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DayZ cannot schedule a complete restart by itself. Use messages.xml to warn players and shut the server down gracefully, then use an external process—Windows Task Scheduler, a Linux cron/supervisor job, or a hosted scheduler—to start DayZ again. Discord is a separate integration: your wrapper script or management service sends webhook events for warnings, shutdowns, starts, and failures.
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How the restart system fits together
A reliable restart has three distinct parts:
- In-game warning and shutdown: DayZ reads the mission’s
db/messages.xml. Its countdown messages tell players what is happening, and the shutdown setting terminates the server when the countdown reaches zero. - Process supervision: An operating-system task or hosted control plane launches DayZ, waits for it to exit, and starts it again. DayZ has no complete built-in restart scheduler, so this layer is mandatory.
- Discord delivery: A script, bot, RCON service, or hosted scheduler posts status messages to Discord through a webhook or another integration.
Keeping these responsibilities separate prevents a common mistake: configuring countdown text and assuming the server will relaunch. The messages file can end the process, but it cannot create a new process after termination.
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| Option | Control | Setup effort | Discord path | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Task Scheduler plus a wrapper | High | Medium | Webhook called by your script | You own backups, retries, updates, and logs. |
| Linux cron plus a wrapper | High | Medium | Webhook called by your script | Requires a Linux service and shell/process knowledge; use only where your DayZ hosting stack supports it. |
| BattleMetrics Scheduler | Medium | Low to medium | Built-in webhook integration | Depends on a hosted service and its current partner availability. |
| Open-source server manager | Medium to high | Medium | Project-specific bot or webhook support | You remain responsible for maintenance, credentials, and security. |
Choose one authority only. Running a scheduled wrapper and a hosted scheduler against the same installation can create overlapping DayZ processes, duplicate warnings, or repeated restarts.
Prepare the server before automating
Confirm the files and account
- Identify the actual DayZ server executable, profile directory, mission folder, and persistence directory.
- Run the wrapper under the same operating-system account that normally runs DayZ, or grant that account access to the executable, profiles, logs, mods, and persistence.
- Store scripts outside the mission folder so a mission update cannot overwrite them.
- Make a manual backup and verify that you can restore it before introducing automatic updates.
Define a restart window
Pick a fixed interval that matches your community’s play pattern—many operators use every few hours or a daily maintenance window. Allow enough time for the warning countdown, process exit, backup, optional update, and startup. A schedule that starts the next instance before the previous process has released its files is not a restart strategy; it is a race condition.
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Create and protect a Discord webhook
In Discord, create a webhook for the operations channel and keep its URL secret. Put it in an environment variable or protected configuration file rather than committing it to a public script repository. A leaked webhook can be used to post arbitrary messages into your channel.
Configure graceful shutdown in messages.xml
Edit the mission’s db/messages.xml, preserving the element structure already present in that file. Bohemia Interactive Community documents these controls:
| Property | Purpose | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
deadline |
Sets when the countdown reaches zero. | The value must match the time format expected by your existing DayZ message definition. |
shutdown |
Terminates the server when the countdown expires. | Ignored unless countdown behavior is enabled. |
repeat |
Controls whether a message is sent repeatedly. | Use it for periodic reminders, not as a substitute for the final shutdown event. |
#tmin |
Displays the remaining minutes in a countdown message. | Use it in player-facing text so the number updates as the deadline approaches. |
Messages are limited to 160 characters. Keep the text short enough for that limit, include the server’s time zone, and state what players should do. For example, separate reminders can say that a restart is in 30 minutes, 10 minutes, and 1 minute, followed by a final shutdown notice. Enable the shutdown flag on the countdown that is intended to end the process; setting the flag on a message without an enabled countdown will not shut the server down.
Graceful shutdown is preferable to killing the process. It gives DayZ time to save player characters and server storage, reducing the risk of negative effects to player state and persistence. Back up after the process has exited, not while players are still connected.
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Windows: wrapper script plus Task Scheduler
1. Build a wrapper with clear phases
The wrapper should announce the lifecycle, wait for DayZ to exit, back up persistence, optionally perform updates, and launch the next instance. The following PowerShell pattern is intentionally conservative: it does not force-kill DayZ, and a failed update stops the cycle instead of creating an endless restart loop.
$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
$ServerRoot = 'C:DayZServer'
$Executable = Join-Path $ServerRoot 'DayZServer_x64.exe'
$Profile = Join-Path $ServerRoot 'profiles'
$Persistence = Join-Path $ServerRoot 'mpmissions'
$Log = Join-Path $ServerRoot 'restart-wrapper.log'
$Webhook = $env:DISCORD_WEBHOOK_URL
function Send-Discord($content) {
if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($Webhook)) { return }
try {
Invoke-RestMethod -Method Post -Uri $Webhook -ContentType 'application/json' -Body (@{content=$content} | ConvertTo-Json)
} catch {
Add-Content $Log "Discord delivery failed: $($_.Exception.Message)"
}
}
Add-Content $Log "$(Get-Date -Format o) restart cycle starting"
Send-Discord 'DayZ restart cycle starting.'
