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To update a self-hosted 7 Days to Die dedicated server, stop the server, back up its saves and configuration, then run SteamCMD against the existing installation with App ID 294420:
steamcmd +force_install_dir "<server-path>" +login anonymous +app_update 294420 validate +quitSteamCMD downloads changed files instead of creating a new server. Your world is normally preserved because save data remains in the server directory, but configuration, launch scripts and mods should be backed up and reconciled after the update. Experimental and pinned releases require a branch argument, and every player must use the same branch and build as the server.
What the update actually changes
The dedicated server is a separate Steam application from the game client. Its Steam App ID is 294420; using the client’s App ID will not update the dedicated-server files.
An update through SteamCMD replaces or adds program files in the installation directory. It does not intentionally erase your world, player data or administrator lists. Data can still be lost if you delete the directory, point SteamCMD at a different directory, update while the process is writing a save, or overwrite custom files without a backup. Treat the operation as a file replacement with a possible configuration migration, not as a fresh installation.
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Prepare before stopping the server
Schedule a clean maintenance window
Tell players when the server will be unavailable. Stop the server through its normal console command, service manager or launch script, and wait for the process to exit. Do not run SteamCMD while the game server is saving, generating terrain or writing log files. Updating a live installation can leave incomplete files or a damaged save.
Make a backup set
At minimum, copy these items to storage outside the active installation:
- The complete save-data directory, including the world, player profiles and generated region data.
serverconfig.xml, including any settings you changed from the vendor template.serveradmin.xml, which contains bans, whitelist entries, administrators and command permissions.- Launch scripts, service definitions and any environment or start-up files used to select the configuration.
- Mod files and the mod installation layout.
If storage allows, make a second copy of the entire server installation. Keep the backup dated and do not place it inside the directory that SteamCMD will update. A full copy makes rollback much faster than reconstructing individual files.
Record the current state
Write down the current game branch, server directory, launch command, enabled mods and the last known working build. This record helps you distinguish a failed update from a server that was launched with the wrong directory or branch.
Update the latest stable server with SteamCMD
Use the existing installation directory. Do not create a new empty directory unless you deliberately want a separate test server.
- Stop the server. Confirm that its process has exited and that no save operation is still running.
- Complete the backups. Verify that the save directory and both XML files can be opened from the backup location.
- Open SteamCMD. On Linux, run
steamcmd.sh; on Windows, runsteamcmd.exe. Use an account and permissions that can read and write the server directory. - Run the update command. Replace the placeholder with the directory that already contains the dedicated server:
steamcmd +force_install_dir "<server-path>" +login anonymous +app_update 294420 validate +quitOn Linux, the same arguments are normally run with steamcmd.sh and a Linux path. On Windows, use steamcmd.exe and a Windows path. SteamCMD logs in anonymously, checks App ID 294420, downloads changed files and validates the installation before exiting.
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- Read the SteamCMD output. A successful run should complete the app update without a fatal error. If SteamCMD reports that files were downloaded or validated, that is expected. Save the output if you need to diagnose a problem.
- Do not delete the old directory. The point of
+force_install_diris to update the files in place while leaving the server’s data alongside them.
Rerunning the same command later is the normal update operation. SteamCMD pulls only files that changed since the installed build, then validates missing or damaged files.
Choose a stable, experimental or pinned branch
Use the stable command unless you have a specific reason to test an experimental release or remain on a documented older branch. Branch names can change, so confirm the exact name exposed by Steam before using one.
| Branch choice | Command pattern | Best for | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latest stable | +app_update 294420 validate |
Most public servers and players who want the supported release | An update can still require configuration or mod changes |
| Latest experimental | +app_update 294420 -beta latest_experimental validate |
Testing upcoming changes before they reach stable | More frequent changes and possible incompatibility with mods or players |
| Pinned or named branch | +app_update 294420 -beta <branch_name> validate |
Reproducing a documented build or coordinating a fixed version | The branch may be renamed, removed or unavailable later |
Keep experimental files separate
When possible, update an experimental branch in a separate directory. Give it its own save directory, configuration and launch script. This prevents a test build from changing the files used by your public server and lets you return to stable without copying files back and forth.
Match the client branch
A server and a client must use the same branch and build to connect. Players on stable may be unable to join an experimental server, and players on an older pinned build may be rejected by a newly updated stable server. Tell players exactly which branch to select in their game client before opening the server.
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Reconcile configuration after the files update
Do not assume that the vendor-provided configuration template is unchanged. Releases can add, rename or alter properties, so compare the newly installed template with your maintained copy.
- Keep your backed-up
serverconfig.xmlunchanged as the reference for your settings. - Inspect the new template supplied with the updated installation.
- Merge new or changed properties deliberately into the maintained configuration. Preserve the world name, gameplay settings, network settings and other choices you intentionally made.
- Check the launch script or service definition so it still points to the intended configuration file and installation directory.
- Restore
serveradmin.xmlonly from the backup if the update replaced it or if your permissions are missing. Confirm that bans, whitelist entries, administrators and command permissions are present.
Copying an old configuration over a new template without comparison can hide settings introduced by the release. Conversely, starting with an untouched vendor file can reset your world selection, access controls or gameplay rules. A deliberate merge avoids both problems.
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Restore and check mods
Mods are outside SteamCMD’s normal validation scope and may be overwritten, disabled or rendered incompatible by a game update. Compare the mod backup with the files currently present after the update.
