The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To host a DayZ Frostline server, install the Windows dedicated-server files with SteamCMD or Bohemia Interactive’s Server_manager.ps1, create a server configuration, select the Frostline/Sakhal mission that exists in your installation, open the game and query ports, then launch DayZServer_x64.exe with separate profile and storage directories. Every player joining a Sakhal server needs an activated Frostline entitlement. You can run the server on a Windows PC, a Windows VPS, or a dedicated machine; the choice determines how much administration, cost and hardware responsibility you take on.
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What Frostline adds and what a Sakhal server requires
Frostline is DayZ’s expansion released alongside update 1.26 in 2024. Its principal content change for server hosts is the Sakhal map. A server can be online without every administrator owning the expansion, but clients connecting to a Sakhal server must own and have Frostline activated on their Steam, Xbox or PlayStation account. This guide covers a self-hosted PC community server using the Windows dedicated-server build.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe server software, configuration and network setup are separate from the game client. Installing the client alone does not create a public server. You need a Windows host that remains online, enough storage for the base server and Workshop content, a firewall rule for the ports you select, and a way to update and back up persistent data.
Choose where to run the server
For a PC community server, the practical choices are a Windows computer you administer, a Windows VPS, or a Windows dedicated server. None is a universal winner; select according to your expected community size, technical comfort and tolerance for recurring administration.
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| Option | Upfront and recurring cost | Control and maintenance | Networking and growth considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows computer you own | Uses hardware you already have, but incurs electricity, internet and replacement costs. | Maximum control over Windows, files, services and backups. You are responsible for patching, uptime and recovery. | Home upload bandwidth, carrier-grade NAT and changing IP addresses can prevent public access. Geographic location is fixed. |
| Windows VPS | Recurring monthly charge; plan specifications and prices change, so verify them when ordering. | Provider supplies the virtual machine and network layer. You still administer Windows, SteamCMD, mods, firewall rules and backups. | You can select a nearby region and resize when available. Virtual CPU, disk I/O and memory are shared or plan-limited; check the provider’s Windows and DayZ support. |
| Windows dedicated server | Highest recurring cost in most markets, with the whole machine assigned to you. | Full operating-system and server control, while the provider handles physical hardware and datacenter connectivity. | Predictable resources and strong headroom for multiple services or a larger community. You remain responsible for software updates, security and data protection. |
Before paying for a hosted machine, confirm that it supports Windows, SteamCMD, inbound UDP traffic, the storage size your Workshop collection needs, remote administration and a backup method. Published player limits, locations and prices vary by plan and should not be treated as permanent specifications.
Prerequisites on Windows
Operating system and access
- Use Windows 10 or Windows Server 2012 R2 or newer.
- If you use Bohemia’s official PowerShell workflow, use PowerShell version 4 or newer.
- Have an administrator account or equivalent rights to install SteamCMD, create firewall rules and run the server executable.
- Reserve a fixed local address if the machine sits behind a router, and obtain a public address or port-forwarding service that accepts inbound traffic.
Accounts and disk space
- Prepare a Steam account for downloading the dedicated server and Workshop content. Do not publish its credentials in scripts or screenshots.
- Ensure the test account has Frostline activated. Keep in mind that each player who joins Sakhal also needs the expansion entitlement.
- Leave free disk space for the base server, Workshop mods, logs, crash dumps and persistent storage. Large mod collections grow over time.
Install the dedicated server files
Bohemia’s documented workflow uses Server_manager.ps1 to obtain SteamCMD, the DayZ server files and Workshop mods. You can also install the same files with your own SteamCMD script. Keep the installation in a dedicated directory rather than mixing it with your personal DayZ client files.
- Create a server root. For example, make a directory such as
C:DayZServerand grant the account that will run the service read/write access. - Obtain the manager or SteamCMD workflow. If using
Server_manager.ps1, review its parameters and run it from PowerShell. If using SteamCMD directly, point the download to the server root and install the current DayZ dedicated-server app. - Download the base files first. Start the server once before adding mods so that missing runtime files and the default directory structure are created.
