A DayZ PBO error is usually a file, version, dependency, or signature problem—not a reason to delete your world data. Copy the exact PBO filename and complete error text, then compare that file on the client and server, verify the server’s -mod paths, synchronize Workshop versions, repair .bikey/.bisign signatures, and check dependencies in load order. The named PBO and the server’s RPT log identify which branch to follow.
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What a PBO error means
PBO stands for packed addon file. DayZ loads these archives from a mod’s addons/ directory. A server can start while still failing when a player connects, because the connection checks the addon set, versions, dependencies, and signatures shared by the client and server.
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The same symptom can have several causes:
- The required PBO is absent, in the wrong directory, or unreadable.
- The client and server have different Workshop revisions of the mod.
- A required dependency is not installed or loads after the mod that needs it.
- A public key is missing from the server, or a PBO signature is absent, stale, or rejected.
- The launch parameter points to a different or nested copy of the mod than the one you updated.
Do not treat every message containing “PBO” as the same fault. “Cannot open,” “not part of server data,” “unequal mods,” “missing addons,” and “missing a .bisign” lead to different checks.
Start with the exact error and the named file
Before changing files, capture the whole client message, including punctuation, the PBO filename, and the mod name. Also inspect the server RPT log from the same connection attempt. The DayZ Modding Wiki separates engine-level addon and signature failures in the RPT from script failures in script_*.log; a script exception is not repaired by copying a random PBO.
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- “Client has a PBO which is missing a .bisign.” This is the signature branch. Bohemia Interactive Community lists this wording as a kick reason.
- “PBO not part of server data” or unequal-mod wording. Treat it as a client/server content or version mismatch until the files are proven identical in revision.
- “Cannot open” or a failed-addon message. Check the server path, folder nesting, permissions, and whether the PBO actually exists.
- “Missing addons” followed by an addon name. Find the dependency named in the RPT and load it before the mod that requires it.
Write down whether the failure occurs during server startup, during the connection handshake, or only after a particular mod is enabled. That timing helps distinguish a bad server installation from a client-side mismatch.
How DayZ’s mod files fit together
The mod directory
Each mod referenced in the startup parameter should resolve to a real directory relative to the DayZ server root. A normal mod directory contains an addons/ folder, and that folder contains one or more .pbo files. The directory name used in the launch parameter must match the directory that actually exists; a second copy one level deeper is a common result of extracting an archive incorrectly.
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Public keys and signatures
Workshop mods commonly include a Keys folder containing public .bikey files. The server uses the accepted keys in its root-level keys/ directory when validating client signatures. A .bikey is not the same thing as a PBO’s .bisign: the key is the public credential accepted by the server, while the signature is attached to the PBO for verification.
Dependencies
Some mods require another mod’s addons. The required dependency must be installed and loaded first. If the RPT names a missing addon, use that exact name to identify the dependency rather than guessing from the visible mod title.
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Repair workflow: work from low risk to high certainty
1. Stop before editing
Stop the server before replacing Workshop files, keys, or launch parameters. Make a copy of the current configuration and relevant logs. Do not delete storage_1/ as a first response: that directory contains persistent world data, and removing it can wipe the saved world without fixing an addon problem.
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Save the complete client error, the PBO filename, the mod directory name, the server RPT excerpt, and the current -mod value. If the message names a signature, also note the PBO’s relative path and the key files currently in the server’s keys/ directory.
3. Verify the server path
- Open the DayZ server root—the directory from which the executable and configuration are launched.
- For every entry in
-mod=@ModName;@OtherMod, confirm that the referenced directory exists directly under that root. - Open the mod directory and confirm that
addons/exists. - Locate the PBO named in the error inside
addons/. Check spelling, file extension, and whether the file is zero bytes or obviously incomplete. - Look for an accidental nested path such as
@ModName/@ModName/addons/. If the PBO is there, correct the extraction or the launch path rather than adding another copy.
A missing directory, an incomplete download, and a path that points to an old duplicate all produce similar “cannot open” symptoms. The file’s actual location is more reliable than the mod’s display name in a launcher.
4. Redownload incomplete Workshop content
With the server stopped, update or redownload the named Workshop mod. Replace the server copy only after the download completes, then confirm that the expected PBO is present in addons/. Keep a known-good backup until a player can connect successfully. If the same PBO repeatedly arrives incomplete, inspect the download process and available disk space before restarting.
5. Synchronize both sides
Update the client and server whenever a Workshop mod changes. A client that has newer or older PBO contents can be rejected even when the directory names and launch parameter look correct. The DayZ error catalogue includes EQUAL_MOD for unequal mods; “unequal mods” and “PBO not part of server data” should therefore be handled as a synchronization problem first.
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Do not mix a freshly updated client with a cached server copy. Update both copies, restart the server, and have the client reconnect using the same mod revision. If other players can join but one player cannot, compare that player’s Workshop files with a working client before changing the server.
6. Repair signatures and keys
- Open each installed mod’s
Keysfolder and identify its public.bikeyfiles. - Copy every required key into the server root’s
keys/directory. Keep the keys from the revision actually installed on the server; stale keys from an unrelated copy can make troubleshooting harder. - Check that the PBO named by the error has its corresponding
.bisignsignature where the mod distribution expects it. - Use signature-verification tooling to confirm that the PBO was signed by an accepted key. A file can exist and still fail if its signature does not validate.
- Restart the server and test the same connection again, preserving the new RPT excerpt if the kick continues.
