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A Conan Exiles dedicated server that reaches the ready state with mods disabled is almost always failing because of an outdated mod, a missing dependency, an incorrect load order, or a mod that no longer matches the current game build. If it still crashes with no mods loaded, investigate the installation, runtime, permissions, security software, drivers, overlays, and overclock settings instead.
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Work reversibly: stop the server, back up game.db, modlist.txt, and your configuration files, then isolate one variable at a time. Never delete the database while diagnosing a startup crash.
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The point at which the process exits is more useful than the fact that it crashed. A failure immediately after the server begins mounting packages usually implicates a .pak, dependency, or load order. A process that starts normally with an empty mod list but fails when one mod is restored gives you a repeatable compatibility test. A process that fails before any mod is loaded points toward the server installation, the operating system, permissions, security software, or a mismatched executable and client build.
| Observed behavior | Most likely area | Best next test |
|---|---|---|
| Server starts with zero mods | Mod version, dependency, load order, or mod file | Restore one known-good mod or dependency group at a time |
| Log names a package, asset, or mod | Specific .pak or a dependency it expects |
Compare the name with modlist.txt and the files in ConanSandbox/Mods |
| Crash occurs before mod loading | Installation, runtime, permissions, security software, or system settings | Verify files, remove overlays, check exclusions, and return hardware settings to stock |
| Crash began after a game update or Enhanced migration | Mods built for an older game version or an incomplete migration | Run the server without mods and check every author release for current-build support |
Do not assume the last line in a log is the root cause. The first mount, package, serialization, or dependency error often appears earlier and is the more valuable lead.
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1. Stop the server and preserve the world
Before renaming files, updating mods, or migrating an installation, stop the dedicated-server process cleanly. If it is managed by a service or hosting panel, use that panel’s stop control rather than killing the process while it is writing the database.
Make a complete working backup
Copy these items to a different disk or folder that the server cannot overwrite:
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.inifiles from the server’s configuration directories. - The current
ConanSandbox/Modsfolder, including every.pakfile. - The newest files in
ConanSandbox/Saved/Logs.
Funcom’s 2025 Enhanced-migration guidance specifically recommends that private-server owners back up the UE4 database before the update. Keep that copy until the upgraded server has started, been tested, and been backed up again. A backup of only the mod files is not a world backup; without game.db you cannot reliably restore buildings, inventories, or player progress.
Record the known-good state
Write down the game branch or edition, server executable path, last successful start time, recent game update, and the mod order that was working. This turns a vague crash into a comparison. If you use a panel, export its mod list and configuration before changing anything.
2. Prove whether mods are the trigger
Funcom documents launching a dedicated server with the server executable or StartServer.bat. Use the same launch method you normally use so that environment variables and configuration paths do not change during the test. The documented default game and pinger ports are UDP 7777 and UDP 7778; a port conflict normally prevents connections rather than causing a package crash, but recording the ports helps distinguish the two problems.
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Temporarily remove the mod list
- Stop the server and confirm that no server process remains.
- Copy
modlist.txtto your backup location. - Rename the live file to something such as
modlist.txt.disabled. Renaming is safer than deleting because the original order remains available. - If the server still attempts to load packages, move the
.pakfiles fromConanSandbox/Modsinto a temporary backup folder outside the game directory. Do not discard them. - Start the server with the documented executable or
StartServer.batand wait for the normal ready message.
If the server reaches a ready state without mods, the database and basic installation are not yet proven perfect, but the crash is strongly associated with the mod set, its dependencies, its order, or compatibility with the current build. Restore the original file only after this test is recorded.
Use a clean test without touching the world
An empty mod list does not require a new world. Leave game.db in place and test startup only. Creating a new database can hide a configuration or serialization problem and risks confusing a startup diagnosis with a world-reset operation.
3. Read the log and match files before changing several things
Open the newest server log under ConanSandbox/Saved/Logs. Sort by modification time, then inspect the final section before the fatal error, process exit, or stack trace. Search for terms such as pak, mount, dependency, serialization, asset, load, and fatal.
Build a mod inventory
Make a two-column list: every entry in modlist.txt and every .pak physically present in ConanSandbox/Mods. Check for these mismatches:
- An entry points to a file that was renamed, removed, or replaced.
- The same mod exists twice under different filenames or version folders.
- A file is present but absent from
modlist.txt, so the server never intentionally loads it. - The list contains an old filename after a Workshop update changed the package name.
- Case, spacing, or extension differences prevent the listed package from matching the actual file.
Record the first named package or asset error, but do not label that package guilty solely because it appears in the final log line. A dependency can fail first and cause a later mod to report the visible error.
Check recent changes
Ask what changed immediately before the first failed start: a Conan Exiles patch, an Enhanced update, a mod update, a manually copied .pak, a reordered list, a configuration edit, or a host migration. Undoing the last reversible change is a useful test, provided the original files remain backed up.
4. Reintroduce mods in a controlled order
Do not restore the entire list at once. Start from the empty list that successfully launched and add a small, documented group. The first repeatable failure is more informative than a reinstall that changes ten variables.
- Restore the backed-up
modlist.txtto a working copy, not directly over the only backup. - Choose one standalone mod that the author states supports your current Conan Exiles build. Add its exact
.pakentry and start the server. - If it starts, stop it cleanly, take a note of the result, and add the next mod or a tightly coupled dependency group.
- When a start fails, remove only the last addition and repeat the test to confirm the result.
- Keep the successful order in a separate text file so you can restore it after experimentation.
For a large collection, a binary split can reduce the number of restarts: test half the mods, then halve the failing group. Once the suspect group is small, return to one-at-a-time additions. This method is reversible and preserves the database because it changes only the load list.
