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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallTo change a Vintage Story server version, stop the server, save a separate copy of its world and data directory, download the exact server-only archive for the target release, replace only the installation files, verify the required .NET runtime, and start the server against the unchanged data path. Windows uses a server-only ZIP; Linux uses a versioned vs_server_linux-x64_<version>.tar.gz archive.
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Players must then run a compatible client build. Keeping the data directory separate from the program files is the key safeguard: it lets you update or downgrade the server binaries without accidentally deleting saves, settings, or player data.
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A Vintage Story dedicated server has two parts that must be treated differently:
- Installation files: the executable, server assemblies, libraries and other files delivered in the release archive.
- Server data: worlds, configuration, player data, logs and other files in the directory supplied with
--dataPath.
A version change replaces the first group. Your normal procedure should leave the second group in place. The most common serious mistake is deleting an installation-contained data folder along with old program files; the official setup guidance warns that doing so can remove saves, settings and player data.
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The same workflow handles an update to a newer release and a downgrade to an older one. A downgrade deserves extra caution because you are asking an older build to open data that may have been touched by a newer build. Keep an untouched backup and test the target release before allowing normal play.
Prepare before touching any files
Do this preparation while the current server is still running normally. It reduces the chance that a failed replacement becomes an extended outage.
1. Tell players when the server will be offline
Changing files while the process is running can leave an incomplete save or locked files. Announce a maintenance window, record the current version, and identify who can log in locally or through the host operating system if the new build does not start.
2. Save normally, then stop cleanly
From the server console, run /autosavenow if you want an immediate save, then run /stop. Wait for the process to exit before copying or replacing anything. Configuration changes do not take effect until the server is relaunched.
3. Back up the complete data path
Copy the entire directory used by --dataPath to storage separate from the server installation. Include the world saves, configuration files, player data and any server-side or universal mods stored there. A backup of only a visible world folder is not enough if your settings and mod files live elsewhere.
Give the backup a date and version label, for example backup-before-1.22.0-2026-10-15. Do not overwrite your last known-good backup with the new files until the upgraded server has loaded and been tested.
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4. Record the current layout
Write down the current executable location, the exact --dataPath value, the server version shown at startup, the installed .NET runtime, and the enabled mods. This record makes it much easier to identify whether a later failure comes from the archive, the runtime, the data path or a mod.
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5. Check the target release and client plan
Choose the exact version you intend to run, not merely “latest.” Decide whether every player can install a matching client build during the maintenance window. A server and clients on incompatible builds can produce a version-mismatch error even when the server itself starts correctly.
Download the correct server archive
Use the official Vintage Story account area at account.vintagestory.at. Open Show all available downloads and mirrors of Vintage Story, then select the server-only package for the target version.
| Operating system | Package to select | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Server-only ZIP for the exact target version | Replacing the Windows server program files without installing the graphical client |
| Linux x64 | vs_server_linux-x64_<version>.tar.gz |
Replacing the Linux server installation files |
Do not substitute a client installer for a dedicated-server archive. Do not assume that a package for one operating system can be extracted on another. Keep the downloaded archive until the new server has passed your test; it is useful for rollback.
Windows: change the server version
Step 1: Locate the program and data directories
The dedicated-server guide identifies VintagestoryServer.exe and places the normal application under %AppData%/Vintagestory. Many administrators keep live server data in a separate directory such as %AppData%/VSserverData. Confirm which folder is actually passed to the server with --dataPath; that is the folder you must preserve.
Step 2: Stop and back up
Run /autosavenow, run /stop, wait for the console window or service to exit, and copy the complete data directory elsewhere. If the server is managed by a service wrapper, stop the service through that wrapper rather than terminating the process abruptly.
Step 3: Unpack the target ZIP separately
Extract the downloaded server-only ZIP into a temporary directory first. Comparing its contents with the existing installation helps prevent accidentally copying a client application or nesting the new files one directory too deep.
Step 4: Replace program files, not data
Move the old installation files out of the live program directory or replace them with the extracted target files. Keep the separate data directory untouched. If the old installation contains a data folder and your launch setup points to it, move that data folder to a protected location and update the launch command to use the explicit path before deleting anything.
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Step 5: Check the runtime before launch
Verify that the Windows machine has the .NET runtime required by the target release. The currently documented requirements are listed in the runtime section below. A correct archive will still fail to start if the required runtime is missing or the machine is using an incompatible one.