The explicit message “Client has a PBO which is missing a .bisign” means the client-side PBO lacks the signature file expected by the server’s verification policy. Copying a .bikey alone cannot create a valid missing signature; obtain a complete, correctly signed mod build instead.
7. Install and order dependencies
When the RPT reports “missing addons,” copy the required addon name exactly. Check the mod author’s dependency list, install the dependency on the server and client, and place the dependency before the mod that requires it in the load order. Reordering unrelated mods will not repair a genuinely absent dependency.
8. Test without risking persistence
Once paths, files, versions, and signatures are corrected, restart with the existing world data intact. If the server still fails, temporarily remove only the suspect mod from -mod and test a controlled connection. Keep storage_1/ untouched unless the logs point to persistence corruption after you have made a backup.
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If the server starts and players can join with no mods, the fastest way to find one bad mod is binary isolation rather than replacing every file at once.
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- Start from the known-good vanilla configuration.
- Enable roughly half of the mod list and restart.
- Test with the same client and record the exact RPT result.
- If the error returns, the offender is in that half; if it does not, the offender is in the other half.
- Split the failing group again and repeat until one mod or dependency chain remains.
- For the remaining mod, apply the path, redownload, version, key, signature, and dependency checks above.
This method preserves a working baseline and identifies whether the failure is tied to one package or to an interaction between packages. Add the isolated mod back only after its files and required dependencies are verified.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose the remedy by error class
| Error class | Typical wording or evidence | Scope | First remedy | Verification | Persistence risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missing or unreadable PBO | “Cannot open,” failed addon, or named PBO absent from addons/ |
Usually server; sometimes both | Correct -mod path, remove nested folders, or redownload the mod |
The named PBO exists at the expected path and the RPT no longer reports an open failure | None if storage_1/ is left alone |
| Client/server mismatch | “PBO not part of server data,” “unequal mods,” or EQUAL_MOD |
Client and server | Update both Workshop copies to compatible revisions | The same mod revision is installed on both sides and the handshake succeeds | None |
| Signature or key failure | Missing .bisign, rejected signature, or verification error |
Client and server key configuration | Install the complete signed mod and copy required .bikey files to root keys/ |
Signature tooling validates the PBO against an accepted key; the RPT stops reporting the kick | None |
| Dependency or load order | “Missing addons” followed by a required addon name | Both sides and startup order | Install the named dependency and load it before its dependent mod | The dependency appears before the dependent mod and the RPT has no missing-addon entry | None |
| Persistence corruption | Storage-related errors after addon checks are clean | Server data | Back up the world, then follow a storage-specific recovery plan | The backup is restorable and logs identify storage rather than an addon | High; deleting storage_1/ can wipe persistent data |
Why common “fixes” fail
Deleting the storage directory
Storage deletion changes the world rather than repairing a missing PBO, key, or dependency. It can destroy persistence and should be considered only after a backup and clear storage-corruption evidence.
Copying only a key
A public .bikey lets the server recognize an accepted signing key; it does not supply a missing PBO or generate a missing .bisign. Install the complete signed mod revision and then place its required key in keys/.
Changing every mod at once
Mass replacement removes the evidence needed to identify the offender and can introduce several incompatible revisions. Keep a baseline, change one controlled group, and use binary search.
Trusting the launcher’s mod name
The display name may not match the directory used by -mod. Inspect the actual server root, the directory named in the parameter, and its addons/ contents.
Reading only script logs
Script failures belong in script_*.log, while missing-addon and signature failures are reported at the engine level in the RPT. Start with the log that corresponds to the error class instead of assuming every failure is a script bug.
Recovery branches for recurring cases
Only one player is kicked
Compare that player’s client mod revision and local files with a client who can join. A client-only missing signature or stale Workshop download is more likely than a server path error when other players use the same server copy successfully.
Everyone is kicked after a mod update
Stop the server, update the server copy, confirm the PBO and signatures, copy the matching keys, and restart. Require clients to update to the same revision before testing again. “Unequal mods” after a server update indicates that at least one client is still on the old revision.
The server fails immediately after adding a mod
Remove that mod from -mod and confirm the vanilla or previously working set starts. Then inspect the new mod’s addons/ directory, dependencies, and required load order. If it works alone but fails with another package, binary-search the combination to expose the interaction.
The PBO exists but the error remains
Existence proves only that the file can be seen in the directory. Check that the launch parameter points to this copy, the client has the same revision, the PBO’s signature validates, and the server has the matching public key. A duplicate directory or stale cache can leave the wrong file active.
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A dependency is installed but still reported missing
Confirm that the dependency is installed on both sides, its own PBOs are inside addons/, and its directory is included before the dependent mod in -mod. Use the exact addon name from the RPT; a similarly named package may not provide the required addon.
Final verification checklist
- The client message and server RPT have been saved, including the exact PBO filename.
- Every
-modentry resolves to the intended directory under the server root. - The named PBO is present in that mod’s
addons/directory and is not an incomplete nested copy. - Client and server use compatible Workshop revisions.
- Required dependencies are installed on both sides and load before dependent mods.
- Required public
.bikeyfiles are in the server root’skeys/directory. - The PBO’s
.bisignvalidates against an accepted key. - Testing has preserved
storage_1/and other persistent data. - If several mods are involved, binary-search isolation has identified the failing package or dependency chain.
When these checks are clean, restart the server and reproduce the same connection attempt. The new RPT entry should either show that the PBO failure is gone or provide a narrower filename and error class for the next repair branch.
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