- Check each mod’s stated compatibility with the server build and branch.
- Restore custom mod files only after the base server has started successfully without them.
- Test one mod group at a time when the collection is large; this makes a failing mod easier to identify.
- Keep a copy of the pre-update mod set so you can roll back without guessing which files changed.
Start the updated server and validate it
- Launch the server with the reconciled configuration and the same start-up options used before the update.
- Watch the console and log from the first line through world loading. Stop if you see a fatal configuration, missing-file or mod error.
- Connect with a client running the matching branch and build.
- Confirm that the expected world loads and that a known player can see their inventory and progress.
- Test administrator commands, bans, whitelist behavior and permissions.
- Check that the server is listening on the expected ports and that an external player can connect.
- Test important mods and gameplay functions before announcing that maintenance is complete.
If the world, permissions or settings appear missing, stop the server before it saves over anything. First verify that the launch command points to the original installation and configuration, then compare the active files with your backup.
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SteamCMD updates the wrong directory
Symptom: SteamCMD reports a successful update, but the running server still shows the old build or an empty world.
Fix: Check the exact path supplied to +force_install_dir and the path used by the launch script. Make sure both refer to the same installation. If you accidentally updated a new directory, stop the server, return to the backed-up directory and rerun the command there.
SteamCMD cannot find or update the app
Symptom: The command fails with an app, login or permission error.
Fix: Confirm that you used dedicated-server App ID 294420, not the game client’s App ID. Check network access, SteamCMD’s executable, write permissions on the target directory and available disk space. On Linux, invoke the correct steamcmd.sh; on Windows, use steamcmd.exe. Correct the problem and rerun the same command.
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The server will not start after updating
Symptom: The process exits immediately or logs configuration errors.
Fix: Stop it, preserve the failed log, and compare your configuration with the new template. Add or rename properties required by the new release, then launch again. If a mod is involved, start once with the mod files removed or moved aside. Restore the pre-update configuration and mod backup only as a temporary rollback while you identify the changed requirement.
Players receive a version or branch mismatch
Symptom: The server is online, but clients cannot join.
Fix: Verify the server’s selected branch and build, then have every player select the same client branch. A stable client cannot normally join an experimental or pinned server that reports a different build.
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Symptom: The server starts with a new world, missing progress or default settings.
Fix: Stop the process immediately. Check the launch configuration, world name and save-data location. The usual cause is a different installation or configuration path, not the SteamCMD update itself. Restore the known-good save directory and configuration from the backup only after confirming the server is fully stopped.
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Validation repeatedly redownloads files
Symptom: Every run reports damaged or missing files.
Fix: Check disk health, free space, directory permissions and security software that may lock or remove files. Ensure the server is not running during validation. If the same files continue to fail, compare the installation with a clean copy and keep the save-data backup separate while repairing program files.
Rollback safely when an update breaks the server
Rollback is a file operation, so do it with the server stopped and with a copy of the failed state preserved for diagnosis.
- Stop the server and retain the current logs and installation under a dated name if storage permits.
- Decide whether the problem is a configuration, mod or program-file change. Do not restore everything blindly if only one layer failed.
- Restore the previous configuration, server-admin file and mod set from the backup.
- If program files must also be reverted, replace the installation with the pre-update copy or update into a separate directory using the required pinned branch.
- Point the launch script at the restored directory and confirm that it uses the matching save-data location.
- Start the server, connect with a client on the same build and verify the world and permissions before allowing players back.
Keep the backup until the updated server has run successfully through a normal save cycle and players have confirmed their progress.
Self-hosting versus managed hosting
You can administer updates yourself with SteamCMD or have a managed game-server host perform much of the maintenance. The right choice depends on how much control you need and who will own backups and recovery.
| Consideration | Self-hosted server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Update control | You choose the exact maintenance window, branch and validation command. | The host supplies a control panel or support process; available branch controls vary. |
| Downtime responsibility | You schedule, announce and perform the stop/start cycle. | The host may provide scheduled maintenance tools, but you still need to communicate outages. |
| Backups | You must copy saves, XML files, scripts and mods and verify that restores work. | Backup frequency, retention and restore access depend on the host; confirm them before relying on the service. |
| Branch and mod flexibility | Full operating-system access generally gives the most flexibility, subject to compatibility. | Some hosts limit custom branches, file access or mods. |
| Operating-system administration | You maintain SteamCMD, permissions, storage, firewall rules and logs. | The provider maintains the underlying machine, while you manage server settings and content allowed by the plan. |
| Cost | Uses your existing hardware and connection, with your own electricity and administration time. | Requires a recurring hosting charge; the amount and included resources are provider-specific. |
| Support | You diagnose SteamCMD, configuration and mod failures yourself. | Support availability and scope depend on the provider’s service terms. |
Managed hosting can be practical if you do not want to maintain an operating system or backup routine. Before switching, confirm that the service supports the branch, mods, save migration and restore process your community requires.
Quick Recap
A repeatable maintenance checklist
- Announce downtime and stop the server cleanly.
- Back up saves,
serverconfig.xml,serveradmin.xml, launch files, mods and, when possible, the complete installation. - Confirm the target directory and selected branch.
- Run SteamCMD with App ID 294420 and
validate. - Compare the new configuration template with your maintained settings.
- Check mod compatibility and restore only the files you intend to use.
- Start the server and read the complete log for errors.
- Connect with a matching client and test the world, permissions, ports and mods.
- Retain the backup until a successful save cycle has completed.
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