Install MetaMod:Source before SourceMod. Stop the dedicated server, download archives that match the server’s operating system, and extract both packages into the Team Fortress 2 game directory—the folder named tf. A correct installation creates tf/addons/metamod/, tf/addons/metamod.vdf, tf/addons/sourcemod/, and tf/cfg/sourcemod/. Restart fully, then run meta version and sm version at the server console or through RCon.
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MetaMod:Source is the loading layer that lets SourceMod attach to the Team Fortress 2 server. SourceMod depends on it, so installing SourceMod first or placing its files in the wrong directory will leave its commands unavailable. The procedure is the same on a self-managed machine and on a hosting panel, but the way you upload files and restart the process differs.
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Access and permissions
- A running Team Fortress 2 dedicated server.
- Filesystem access through a shell, FTP/SFTP, or your host’s file manager.
- Permission to stop and start the server. A map change or an in-game reconnect is not a substitute for a process restart.
- A way to open the server console or send RCon commands after startup.
- A backup location for customized SourceMod configuration and plugin files.
The relevant destination is the tf directory inside the server installation. It is not necessarily the home directory shown when you first connect to a host. In a panel, browse until you can see the game’s existing cfg, maps, or materials folders; that is normally the directory into which the archives must be extracted.
Choose files for the server, not your administration computer
MetaMod:Source and SourceMod publish packages for different operating systems. Select the package matching the operating system on which the dedicated server process runs. A Windows administrator connecting to a Linux server still needs the Linux archive; the operating system of the computer used for FTP or RCon is irrelevant.
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| Dedicated-server operating system | Package to select | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Windows build | Uploading a Linux archive because the administrator uses Linux tools, or because the download was made from a Linux workstation |
| Linux | Linux build | Uploading a Windows archive and expecting Linux to load its binaries |
Stable or development build
Use the current stable build unless you have a specific compatibility reason to test a development build. SourceMod uses rolling releases, so “latest” is a moving target rather than a permanently numbered major release. Record the version you install, and read the release notes when the TF2 engine has recently updated.
Expected directory layout
After both packages are merged into the game directory, the important paths should look like this:
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├── addons/
│ ├── metamod/
│ ├── metamod.vdf
│ └── sourcemod/
└── cfg/
└── sourcemod/The exact contents vary by release. What must not happen is an extra archive-name directory between tf and the folders above. For example, tf/SourceMod-.../addons/sourcemod/ is usually wrong. The files need to be merged so that addons and cfg are direct children of tf.
Install MetaMod:Source first
- Stop the server. Use the panel’s Stop control or stop the dedicated-server process from the shell. Editing binaries while the process is running can leave an incomplete or inconsistent installation.
- Download the MetaMod:Source package for the server OS. Use the project’s official download location and choose the archive intended for a Team Fortress 2 dedicated server.
- Open the real TF2 game directory. Locate the directory named
tfbeneath the server installation, rather than a generic account or game-root folder. - Extract the archive into
tf. The extraction should create or mergetf/addons/metamod/. If your archive utility shows a top-level folder, inspect it before extracting; do not create a secondtfdirectory accidentally. - Check the VDF file. Recent MetaMod:Source packages, including the 1.10.0-and-later line, normally include
metamod.vdffor standard games. It belongs directly attf/addons/metamod.vdf, not insidetf/addons/metamod/. - Correct the VDF when necessary. If no VDF was included, or the file targets a different game, obtain or generate a Team Fortress 2-specific VDF and put that file directly in
tf/addons/. A VDF for another Source game will not reliably load MetaMod in TF2. - Start or restart the server. A complete process restart is required before testing. Wait for the normal startup sequence to finish.
The VDF is the entry point that tells the game to load MetaMod. The metamod directory contains MetaMod’s files, but those files can remain unused if the entry-point file is absent, misplaced, or aimed at another game.
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Install SourceMod into the same game directory
- Stop the server again. Do not overwrite SourceMod files while the server is running.
- Download the current stable SourceMod build for the dedicated server’s operating system. SourceMod’s release stream is continuous, so use the latest stable package shown on its official downloads page unless a plugin or host specifically requires another version.
- Extract the package into the same
tfdirectory. Merge both theaddonsandcfgtrees with the directories already created by MetaMod. - Confirm the two SourceMod destinations. You should be able to browse to
tf/addons/sourcemod/andtf/cfg/sourcemod/. If you see these under an archive-name folder, move the contents up so they are directly undertf. - Check the dependency version. SourceMod requires MetaMod:Source 1.9.0 or higher; using the latest compatible version is recommended. An old MetaMod installation can therefore prevent a current SourceMod build from loading even when the folders look correct.
- Start the server with a full restart. Allow the process to load MetaMod before testing SourceMod commands.
“SourceMod requires Metamod:Source 1.9.0 or higher (it is recommended that the latest version is used).”
