch command’s
-configparameter. It contains the settings that define how the instance starts and behaves. - The active profile directory: the location supplied to
-profile. WindowsGSH describes theSavedfolder as the place for profile data, logs, downloaded addons and saves. - The persistence subtree: current Overthrow guidance places saves at
profile/.save/app<appid>_user<userid>/game/. Copy the complete persistence area rather than selecting one file whose name looks like the latest save. - Deployment notes: record the server version, mod or scenario set, launch arguments, hostname or instance label, and the date of the copy. These notes make it possible to select a compatible backup during an emergency.
Keep the backup outside the live server directory. A second copy on the same disk does not protect you from a failed disk, an accidental deletion or a host reinstallation. The Arma Reforger documentation does not prescribe a backup frequency or a particular storage product, so choose a schedule that matches how much progress your community can afford to lose.
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Before copying anything
Stop the server completely
Shut down the dedicated-server process and verify that it has exited before copying or replacing persistence files. Overthrow’s dedicated-server guidance specifically requires the server to be completely stopped for both backup and restore. Copying files while the process is writing can produce an incomplete or inconsistent save set.
Know which instance is active
Hosts often have several installations, profiles or test instances. Read the service definition, startup script or control-panel command actually used to launch the production server. Write down its -profile and -config values; do not assume that a similarly named folder is live.
Prepare a destination with enough space
The profile may include downloaded addons and logs in addition to persistence data. Ensure the backup destination can hold the entire profile, and preserve file names and directory structure. If you archive the files, use a format that retains hidden directories and does not silently omit files beginning with a dot.
Find the active profile and configuration
- Open the launch definition. Locate the command used by the service, host panel or batch file. Identify the value after
-profileand the JSON path after-config. - Resolve relative paths. If either argument is relative, resolve it from the working directory used by the service rather than from an interactive shell. A panel may start the process from a different directory.
- Confirm the profile contents. The active profile should contain the server’s logs and downloaded content. On Windows, WindowsGSH refers to a
Savedfolder for these data; the exact parent path depends on the installation and launch setup. - Locate persistence. For an Overthrow server using the current system, inspect
profile/.save/app<appid>_user<userid>/game/. The application and user identifiers are represented literally by the directory names on that server, so copy the directories that actually exist rather than creating substitute names. - Check timestamps and ownership. Compare the newest files with the last known play session. The account that runs the server must be able to read the restored files, and the backup account must be able to read every file you intend to archive.
If the profile contains no expected saves, stop and verify the launch command before taking a backup. Copying an unused profile creates a technically valid archive that cannot restore the intended world.
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Back up an Arma Reforger server step by step
- Announce maintenance. Tell players when the server will be unavailable and wait for an orderly end to the session.
- Stop the service. Use the host’s stop action or the operating-system service control. Wait until the process is gone; do not rely only on a console window appearing idle.
- Copy the configuration file. Copy the exact JSON selected by
-configinto a new backup directory. Keep its original name and extension. - Copy the complete profile. Recursively copy the directory selected by
-profile, including hidden directories such as.save, logs, downloaded addons and any other profile data. Do not copy only the visible top-level files. - Preserve metadata where practical. Retain directory structure, file names and timestamps. If your archive process supports permissions, preserve them as well; otherwise plan to reapply the server account’s access on restore.
- Create a clear backup label. Include the date and time, server or instance name, Arma Reforger version, and mod or scenario context. For example, a label can distinguish a production Overthrow profile from a test profile without changing any files inside the archive.
- Store a second copy separately. Put the archive on storage that is not the live server disk. If the server host is lost, you should still be able to retrieve the archive and the notes that explain its launch paths.
- Record the result. Note the archive size and the paths copied. A sudden zero-byte archive or a profile much smaller than normal is a reason to repeat the copy before restarting the server.
- Restart only after the copy is complete. Start the service with its normal command and watch the initial log output. If the backup was made for a planned migration, leave the source instance stopped until the destination has been validated.
The configuration and profile are deliberately copied as a pair. Restoring a save without the configuration can start the wrong scenario or retention behavior; restoring configuration without its matching profile can leave the instance with no usable persistence.
Restore onto the same host or a new host
1. Stop the destination instance
Do not merge files into a running server. Stop the destination process completely and make a safety copy of its current configuration and profile before replacing anything. That safety copy gives you a way back if the selected archive is wrong.
