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Use SteamCMD to update the ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated server before every launch. The dedicated-server application ID is 376030, so the core command is steamcmd +force_install_dir <install_dir> +login anonymous +app_update 376030 +quit. On Linux, put that command in systemd’s ExecStartPre; on Windows, run it at the start of a batch file before launching ShooterGameServer. Back up ShooterGame/Saved, test the restart sequence during a maintenance window, and only then allow the service to run unattended.
What automatic updating does—and what it does not do
SteamCMD downloads and applies the current files for ARK’s dedicated-server application. It does not update a server process that is already running. An update is applied when SteamCMD runs, and the new files take effect when the server starts afterward.
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That distinction matters operationally. A service configured with ExecStartPre updates before every service start, including a manual restart or a restart after a failure. It does not, by itself, stop a live server at a chosen time each day. To update a running server, stop it cleanly, run SteamCMD, and start it again during a planned maintenance window.
The same sequence works on Windows with a batch file: invoke SteamCMD, wait for it to finish, then launch the server executable. In both operating systems, the update command should target the same installation directory that contains the server files.
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- Use cunning strategy and tactics to tame, train, ride and breed the 100+ dinosaurs and other primeval creatures roaming the dynamic, persistent ecosystems across land, sea, air, and even underground Build your character's strengths and gain items, skills, and pet creatures using in-depth role-playing systems
- Start a tribe with hundreds of other players to survive and dominate competing tribes...and ultimately discover ARK's true purpose
- Build a fire or shelter, then craft customizable clothing & armors to help protect against damage and extreme temperatures on your way to unlocking advanced technologies and equipment
- Chop down trees and mine metal and other precious resources to build massive multi-leveled structures composed of complex snap-linked parts
Requirements and preparation
- A machine with enough disk space for the server installation, downloaded updates, and your saved data.
- SteamCMD installed and executable by the account that runs the server.
- The ARK dedicated-server installation directory, such as
/home/steam/servers/arkon Linux. - Permission for the service or batch file to read and write the SteamCMD directory and the ARK installation directory.
- A maintenance window for the first unattended update and restart.
- A backup of
ShooterGame/Savedbefore enabling automatic updates.
The official dedicated-server documentation identifies ShooterGame/Saved as the location for saves, player and tribe data, configuration, logs, and cluster data. Back up that directory rather than relying on the downloaded game files as a recovery copy. Keep the backup outside the live server directory so an update or accidental deletion cannot remove both copies.
The SteamCMD command
Use this command as the update step:
steamcmd +force_install_dir <install_dir> +login anonymous +app_update 376030 +quitReplace <install_dir> with the absolute path to your ARK server files. The options perform these actions in order:
+force_install_dirselects the directory that SteamCMD will update.+login anonymouslogs in using the anonymous account used for this dedicated-server installation.+app_update 376030checks the ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated-server application and downloads required changes.+quitcloses SteamCMD after the update command finishes.
Run the command from a maintenance shell first. Confirm that SteamCMD reaches completion without an authentication, permission, network, or disk-space error before placing it in a service or restart script.
Linux: update before every systemd start
On Linux, systemd can run SteamCMD as a pre-start command. The ARK Official Community Wiki describes this pattern as a way to integrate the update mechanism before every game start:
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- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
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“If you use the systemd startup file you can easily integrate the update-mechanism to be run before every start of the game.”
Create or edit a service unit for the account that owns the server. This example follows the documented paths and starts the map with a session name:
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[Unit]
Description=ARK Survival Evolved dedicated server
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target
[Service]
User=steam
WorkingDirectory=/home/steam/servers/ark
ExecStartPre=/home/steam/steamcmd +force_install_dir /home/steam/servers/ark +login anonymous +app_update 376030 +quit
ExecStart=/home/steam/servers/ark/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/ShooterGameServer TheIsland?SessionName=<session_name>
Restart=on-failure
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetChange the SteamCMD path, installation directory, account name, map, and session name to match your host. Keep the update and launch paths consistent: if SteamCMD updates one directory while ExecStart launches another, the service will appear to update successfully but the running server will still use old files.
