DayZ Common Issues: Won't Start, Missing Addons, No Loot and Crashes
Fix the DayZ server problems that come up most: a server that will not start, "requires addon" errors, loot not spawning, stuck loading, and crashes after adding mods.
Start Here: The RPT Log
Almost every DayZ server problem is explained in the report log. Open the Files tab, go to profiles/, and open the newest DayZServer_x64_<date>_<time>.RPT. Read it from the bottom up: the last errors before the server stopped are the ones that matter.
Script errors are in the matching script_<date>_<time>.log. See Reading DayZ Admin Logs.
The Server Will Not Start
| Symptom in the log | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Lines about serverDZ.cfg, or settings being ignored | A missing ; or quote in serverDZ.cfg | Check the lines you edited by hand. Every line ends with ; |
Errors naming a mission folder or init.c | The map template does not match a folder in mpmissions/, or init.c has a script error | Correct the template, or restore init.c from a backup |
| Script compile errors naming a mission file | A script file in the mission was edited and has an error | Undo the edit, or restore the file from a backup |
| The server stops within seconds and the log is empty or missing | The server could not start at all | Open a support ticket. Missing system components on the host are ours to fix |
If you changed several things at once, undo the most recent change first. Restoring the last backup taken before the change is often fastest.
Players Stuck Loading or in the Queue
- Right after a start the server is still loading the economy. Wait for Online in the status bar before joining.
- Many players joining at once wait in the login queue, which loads a few at a time (
loginQueueConcurrentPlayers, 5 by default). Raising it to 10 refills a server faster after a restart. - Stuck on "Loading" forever for one player is usually their game files, or mods they have loaded. Ask them to verify DayZ's files in Steam and join with only your server's mods loaded.
- Everyone stuck points at the server: check the RPT log for errors and the resource usage monitor for CPU or memory at their limit.
Loot Is Not Spawning
1. Did you edit `types.xml` or another economy file? A single broken tag can stop items spawning. Validate the XML, or restore the backup.
2. Did you edit the right map? Each map has its own folder in mpmissions/. Edits to Chernarus do nothing on a Livonia server.
3. Has it had time? Loot fills gradually after a start.
4. Is the item set to spawn at all? An item with nominal 0, or without usage and value tags matching the map, never spawns.
5. Still stuck? See DayZ Loot Economy Explained.
Crashes After Editing Files or Adding Mods
A server that worked and starts crashing usually points at a recent change: a file edit, or a mod you added, updated or moved in the load order.
1. Take a backup of the current state.
2. Undo your most recent change and start the server. For a file edit, undo it or restore the backup taken before it. For a mod, stop the server and Disable the mod on the Mods tab, or put the load order back.
3. If it stays up, re-apply a file edit in smaller pieces to find the line that breaks it. For a mod, check its Workshop page for dependencies and load order.
If the server crashes without any recent change, open a support ticket.
Players Kicked When Joining
Kicks with signature, BattlEye, "modified data" or version messages have their own guide: Kicked from a DayZ Server.
A server that does not appear in the browser or the DZSA Launcher is covered in DayZ Server Not Showing.
When to Open a Ticket, and What to Include
Open a support ticket when the server will not start and the RPT log does not point at your own change, when files you did not edit are missing, or when the console stays unreachable while the server is Online.
Include:
- the time the problem happened, with your timezone;
- what you changed shortly before (settings, files);
- the name of the RPT file from that time, and the error lines near the end;
- for player problems, the player's in-game name and the exact message they saw.