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Godlike.Host offers hosted DayZ servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
To reset every stored character while keeping bases, tents, vehicles, barrels, and other persistent world objects, stop the DayZ server cleanly, back up its persistence data, and remove or rename storage_1/players/. Leave storage_1/data/ untouched. On the next start, DayZ creates fresh character records while retaining the saved world.
What a DayZ character wipe actually changes
DayZ separates player-character persistence from most persistent world objects. The character records are stored below storage_1/players/; world-object records are stored below storage_1/data/. That division lets an administrator reset characters without automatically deleting the map state.
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| Operation | Delete or preserve | What resets | What remains | Downtime and reversibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Character wipe | Delete or rename storage_1/players/; preserve storage_1/data/ |
Every stored character, including character inventory and location | Bases, tents, vehicles, barrels and other saved world objects | Requires a stop and restart; reversible if the persistence backup is retained |
| Object wipe | Delete storage_1/data/; preserve storage_1/players/ |
Bases, tents, barrels, vehicles and saved dynamic-event state | Characters and their inventories | Requires a stop and restart; reversible only with a backup |
| Full wipe | Delete the entire storage_1/ directory |
Characters, world objects and the existing persistent world | Nothing from the old persistence set | Requires a stop and restart; restore the complete backup to undo it |
| Loot re-randomization | Change the applicable economy setting for one restart | Loot distribution is reshuffled according to that setting | Persistent character and world records are not deliberately deleted | Different from a wipe; follow the setting’s documentation for its one-restart behavior |
A character wipe is therefore server-wide, not a map wipe and not a loot reset. It affects all character records in that persistence directory. It does not provide a supported way to erase only one named survivor.
Before you touch the persistence files
Confirm that you need a character wipe
- Choose a character wipe when everyone should respawn but the community’s construction and stored vehicles should remain.
- Choose an object wipe when the world should be cleared but existing characters and inventories should remain.
- Choose a full wipe only when both player records and the persistent world must be recreated.
- Choose loot re-randomization when the goal is a new loot distribution rather than deleting characters or objects.
Announce downtime
Tell players when the server will close, what is being reset, and what is intentionally being preserved. Ask everyone to disconnect before shutdown. A wipe performed while players are still connected can race with pending saves and make it unclear which state is authoritative.
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Plan a rollback
Have enough separate storage for a copy of the complete persistence directory. Do not treat a recycle bin, a second name in the same directory, or an unverified panel snapshot as your only recovery plan. Keep the backup until a test connection and player reports confirm the intended result.
Self-hosted or file-persistent PC server: character-only procedure
The following procedure applies when you can access the server’s files and the server uses folder-based persistence. Exact parent directories vary with the server profile, mission, instance and storage configuration, so use the active mission path rather than assuming a universal absolute location.
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- Stop the server gracefully. Use the server’s normal stop action instead of killing the process. A graceful shutdown gives pending character and storage saves time to finish.
- Verify that the process is stopped. Do not copy, rename or delete persistence while the server is still writing it.
- Locate the active persistence directory. Follow the profile, mission and instance configuration to the directory containing
storage_1/. If more than one mission or instance exists, identify the one used by the server you are wiping. - Make a complete backup. Copy the whole
storage_1/directory, including bothplayers/anddata/, to a separate backup location. Record the time and server instance so you can identify it later. - Remove or rename only the character directory. In the active persistence path, remove
storage_1/players/, or rename it to a dated name such asplayers-before-character-wipe. Renaming is often safer operationally because it leaves a clearly identifiable rollback copy outside the active name, but it still must not replace the complete backup. - Leave world data alone. Do not remove, rename or edit
storage_1/data/. That directory contains the persistent objects you are trying to keep. - Start the server normally. On boot, DayZ creates fresh character records in a newly created
players/directory as players connect. - Verify the scope with a test connection. Connect with a test account or have one administrator connect. Confirm that the character receives a fresh spawn while a known base, vehicle or other saved object is still present.
- Hold the backup. Do not delete the backup immediately after startup. Keep it until players confirm that the reset affected characters but not the world.
The test connection is an operator check, not evidence that every object was preserved. Inspect the particular structures and vehicles that matter to your community before declaring the maintenance complete.
Why a graceful stop and backup are non-negotiable
DayZ persistence is written while the server is running. If you copy or delete files during writes, the copy can be incomplete and the active data can become inconsistent. A graceful shutdown lets pending character and storage saves finish before you create the backup or alter a directory.
If the server unexpectedly stops during maintenance, do not immediately delete the files. First restart it, allow it to finish loading and saving, then perform a normal shutdown. If you cannot establish that the persistence is stable, preserve the original directory as-is and use a separate copy for investigation.
Keep the backup on storage separate from the live persistence location. Label it with the server instance, mission and timestamp. A backup made after deleting players/ cannot restore the old characters; the useful backup is the complete pre-wipe directory.
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Check the character result
A connecting player should receive a new character rather than loading the previous survivor’s location, equipment and status. This is the expected result of an empty or newly created storage_1/players/ directory.
Check the world result
Use a known reference point: a base, tent, barrel, vehicle or other object that existed before maintenance. Its presence indicates that storage_1/data/ was retained. Check more than one type of object when the server’s community depends on several kinds of persistence.