Install and enable the unit
- Save the unit under a systemd service name such as
/etc/systemd/system/ark.service. - Reload unit files with
sudo systemctl daemon-reload. - Start it once interactively with
sudo systemctl start ark. This first start is your controlled test. - Check the service state with
sudo systemctl status ark. - Read the journal with
sudo journalctl -u ark -eand verify that SteamCMD completed before the server process started. - When the test succeeds, enable startup after boot with
sudo systemctl enable ark.
When you need to apply an update to a running server, stop the unit with sudo systemctl stop ark, back up the saved data, and start it again with sudo systemctl start ark. The start operation invokes ExecStartPre first, so the server launches only after SteamCMD returns.
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- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game. Run too far and not only will you be exhausted, but you will also quickly get hungry and thirsty. Weather effects are based on real-world climates, and so you'll need to hide out from rain and snow, while making the most of sunny days
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Gather Resources, Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes and style of everything from the walls of your home, to your character's armor, weapons and more
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout. Make your way to the final boss and figure out why you've been dropped into this Jurassic-era experience
What to monitor in systemd
A failed ExecStartPre prevents the game process from starting, which is safer than launching with a partially updated installation. Treat that failed start as an alert rather than repeatedly restarting it. Inspect the journal for the first SteamCMD error, correct the underlying issue, and run the update command manually before starting the service again.
Windows: use a batch file
Windows installations can use a .bat file that places SteamCMD immediately before the server launch command. The setup documentation describes batch files for Windows and shell scripts for Linux.
Save a file such as update-and-start.bat beside your server tools. Use absolute paths and quote paths that contain spaces:
@echo off
set STEAMCMD=C:steamcmdsteamcmd.exe
set ARKDIR=C:ARKServer
"%STEAMCMD%" +force_install_dir "%ARKDIR%" +login anonymous +app_update 376030 +quit
if errorlevel 1 (
echo SteamCMD update failed with error level %errorlevel%.
exit /b %errorlevel%
)
cd /d "%ARKDIR%"
"%ARKDIR%ShooterGameBinariesWin64ShooterGameServer.exe" TheIsland?SessionName=<session_name>Replace the executable and directory paths with the locations used by your installation. The if errorlevel 1 branch prevents the launch step when SteamCMD reports failure. That guard is important for unattended operation: starting a server after an incomplete update can make diagnosis harder and can leave you unsure which files are in use.
Rank #4
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety, and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
Using the batch file for restarts
Stop the existing server cleanly before invoking the batch file. If the server is started by a Windows service manager or Task Scheduler, configure that system to run the batch file as the start action, not the game executable directly. Otherwise, a restart can bypass SteamCMD and launch stale files.
For a scheduled maintenance restart, arrange the stop action first, allow the process to exit, and then run update-and-start.bat. Test the exact sequence while connected as the same Windows account used by the scheduled task; permissions and mapped-drive availability can differ between an interactive desktop session and a background task.
Back up before unattended updates
Automatic updates change the server installation, while the most valuable state is in ShooterGame/Saved. Make a dated copy before the first unattended run and establish how you will restore it.
- Stop the server before copying so save files are not changing during the backup.
- Copy the complete
ShooterGame/Saveddirectory, including its subdirectories. - Store at least one copy outside the ARK installation directory.
- Record the date, server identity, and game version associated with each backup.
- Periodically test opening or restoring a copy on a separate location; a backup that has never been tested is only an assumption.
Do not delete the backup when SteamCMD reports that no files needed updating. “No update” describes the installation files, not the safety of your saved data.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Test the complete update-and-restart sequence
Do not make the first automated run your production restart. Use a maintenance window and verify each stage:
- Warn players and stop the running server cleanly.
- Create the
ShooterGame/Savedbackup. - Run the SteamCMD command manually with the exact installation path used by the service or batch file.
- Confirm that SteamCMD exits normally and does not show a login, permission, disk, or network error.
- Start the systemd unit or Windows batch file.