AlliedModders, Installing SourceMod
Verify that both components loaded
Use the server console, or send the commands through RCon after startup. Run them separately so you can identify which layer failed.
| Command | What it tests | Successful result |
|---|---|---|
meta version |
MetaMod:Source itself | Version and build information is printed |
sm version |
SourceMod’s command layer | SourceMod version information is printed |
sm plugins list |
SourceMod plugin loading | A list of currently loaded plugins and their status is displayed |
Run meta version first. If it is unknown, SourceMod cannot load yet; fix MetaMod before investigating SourceMod. If MetaMod responds but sm version is unknown, concentrate on SourceMod’s directory placement, its dependency version, and the restart. Once both version commands work, sm plugins list shows whether the standard SourceMod plugins loaded and whether an individual plugin reports an error.
Troubleshoot an installation that does not load
Both commands are unknown
- Verify that the files were extracted into the server’s
tfdirectory, not a parent installation directory or a client-side TF2 folder. - Check for unwanted nesting such as
tf/MetaMod-.../addons/metamod/ortf/SourceMod-.../addons/sourcemod/. - Confirm that the archive matches the dedicated server’s operating system.
- Ensure the server process was stopped and started, rather than merely changing the map.
meta version is unknown
Inspect tf/addons/metamod/ and tf/addons/metamod.vdf first. The VDF must be directly in addons, and it must be for TF2. If the directory exists but MetaMod still does not load, replace a mismatched package with the build for the server OS and restart again.
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meta version works but sm version is unknown
SourceMod is either not under tf/addons/sourcemod/, was extracted into a nested directory, or is incompatible with the installed MetaMod version. Confirm that MetaMod is at least 1.9.0, then reinstall the current stable SourceMod archive and perform a complete restart.
Linux reports a MetaMod failure
Inspect metamod-fatal.log in MetaMod’s bin directory. The log can reveal a binary or required-version problem that is not obvious from the console. Compare the installed build with the project’s required-version guidance and make sure the Linux package, rather than the Windows package, was uploaded.
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The commands work, but a plugin is missing
Use sm plugins list to identify the plugin’s status. A working MetaMod and SourceMod installation does not guarantee that every third-party plugin is compatible with the current TF2 engine or with your SourceMod build. Read that plugin’s own documentation, check its required files, and place any VDF plugin file in the documented addons/metamod location.
Update MetaMod and SourceMod safely
Back up before replacing files
Copy the complete tf/addons and tf/cfg/sourcemod trees, especially customized configuration files and any locally installed plugins. Keep the backup outside the live server directory so a cleanup or archive extraction cannot overwrite it.
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Preserve configuration changes
When updating SourceMod, do not blindly replace customized files under its configuration directories. Compare new defaults with your saved versions and reapply only the settings you intend to keep. This avoids losing administrator lists, command overrides, plugin settings, and other local changes.
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Account for TF2 engine updates
SourceMod’s rolling releases and TF2 engine updates can affect binary compatibility. Read the release information for the versions you are installing, update MetaMod when required, and test the server privately before reopening it to players. If a new build causes a failure, restore the backed-up directories and the previously working packages while you investigate compatibility.
Use a controlled replacement order
- Stop the server and save the backup.
- Update MetaMod:Source first when its release is required by the SourceMod version you plan to use.
- Verify the MetaMod files and VDF placement.
- Update SourceMod and merge its
addonsandcfgdirectories. - Start the server and run
meta version,sm version, andsm plugins list.
Choose a deployment method that fits your access
| Deployment choice | What changes | What stays the same |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted server | You manage the operating system, archive extraction, permissions, logs, and process restarts. | The destination is still the TF2 tf directory, and the verification commands are unchanged. |
| Managed game-server host | A control panel or support system may handle file upload, startup parameters, and restarts; access to binaries and logs can be limited. | You still need OS-matched archives, the same directory layout, the MetaMod dependency, and a full restart. |
| Shell or FTP/SFTP | You manually extract locally or upload the extracted folders and preserve permissions as required by the host. | metamod, metamod.vdf, sourcemod, and cfg/sourcemod must end up in the same paths. |
| Hosting control panel | The panel may offer an archive extractor and a Restart button; some panels extract into an extra folder by default. | Check the resulting paths yourself and verify from the console. |
If a managed host does not provide filesystem access or a way to restart the process, ask whether MetaMod:Source and SourceMod are supported before moving the server. Without those permissions, you cannot correct a misplaced VDF, inspect the Linux fatal log, or complete the verification procedure.
Understand the loading order
At startup, TF2 reads the VDF entry in tf/addons and loads MetaMod:Source. MetaMod then provides the interface through which SourceMod starts. SourceMod reads its configuration under tf/cfg/sourcemod, discovers its installed plugins, and exposes commands such as sm version. This dependency explains why installing only SourceMod, or installing both packages but omitting the VDF, leaves the sm commands unavailable.
Final installation checklist
- The server was stopped before files were changed.
- The archives match the dedicated server’s operating system.
- The files were merged into the real TF2
tfdirectory. tf/addons/metamod/exists.tf/addons/metamod.vdfexists and targets TF2.tf/addons/sourcemod/exists.tf/cfg/sourcemod/exists.- MetaMod:Source is version 1.9.0 or newer for SourceMod compatibility.
- The server was fully restarted after installation.
meta version,sm version, andsm plugins listreturn results.
Once those checks pass, MetaMod:Source and SourceMod are installed in the locations TF2 expects, and you can add individual plugins according to each plugin’s documentation.
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