Respect dependency order
Funcom states that some mods must load earlier than others because of dependencies. The server list is authoritative; use the order specified by each mod author rather than alphabetical order or the order in which files were downloaded. A framework or library package commonly belongs before the content mod that requires it, but the author’s instructions take precedence.
Do not move a dependency merely because a different server uses another order. Two collections can contain the same files and still require different sequences. If authors disagree, use the release notes for the version you actually installed and test the smallest possible group.
Check version compatibility
Every mod must match the current Conan Exiles build. Funcom’s Help Center advises using the latest available version of each mod and confirming compatibility with the latest game version. After a game update, assume that every mod needs confirmation until its author publishes support or users can verify a compatible release. If no compatible release exists, leave that mod disabled; waiting for an update is safer than forcing an older package into a changed executable.
5. Keep clients and server identical
Dedicated-server documentation says clients need the same mod set and order as the server. Once you have a stable server list, distribute that exact list to players. A client with an extra package, a missing dependency, or a different order may fail to connect even though the server itself starts.
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- Compare filenames and versions, not just display names in a launcher.
- Remove stale copies from the client’s mod directory before downloading the current package.
- Have every player restart the game after the server list changes.
- Do not use a client-only cosmetic mod in the server list unless its author documents dedicated-server support.
Connection errors after a successful server start are a separate client-parity problem. Keep it separate from the startup-crash diagnosis so that you do not change a working server while troubleshooting one player’s installation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.6. What to do when the no-mod server still crashes
If the process exits with both modlist.txt and the .pak files isolated, stop investigating individual mods. Work through installation and system checks in a fixed order.
Verify the server installation
Use Steam’s file-integrity verification for the dedicated-server installation. Let it replace damaged or missing files, then repeat the no-mod launch before restoring any packages. If verification reports changes, preserve the old log and record the verification date; a repaired base installation changes the evidence.
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Align branch, executable, and client build
Confirm that the server branch and executable correspond to the game edition your players run. Launch the documented server executable or StartServer.bat from the intended installation, not from an older copied folder. A server that exits before it begins loading mods can indicate a mismatched binary or runtime rather than a bad package.
Remove software conflicts
- Update graphics and platform drivers as recommended by Funcom’s crash guidance.
- Close overlays, capture tools, injectors, and other background applications before testing.
- Check antivirus and firewall logs. Add narrowly scoped exceptions for the server executable and its data directory only when you trust the installation.
- Temporarily disable nonessential monitoring or tuning utilities, then test again.
- Return CPU, GPU, memory, and motherboard settings to stock if the machine is overclocked or undervolted.
Change one category at a time and restart the server after each change. If a clean, verified installation still fails, preserve the log and system details before reinstalling; a reinstall without evidence can erase the clue needed to identify a permissions or runtime conflict.
7. Enhanced and UE5 migration precautions
Funcom says Conan Exiles Enhanced supports mods, but some mods may require upgrades after the version change. Funcom also says it is working with selected hosting providers on the UE5 version, so the exact migration behavior can differ by host and deployment method.
Use a staged migration
- Keep the original UE4
game.db, configuration, mod list, and logs offline. - Start the Enhanced server with no mods and confirm that the migrated world reaches a ready state.
- Make a second backup of the newly working database before adding packages.
- Check each mod author’s Enhanced or UE5 compatibility statement, then add only supported mods using the controlled process above.
- After a successful test session, stop the server cleanly and create another dated backup.
Do not overwrite the only UE4 database with a failed migration result. If the Enhanced server crashes with no mods, treat it as a migration or installation issue; if it starts cleanly and fails only after a package is restored, treat it as mod compatibility or dependency order.
8. Recovery choices for common cases
| Case | Safe action | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| One mod reproducibly causes the crash | Leave it disabled, save the log, and use a release that supports the current build | Forcing an older package or deleting the world database |
| Several mods fail together | Test their dependency framework first, then split the group and restore in author-specified order | Reordering alphabetically or updating every mod at once |
Missing .pak entry |
Restore the exact file from backup or obtain the matching release, then update the list deliberately | Pointing the list at a similarly named package |
| Vanilla server fails after verification | Check branch, executable, drivers, overlays, security software, and stock hardware settings | Blaming a disabled mod or repeatedly editing modlist.txt |
| Enhanced migration fails | Return to the backed-up UE4 database and test the migration without mods | Deleting the pre-migration backup or mixing old and new package files |
9. Prevent the next startup failure
- Keep a dated copy of
game.db,modlist.txt, configuration, and logs before every game or mod update. - Maintain a short change log: date, game build, mod version, order change, and result.
- Test updates on a separate instance or maintenance window before applying them to the active world.
- Keep the last known-good mod list and package folder available for rollback.
- After a game patch, launch once with no mods, then add supported packages gradually.
- Give players the exact final list and order so client parity is maintained.
When to stop troubleshooting and seek support
Contact the mod author when a single current-build package causes a repeatable failure and the log identifies its package or dependency. Include the game build, package version, exact order, first relevant log error, and the result of the no-mod test. Contact Funcom or your hosting provider when the no-mod server fails after file verification and system checks, or when an Enhanced migration fails with the backed-up database. Send logs and reproducible steps rather than only a screenshot of the crash.
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Bottom line
Back up the world first, establish whether a no-mod launch succeeds, and then isolate packages by controlled reintroduction. A clean vanilla start followed by a repeatable failure from one mod is strong evidence of compatibility, dependency, or order trouble. A crash that survives mod removal requires installation and system checks instead. Keep the original database and a known-good list throughout; that is what makes every fix reversible.
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