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2. Install a compatible server build
Install the Arma Reforger dedicated-server version and the required mod or scenario content expected by the backup. A restore cannot make an incompatible save format readable. For Overthrow, saves made before version 1.4 in the old .db format are not loadable by the current .save persistence system.
3. Put the configuration in the intended location
Copy the backed-up JSON file to the destination and set the launch command’s -config argument to that exact file. If you intentionally changed a port, hostname or other deployment value, edit the JSON deliberately and retain a copy of the unmodified backup.
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4. Restore the profile and persistence data
Copy the backed-up profile to the path used by the destination’s -profile argument. Replace or merge files according to your migration plan, but ensure that the persistence subtree is present at the expected location. For an Overthrow deployment, verify the restored .save/app<appid>_user<userid>/game/ hierarchy rather than placing saves in an older .db directory.
5. Correct access and path ownership
Make sure the account that launches the server can read the restored configuration and profile and can write new saves. A file copied by an administrator can otherwise be inaccessible to a restricted service account.
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Launch the server and monitor its console or log files before advertising it to players. Look for errors opening the configuration, loading addons, locating the profile, or reading persistence. Do not repeatedly restart while an error is unexplained; preserve the first failure output for diagnosis.
7. Confirm the restored world
Connect with an administrator account, verify that the expected mission or scenario state is present, and make a small controlled change that should persist. Stop and start the server once more only after the first validation, then confirm that the change remains. This tests both reading the backup and writing a new save.
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Session-save settings to review
After restoring the files, inspect the JSON values that control how session saves are loaded and retained. The official server reference describes the following parameters:
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| Setting | Purpose | What to verify after restore |
|---|---|---|
loadSessionSave |
Controls automatic loading of a session save. The documented behavior is to automatically load the latest available save point on first startup; a specified save file can also be selected according to the server reference. | Confirm that the restored instance is configured to load the intended save rather than start a new session. |
saveRetention |
Sets how many save points are retained. The official reference lists a default of 10. | Check that the value matches the policy you want on the destination. A lower value can remove older recovery points as new saves are created. |
keepSessionSave |
Controls whether playthrough save points are retained after the mission ends. | Ensure the restored value reflects whether you need those points available for later loading. |
These settings affect future save behavior; they do not convert an incompatible old save into the current format. Change one setting at a time and record the reason so later operators can distinguish an intentional policy change from a migration error.
Version and format compatibility
Save format is a hard boundary during migration. Overthrow documents that version 1.4 introduced its .save persistence system under the profile path and that earlier .db saves are no longer used. In practical terms, an archive created before that change cannot be treated as a guaranteed restore point for a current Overthrow server. Keep the original version information with every archive, and retain an older compatible server build only when your project requires an attempt to open legacy data.
Do not “fix” a format mismatch by renaming an extension or moving a file into the new directory. The server must understand the data structure, not merely find a file with a familiar name. If a migration depends on a particular mod’s conversion support, follow that mod’s documented procedure; the general filesystem copy described here cannot provide conversion.
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Protect networking and JSON integrity
The official server configuration reference lists UDP port 2001 as the default public port. Preserve the configured port and related networking values when restoring unless you intentionally changed the deployment and have updated firewall and forwarding rules accordingly. A restore that successfully loads a save can still appear offline if the destination is listening on a different port than the one exposed to players.
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Configuration migration checklist
- Verify
-configpoints to the restored file. - Verify
-profilepoints to the restored profile. - Confirm the intended UDP port, with 2001 as the documented default.
- Check that required addon and scenario identifiers match the installed content.
- Review
loadSessionSave,saveRetentionandkeepSessionSave. - Check JSON syntax and case-sensitive parameter names.
Validate a restore before reopening the server
- Read the first startup messages. Confirm that the process opened the intended configuration and profile paths.
- Check persistence messages. Look for evidence that a save was found and loaded, or for a clear reason why no save was selected.
- Check addon and scenario loading. Missing content can make a valid persistence file appear unusable.
- Join privately. Use an administrator or test account before public players return. Compare the map, mission state, inventories or other scenario-specific progress that your community expects.
- Test a write. Make a harmless change, shut down cleanly, restart, and verify that the change persists.