Step 6: Launch and verify
Start VintagestoryServer.exe, or use your existing shortcut or service definition if it already supplies the correct data path. Watch the console for the target version, confirm that the expected world appears, and connect with a client on the matching build before reopening the server to everyone.
Linux: change the server version
Step 1: Use a dedicated server account
The official Linux guidance recommends a separate account and specifically says not to run the server as root. Make sure that account owns the installation and data directories and has permission to read the archive and write logs, saves and configuration files.
Step 2: Stop the service cleanly
Use the service manager or terminal session that normally controls your instance. Save with /autosavenow, issue /stop, and wait until the server process has exited. Do not extract over files that are still in use.
Step 3: Back up the data path
Copy the complete directory supplied to --dataPath to a separate disk or backup location. Preserve ownership and permissions when making the copy so the server account can use the restored files if rollback becomes necessary.
Step 4: Remove only the old installation files
Change to the directory that contains the current Linux server installation. Remove or move the old program files, but do not remove the separate data directory. If the data directory is inside the installation tree, move it outside that tree first and plan to launch with an explicit --dataPath.
Step 5: Extract the target archive
Download the exact file named in the form vs_server_linux-x64_<version>.tar.gz. Extract it into the installation directory while logged in as the server account. Check the resulting directory level: the VintagestoryServer executable or VintagestoryServer.dll should be where your startup configuration expects it, not hidden in an extra archive-named subdirectory.
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Step 6: Match the launch command to your installation
The official guide documents both of these forms:
dotnet VintagestoryServer.dll --dataPath /path/to/data./VintagestoryServer --dataPath /path/to/dataUse the form provided by the extracted release and your existing startup configuration. Replace /path/to/data with the real absolute data directory. An absolute path avoids accidentally creating a new empty data folder when the service starts from a different working directory.
Step 7: Check the console and permissions
Confirm that the startup output identifies the target version and that the expected world loads. If the process cannot write saves or logs, stop it and correct ownership or permissions rather than running it as root. Then reconnect with a matching client build.
Verify the .NET runtime for the target version
The runtime requirement is tied to the Vintage Story release, not simply to your operating system. The official guide currently lists the following boundaries:
| Vintage Story target | Documented .NET runtime | How to apply it |
|---|---|---|
| 1.22.0 and newer | .NET 10 | Install or select .NET 10 before starting the server |
| 1.21.0 and newer, when not covered by the 1.22.0 rule | .NET 8 | Use .NET 8 for the 1.21 line |
| Earlier than 1.21.0 | .NET 7 | Use .NET 7 for releases below 1.21.0 |
Because the ranges overlap in wording at their boundaries, treat the exact target release as authoritative: a 1.22.x server follows the .NET 10 requirement, while a 1.21.x server follows .NET 8. For any other release, confirm the requirement shown for that release in the official download or setup material before launch.
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A runtime error before the normal server banner usually means the required .NET runtime is not installed, the service is invoking a different runtime than your interactive shell, or the startup command points at the wrong assembly. Fix the runtime or command first; changing world files will not solve a missing runtime.
Start-up checks after replacing the files
Use this order so a failure has a narrow cause:
- Confirm the executable path. Make sure the process is using the files from the target archive rather than an older copy elsewhere on the machine.
- Confirm the version banner. Read the console output and record the version before allowing players to join.
- Confirm the data path. Verify that the loaded world, settings and player list are the ones from your backup location, not a newly created default directory.
- Load the world without players. Watch for errors while the world initializes and let the server finish its normal startup work.
- Test a client connection. Join with a client on a compatible build and check that the spawn area, inventories and permissions look correct.
- Test the important server functions. Confirm that saves occur, commands work, and any essential server-side or universal mods load.
Keep the backup and old installation files until these checks are complete. Once the server has run reliably, create a new backup labeled with the target version.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Make client and server versions match
Players should use a client build compatible with the server build. If a player reports that the versions do not match immediately after the change, first have them update or roll back the client to the same compatible release you selected for the server.
Mods add a second compatibility layer. Before inviting players:
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- Check every installed mod for a release compatible with the target Vintage Story version.
- Remove or replace mods that do not support the target release.
- Keep server-side and universal mods in the server installation or data arrangement expected by that mod.