- Download Workshop content deliberately. Add only the mods you intend to test. Record each Workshop ID and its dependencies in a plain-text inventory so another administrator can reproduce the installation.
- Keep the executable current. After a DayZ update, run the update step again and inspect the newly installed mission directories before changing your launch command.
Separate profiles, storage and operational files
Use separate locations for the executable, profile output and persistent storage. Bohemia documents the -profiles and -storage parameters for this purpose. A simple layout is:
C:DayZServer— executable and installed server content.C:DayZServerprofiles— RPT logs, crash dumps and administrative output.C:DayZServerstorage— persistent world and character data.C:DayZServermods— Workshop mod directories or junctions, if you keep them separate from the download cache.C:DayZServerbackups— dated copies made while the server is stopped or safely shut down.
Keeping profiles and storage outside the executable directory makes it easier to replace server binaries without deleting characters, bases or logs. It also gives you clear backup targets. Include configuration files, mission data, storage data and your mod inventory in backups; a copy of only the executable cannot restore a community’s progress.
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Create the server configuration
Make a configuration file such as serverDZ.cfg in the server root. At minimum, define a visible hostname, a description and your password policy. The Steam browser query port is configured separately from the game port.
hostname = "Sakhal Community Server
description = "Frostline survival — community rules in Discord"
password = ""
passwordAdmin = "change-this-admin-password"
steamQueryPort = 2305;Replace the example text with your own policy before exposing the server. An empty game password allows public joins; a non-empty value makes the server private. Protect the administrator password as carefully as any other credential. Keep a backup of the configuration, but remove credentials before sharing a diagnostic copy.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The official reference uses 2302 as the game-server port and 2305 as the Steam query port. You may select different unused ports, but document the values and use the same numbers in the firewall, router or cloud security group and launch procedure.
Select the Frostline mission safely
Mission folder names can change with game updates. Do not copy a path from an old tutorial and assume it still exists. Inspect the mpmissions directory installed with your current server build and choose the directory whose name identifies the Sakhal/Frostline mission.
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PowerShell can display candidate directories without hard-coding a stale name:
Get-ChildItem .mpmissions -Directory | Where-Object { $_.Name -match 'sakhal' } | Select-Object -ExpandProperty NameIf the command returns a Sakhal mission directory, use that exact name in the launch command. If it returns nothing, update or reinstall the server files and inspect the installation before proceeding; inventing a directory name will leave the process unable to load a mission.
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Build and run the launch command
Run DayZServer_x64.exe from the server root. The essential switches are the configuration file, profile path, storage path and mission. Add logging switches during setup so failures appear in the profile directory.
$mission = (Get-ChildItem .mpmissions -Directory | Where-Object { $_.Name -match 'sakhal' } | Select-Object -First 1).Name
.DayZServer_x64.exe `
-config=serverDZ.cfg `
-profiles=profiles `
-storage=storage `
-mission="mpmissions$mission" `
-port=2302 `
-doLogs `
-adminLog `
-netLogThe first line discovers the installed Sakhal directory; the second launches the executable with the resulting path. If your installation contains more than one Sakhal-related directory, select the mission that the current server documentation or manager identifies as the playable server mission rather than relying on alphabetical order. Keep the command in a reviewed PowerShell script so every restart uses the same ports and paths.
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-doLogs, -adminLog and -netLog are useful while validating a new deployment. Once the server is stable, retain the logging level that gives you enough audit and troubleshooting information without allowing unbounded log growth.
Open ports and verify discovery
- Windows firewall: create inbound rules for UDP port
2302and UDP port2305, or for the alternative values you documented. If your environment requires TCP rules as well, follow the host or provider’s current DayZ networking guidance rather than opening every port. - Router or security group: forward the same ports to the host’s fixed private address, or add them to the VPS or dedicated-server security group. A correct Windows rule cannot compensate for a blocked upstream network.
- Start the process: launch the command from the server root and wait for the process to remain running. A window that closes immediately usually indicates a missing mission, malformed configuration, denied path or incompatible mod.
- Inspect profiles: open the newest RPT and related log files under the directory supplied to
-profiles. Correct errors before adding mods. - Test from outside the host: use a Frostline-enabled client on a different network where possible. Confirm that the server appears in the browser and that a direct connection reaches the login screen.