- Confirm network reachability. Test the configured UDP port from the player network and check host firewall rules if the server is not visible.
- Keep the pre-restore copy. Do not delete the destination’s old profile until the restored instance has passed these checks and the retention policy permits removal.
Troubleshooting common restore failures
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| The server starts a new world instead of the backed-up one. | The launch command points to a different profile, or loadSessionSave is not set to load the intended save. |
Stop the server, recheck the exact -profile path and persistence hierarchy, then review the session-load setting. |
| No save files appear after copying. | The archive omitted the hidden .save directory, or the backup came from an inactive profile. |
Compare the recorded -profile path with the archive contents and repeat the copy while the server is stopped. |
| The server reports an unreadable or incompatible save. | The save belongs to an older format or a different mod/version. | Confirm the source version. For Overthrow, pre-v1.4 .db saves will not load in the current .save system; use a compatible build or a documented conversion path if one exists. |
| Configuration errors appear immediately. | The wrong JSON file was selected, syntax was damaged, or a parameter’s capitalization changed. | Restore the original JSON, validate its syntax, and compare case-sensitive names with the official reference. |
| The server runs but players cannot connect. | The restored port differs from the firewall or forwarding rule, or the host is listening on a different interface. | Compare the JSON and network rules. UDP 2001 is the documented default, not a guarantee that every deployment uses it. |
| The server loads correctly but cannot save new progress. | The service account lacks write access to the restored profile, or the profile path is read-only. | Stop the process, correct ownership and permissions for the account that runs the service, then test a controlled save. |
| Recent progress is missing. | The backup was made before that session, or retention settings removed older points. | Select an archive whose timestamp covers the desired session and review saveRetention and keepSessionSave for future operations. |
Filesystem backup versus an in-game save/load mod
The Workshop mod “msave Discrete GM Save & Load” offers Save, Save As and Load controls on dedicated servers. Its listing says saves can be hot-loaded without a full restart and that current players reconnect after loading. That workflow is useful for a game master who needs to switch scenario state during play, but it is not a substitute for copying the server configuration and profile.
| Criterion | Filesystem backup and restore | In-game save/load mod |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery scope | Can preserve the JSON configuration plus the complete profile and persistence data. | Targets scenario or session state exposed by the mod, not the host’s complete configuration. |
| Downtime | Requires the server to be stopped for a consistent copy or replacement. | The listing describes hot-loading without a full restart. |
| Portability | Can be moved to another host when paths, versions and permissions are made compatible. | Depends on the mod being installed and compatible on the destination. |
| Protection offered | Provides an offline recovery point for configuration and persistence files. | Provides operational convenience during play; it does not protect an unarchived host or profile from disk loss. |
Use the mod only as an additional gameplay tool. Maintain independent filesystem archives for host failure, accidental deletion and migrations.
Build a practical backup policy
Because the documentation does not define a universal interval, set the schedule from your server’s tolerance for lost progress. A lightly used test server may be copied before major configuration changes; a busy public server may need copies more often. Whatever interval you choose, take an extra backup before updating the game, changing major mods, editing the persistence configuration or moving hosts.
Retention and labeling
- Keep several dated restore points instead of overwriting one archive.
- Mark whether each archive is pre-update, post-update or a known-good baseline.
- Store the source version and mod set beside the archive, not only in a personal note.
- Periodically open an archive listing and verify that the configuration file and hidden persistence directories are present.
- Delete old archives only after confirming that the remaining set meets your recovery policy.
Practice a restore
A backup is useful only if it can be read. Test a restore on a separate instance when practical, using the same stop, copy, path and validation sequence as an emergency recovery. Do not test by overwriting production. Record any path, permission or version adjustments discovered during the exercise and include them in the deployment notes.
Quick Recap
Emergency recovery checklist
- Stop the failed or damaged instance and preserve its current logs.
- Select an archive whose version and mod context match the intended destination.
- Install or select the compatible dedicated-server build.
- Back up the destination’s current configuration and profile before replacement.
- Restore the JSON named by
-configand the profile named by-profile. - Verify the
.save/app<appid>_user<userid>/game/hierarchy when using the current Overthrow persistence system. - Review session-load and retention settings.
- Check JSON case, UDP port and service-account access.
- Start the server, read logs, and validate the restored state privately.
- Only then announce that the server is available to players.
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