- Verify in the service log or console that SteamCMD ran before
ShooterGameServer. - Connect as a player and check the expected map, session name, configuration, player data, tribe data, and cluster behavior.
- Stop and start the server one more time to prove that the pre-start update step also works on a subsequent restart.
Keep the first few automated runs observable. On Linux, use journalctl -u ark -f while starting the unit. On Windows, retain the console output or redirect it to a dated log so a failed update is distinguishable from a failed game launch.
Troubleshooting automatic updates
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| SteamCMD says the command cannot be found | The service or batch file points to the wrong SteamCMD executable. | Use an absolute executable path and run that exact path manually as the service account. |
| The update completes, but the server uses old files | The update directory and launch directory do not match. | Compare +force_install_dir with the directory containing ShooterGameServer. |
| systemd starts no game process | ExecStartPre failed. |
Read sudo journalctl -u ark -e; fix the first SteamCMD error before retrying. |
| Windows launches the game after a failed update | The batch file does not stop on a nonzero SteamCMD error. | Add and test the if errorlevel 1 guard shown above. |
| Permission-denied or access errors | The account running SteamCMD cannot write to the installation or saved-data location. | Grant the account appropriate ownership and write access; avoid switching accounts between manual and unattended runs. |
| Updates fail intermittently | Network interruption, unavailable Steam service, or insufficient disk space. | Run SteamCMD manually, inspect its complete output, verify connectivity and free space, then retry during the maintenance window. |
| The server starts but player or tribe data is missing | The saved-data directory was changed, moved, or restored incorrectly. | Stop the server and compare the active ShooterGame/Saved path with your backup and prior installation. |
| Players cannot join after an update | The server is still restarting, the launch parameters changed, or client and server files are temporarily out of sync. | Wait for the process to finish starting, confirm the map and session name, and review the server console for launch errors. |
Self-hosting versus managed ARK server hosting
Running SteamCMD and systemd or batch files gives you direct control, but it also makes you responsible for the operating system, backups, logs, and recovery. A managed ARK server hosting service is an alternative for readers who do not want to maintain those components locally. Confirm the provider’s current ARK: Survival Evolved support, available regions, pricing, cancellation terms, and update controls before purchasing; those details vary and are not established here.
| Decision factor | Self-hosting with SteamCMD | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Control over files and mods | Direct access to the installation, configuration, saved data, and mod workflow. | Control depends on the provider’s panel, file access, and mod support. |
| Operating-system administration | You install and maintain SteamCMD, systemd or Windows automation, security updates, and permissions. | The provider handles the underlying machine and usually supplies a management interface. |
| Backup responsibility | You must back up and test ShooterGame/Saved yourself. |
Backup frequency, retention, download access, and restore procedures depend on the service. |
| Maintenance-window control | You choose exactly when to stop, update, and restart. | Controls vary; verify whether updates and restarts can be scheduled or approved manually. |
| Update-failure visibility | SteamCMD output and system logs expose the failure directly. | Visibility depends on the provider’s logs and support tools. |
| Cost | There is no single total: hardware, electricity, storage, bandwidth, and administration all affect it. | Pricing varies by region, resources, player slots, billing term, backups, and add-ons. |
| Geographic latency | You select the machine’s location and network path. | You choose among the provider’s available regions; confirm the location before ordering. |
Choose self-hosting when file-level control, custom automation, and predictable maintenance windows matter more than administration time. Choose managed hosting when delegating operating-system maintenance and infrastructure is worth the recurring service cost and reduced control.
Quick Recap
Operational checklist
- SteamCMD is installed and its absolute path is known.
- The ARK dedicated-server app ID is set to
376030. +force_install_dirpoints to the directory actually launched by the server service.- The update command runs before
ShooterGameServer. - The service or scheduled task uses the same account tested manually.
ShooterGame/Savedis backed up outside the live installation.- SteamCMD failure prevents the game launch.
- The update-and-restart sequence has been tested during a maintenance window.
- Service logs or batch output are retained for diagnosis.
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