Testing from the same computer can hide router and firewall problems. If local connection works but remote discovery fails, check the public address, port forwarding and provider security group before changing mission or mod files.
Add mods in controlled increments
DayZ supports two documented mod switches:
-mod=<string>loads client-distributed Workshop mods. Joining players must download and enable the matching client content.-serverMod=<string>loads server-only mods that are not distributed to clients.
Use the path and separator format generated by your current manager or SteamCMD workflow, especially when several Workshop directories are involved. Do not assume that a mod’s display name is its folder name.
- Start with the unmodded Sakhal server and verify that it stays online.
- Add one mod and its documented dependencies.
- Place dependencies before the mod that requires them, following the mod author’s current instructions.
- Restart the server and inspect the RPT for signature, dependency or script errors.
- Connect with a clean, matching client profile.
- Only after the change is stable, record it in the mod inventory and add the next mod.
Adding a large collection in one restart makes the first failure difficult to identify. When removing a mod, check whether it created persistent objects or economy data; deleting the directory without a backup can make a rollback impossible.
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First-boot troubleshooting
The process exits immediately
Read the newest RPT file rather than repeatedly restarting. Check that serverDZ.cfg is in the working directory, the paths passed to -profiles and -storage are writable, and the mission directory exists exactly as named. A syntax error in the configuration or an unavailable mission prevents a useful boot.
The server runs but is not listed
Confirm that the game port and steamQueryPort are open in Windows and upstream firewalls, that the query value matches the listening configuration, and that no second service is already using either port. Test from another network to rule out split-horizon or local-router behavior.
Players receive a mod or signature error
Compare the server’s Workshop inventory with the client’s enabled mods, then check dependency order and versions. Remove the newest mod, restart, and retest. Reintroduce changes one at a time rather than disabling signature or security checks as a shortcut.
Characters or bases appear to roll back
Stop using forced process termination. Check that the account running the executable can write to the -storage directory, and restore the most recent known-good backup only after preserving the current files for diagnosis.
Graceful shutdowns protect persistence
Do not close the console window, kill the process, or reboot the host while players are active unless there is an emergency. Bohemia’s configuration guidance states: “It is highly recommended to use the graceful shutdown method to avoid negative side effects on player characters and the server storage saving.”
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Use the server’s supported shutdown mechanism through your administration tool or control layer, announce maintenance to players, wait for the process to finish writing data, and then verify that the process has exited before applying updates. A scheduled task or service wrapper should provide a stop action rather than relying on a hard kill.
Updates, backups and routine maintenance
Before an update
- Announce a maintenance window and perform a graceful shutdown.
- Copy the configuration, mission data, storage directory and mod inventory to a dated backup location.
- Record the current server build, mission directory name and Workshop versions.
After an update
- Update the dedicated-server files through your SteamCMD or manager workflow.
- Recheck the current mission directory; Frostline updates can change installed file names or structure.
- Update Workshop dependencies in a controlled order and test without unrelated configuration changes.
- Start with logging enabled, inspect the RPT, and connect with an entitled Frostline client.
- Keep the rollback copy until the new build has survived normal play and at least one planned restart.
Frostline changed temperature, loot and other gameplay systems. Treat economy edits and broad mod updates as migrations: preserve a rollback copy, test them on a separate instance when possible, and avoid changing several persistent systems at once.
Quick Recap
Operational checklist
- Windows 10 or Windows Server 2012 R2 or newer is patched and remotely accessible.
- PowerShell 4 or newer is available when using
Server_manager.ps1. - SteamCMD or the manager has installed the current DayZ server and required Workshop files.
- The Sakhal mission directory was selected from the files currently installed, not from an old guide.
-config,-profiles,-storageand-missionpoint to valid, writable locations.- The documented game port, such as
2302, and query port, such as2305, are allowed through every firewall layer. - The server remains running and writes RPT/log output after launch.
- Mods are added one at a time with dependencies and load order verified.
- Configuration, storage, mission data and mod lists are backed up before updates.
- Administrators use graceful shutdowns and test with a client that owns Frostline.
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