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Allow the restarted server to settle
Bohemia support advises waiting until a couple of minutes have passed according to the restarted server’s clock before reconnecting with a character, to reduce the risk of losing gear after a restart. Apply that caution to administrators and players during the first post-maintenance connection window.
Record what happened
Write down the exact directory changed, the backup name and the verification results. This prevents a later administrator from confusing a character wipe with an object or full wipe.
Can you wipe one named player only?
There is no universal, officially documented DayZ procedure that safely deletes exactly one named player’s character from the folder persistence. The files are opaque binary records keyed internally by persistent identity, not a simple text list that can be edited reliably by hand.
Do not open individual files in a hex editor, delete a guessed filename or copy records between players. An apparently successful edit can damage the persistence set or affect a different identity than intended. If one player’s reset is required, use a hosting panel or administrator mod only when that provider or mod’s current documentation explicitly defines the command, permissions and data it changes.
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A provider-specific reset may remove more than the character itself, or it may operate on a different persistence layer. Confirm whether it affects inventory, location, account identity, world objects or only a temporary session before running it. If the documentation does not state the scope, treat the operation as unsafe for a live server and use the documented server-wide method instead.
Hosted console servers and Nitrado-managed instances
Bohemia’s private-console-server FAQ identifies Nitrado as the hosting partner, states that each player has a unique character on that server and says that the owner can decide whether to wipe the persistent server. That policy does not establish a universal control-panel layout or prove that every plan exposes a character-only option.
For a hosted console server:
- Read the host’s current DayZ knowledge-base entry for the exact game edition and platform.
- Check whether the panel offers separate controls for player data, world data and a complete wipe.
- Confirm the scope and whether the panel creates a downloadable backup before applying it.
- Schedule downtime, stop or restart through the provider’s supported controls, and wait for the panel to report completion.
- Connect only after the restart has settled, then verify a fresh character and a known preserved object if the selected operation was meant to keep the world.
Do not present a click path such as “open this menu and choose character wipe” as universal. Labels, permissions and available operations can differ by provider, platform and plan. If the console host exposes only a whole-server wipe, there is no file-level method available to you unless the provider supplies one.
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Stop access immediately
If you discover that storage_1/data/ or the entire storage_1/ directory was removed by mistake, stop the server and prevent players from reconnecting. New saves after the mistake can overwrite the state you are trying to recover.
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Restore the pre-wipe directory
Move the incorrect active persistence directory out of the way, then restore the complete pre-wipe backup to the exact active location expected by the mission and instance configuration. Do not merge individual files from the backup into a partially changed directory; restore the directory as a consistent set.
Restart and verify
Start the server, wait for it to load, and perform the same character and world checks used during the original maintenance. Keep the restored backup until those checks pass and the community confirms that the expected inventories, bases and vehicles are present.
If no pre-wipe backup exists, recovery may not be possible. A provider snapshot, if one exists, must be restored according to that provider’s documented process; do not assume that a panel’s restart history is a persistence backup.
Common mistakes and their consequences
| Mistake | Likely consequence | Safer response |
|---|---|---|
| Deleting files while the server is running | Incomplete copies, concurrent writes or corrupted persistence | Stop gracefully, verify the process has ended, then work on a backup |
Deleting storage_1/data/ for a character reset |
Bases, tents, barrels, vehicles and other world records disappear | Change only storage_1/players/ |
Deleting the whole storage_1/ directory |
Both characters and the persistent world are recreated | Use a full wipe only after explicitly approving that scope |
Backing up only players/ |
World recovery is impossible from that backup if data/ is later lost |
Copy the complete storage_1/ directory |
| Assuming every server uses the same absolute path | The wrong mission or instance may be changed, producing no visible effect or an unintended wipe | Trace the active profile, mission, instance and storage configuration |
| Hand-editing one binary player record | Wrong identity selection or persistence corruption | Use only a provider- or mod-documented per-player tool |
| Reconnect immediately after restart | Greater risk of gear loss while the restarted server is settling | Wait a couple of minutes on the restarted server’s clock before reconnecting |
Choosing the right operation
Use the narrowest operation that achieves the administrative goal. If the request is “everyone starts over, but our bases stay,” remove only storage_1/players/. If the request is “clear the built world but let players keep their survivors,” remove storage_1/data/. If both statements are true—new survivors and an empty persistent world—remove the complete storage_1/ directory after making a full backup.
Platform determines who can perform the operation. A self-hosted or file-persistent PC server can follow the folder procedure. A hosted console server is controlled by its provider’s panel and permissions; the provider’s current documentation is the authority for available buttons and scope. In every case, reversibility depends on having a complete pre-change backup, and downtime includes both the clean stop and the restart.
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- Players were warned and disconnected.
- The server was stopped gracefully and is no longer writing files.
- The active mission, profile and instance were identified.
- A complete pre-wipe copy of
storage_1/was stored separately. - Only the directory matching the approved scope was removed or renamed.
- The server restarted without an additional data deletion.
- A test connection produced the expected character state.
- A known world object was checked when the world was meant to remain.
- Administrators waited a couple of minutes on the restarted server’s clock before reconnecting with characters.
- The backup remains available until players confirm the result.
The Bottom Line
For a map-preserving, server-wide character reset, back up the stopped server’s persistence and remove only storage_1/players/; never delete storage_1/data/ unless you intend to remove the saved world.
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