- Remember that client-side mods must be installed by each player in that server-specific client folder,
ModsByServer.
The server guide notes that server-side and universal mods can be offered to joining players. That does not make a client-only mod available automatically; players still need to install client-side components in their own ModsByServer folder.
Downgrading safely
A downgrade uses the same archive-replacement process but has a stricter rollback requirement. Stop the server, make a fresh backup of the current data directory, and retain the current installation archive before installing the older release. If the older server does not load the world correctly, stop immediately and restore the previous installation and its matching data backup.
Do not treat a successful process launch as proof that a downgrade is safe. Check the world, player data, configuration, commands and mods with a test account. Keep the maintenance window open until those checks pass. If the target release requires a different .NET runtime, switch to that runtime before testing rather than interpreting a runtime failure as a world problem.
Troubleshooting by symptom
| Symptom | Likely cause | Recovery |
|---|---|---|
| The console still shows the old version | The service or shortcut points to another installation directory | Inspect the executable or DLL path, replace the files in that directory, and start again |
| The server starts with a new empty world | The --dataPath value is missing or points to a new location |
Stop the server and relaunch with the original absolute data path; do not save over the empty world |
| The process exits with a .NET error | The runtime required by the target release is unavailable or not selected by the service | Install or configure the documented runtime for that release and retry |
| The world loads but a mod reports errors | The mod is not compatible with the target version | Remove or replace the mod with a compatible release, then restart |
| Players receive a version-mismatch message | Their client build is not compatible with the server | Have them install the matching client release before reconnecting |
| Linux cannot write saves or logs | The server account lacks ownership or write permission | Correct ownership and permissions for the dedicated account; do not run the process as root |
| The server cannot find its executable after extraction | The archive was extracted one directory too deep or into the wrong location | Move the extracted files to the directory used by the startup command and verify the executable path |
| A downgrade behaves differently from the old server | The older build, runtime or mods do not match the current setup | Restore the known-good installation and data backup, then test the downgrade on a copy |
Rollback procedure
If the target build fails, do not repeatedly restart it against the live world. Stop the process, move the failed installation aside, restore the previous server files, and point the launch command back to the known-good data directory. If the target build changed data before failing, restore the matching pre-change data backup rather than mixing files from two versions.
On Windows, restore the previous server program files and launch VintagestoryServer.exe with the original data-path arrangement. On Linux, restore the previous installation archive, use the runtime required by that release, and start with the documented dotnet VintagestoryServer.dll --dataPath /path/to/data or ./VintagestoryServer --dataPath /path/to/data form. Verify the version banner before reconnecting players.
Self-hosting or paid hosting for version changes
Managing archives yourself gives you direct control, but a hosting service can handle operating-system maintenance and provide a control panel. The important question is not the provider name; it is whether the service exposes the controls needed for this task.
| Decision factor | Self-hosting | Paid hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Selecting or pinning an exact game version | Direct access to any archive you can run | Depends on the host’s version list and retention policy |
| Backups and rollback | You must create, store and test backups | May be built in, but confirm frequency, retention and restore access |
| Installation files and data paths | Full control over executable location and --dataPath |
Control varies; confirm that data can be preserved during a version change |
| Operating system and .NET maintenance | Your responsibility | Often managed by the host, subject to its supported versions |
| Mod management | Manual compatibility checks and file placement | May include an installer or manager, but verify support for your target release |
| Downtime during replacement | Usually the time needed to stop, copy, replace and test | May be shorter through a panel, but still requires a restart and compatibility checks |
Whichever model you use, insist on an exact version selector or documented archive access, a downloadable backup, and a way to restore the previous installation. A one-click “update” that silently moves the server to an untested build is not a substitute for version control.
Quick Recap
A repeatable maintenance checklist
- Announce the maintenance window and record the current build.
- Run
/autosavenow, then/stop. - Copy the complete data path to separate storage.
- Download the exact server-only archive for the target release.
- Confirm the target’s .NET requirement.
- Replace installation files only; preserve the
--dataPathdirectory. - Use a dedicated non-root account on Linux.
- Start with the correct executable and explicit data path.
- Read the startup version and verify the expected world.
- Test saves, commands, mods and a client connection.
- Require players to use a compatible client build.
- Keep the old files and backup until the new release is proven stable.
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