$process = Start-Process -FilePath $Executable -WorkingDirectory $ServerRoot -PassThru
$process.WaitForExit()
Add-Content $Log "$(Get-Date -Format o) DayZ exited with code $($process.ExitCode)"
Send-Discord "DayZ stopped (exit code $($process.ExitCode)); backing up persistence."
$stamp = Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd-HHmmss'
$backup = Join-Path $ServerRoot "backups$stamp"
New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path $backup | Out-Null
Copy-Item $Persistence $backup -Recurse -Force
# Run your tested update command here, if updates are part of this window.
# Throw on failure so the operator is alerted instead of looping.
Send-Discord 'DayZ starting again.'
Start-Process -FilePath $Executable -WorkingDirectory $ServerRootReplace the example root and persistence paths with the paths used by your installation. Set DISCORD_WEBHOOK_URL in the task’s protected environment or configuration. If your server requires startup arguments, add an ArgumentList to Start-Process and use the same profile, config, port, and mod parameters as your normal launch command.
2. Schedule the wrapper
- Open Task Scheduler and choose Create Task, not the simplified wizard.
- On General, select the server account, choose Run whether user is logged on or not, and enable Run with highest privileges only if the installation genuinely requires it.
- On Triggers, create a daily or repeating trigger. Set the repeat interval to your restart period and the duration to Indefinitely if you want continuous operation.
- On Actions, start
powershell.exewith an argument such as-NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:DayZServerrestart-wrapper.ps1. Set Start in to the server directory where available. - On Settings, enable Do not start a new instance. Set a reasonable execution time and log-on failure behavior.
- Run the task manually once and inspect the wrapper log, DayZ log, persistence timestamps, and Discord channel.
A repeating task is useful when the wrapper itself owns the long-running process. If your wrapper starts DayZ and exits immediately, schedule each desired restart time explicitly or use a supervisor that remains attached to the process. Do not schedule a second launch while the first DayZ process is still running.
Linux: cron or a supervisor
DayZ hosting arrangements on Linux vary, including compatibility layers and managed containers. Confirm that your provider supports the server build and that the executable, profile, and persistence paths are stable. The automation pattern is the same: one wrapper owns the process, and the scheduler invokes that wrapper.
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Shell wrapper pattern
#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -u
SERVER_ROOT="/srv/dayz"
EXECUTABLE="$SERVER_ROOT/DayZServer"
PERSISTENCE="$SERVER_ROOT/mpmissions"
LOG="$SERVER_ROOT/restart-wrapper.log"
WEBHOOK_URL="${DISCORD_WEBHOOK_URL:-}"
send_discord() {
[ -z "$WEBHOOK_URL" ] && return 0
curl --fail --silent --show-error
-H 'Content-Type: application/json'
-d "{"content":"$1"}" "$WEBHOOK_URL"
>>"$LOG" 2>&1 || echo "$(date -Is) Discord delivery failed" >>"$LOG"
}
printf '%s restart cycle startingn' "$(date -Is)" >>"$LOG"
send_discord 'DayZ restart cycle starting.'
"$EXECUTABLE" >>"$LOG" 2>&1
status=$?
printf '%s DayZ exited with code %sn' "$(date -Is)" "$status" >>"$LOG"
send_discord "DayZ stopped (exit code $status); backup/update phase begins."
backup="$SERVER_ROOT/backups/$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
mkdir -p "$backup"
cp -a "$PERSISTENCE" "$backup/"
# Run a tested update command here if required. Exit non-zero on failure.
send_discord 'DayZ starting again.'
exec "$EXECUTABLE"Make the file executable, run it interactively, and verify that the shell receives the same arguments and environment as your normal service. A cron entry can invoke it at a fixed time, for example:
0 */4 * * * /srv/dayz/restart-wrapper.shThis expression requests a run at minute zero every four hours. Use a lock such as flock or a systemd service with restart policy if there is any chance that a previous cycle remains active. Cron itself does not know whether a DayZ process is already running.
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BattleMetrics documents three recurring schedule types:
- Basic: runs fixed messages or commands at intervals.
- Warning: designed to alert players before an event, including a restart warning.
- Advanced: supports custom timing rules.
Its scheduler documentation specifically gives notifying players about an impending server restart as a common use. Webhook triggers can send server events to Discord, so a hosted setup can handle both the warning and the notification without a local script. Confirm that your server is supported, that the selected schedule has permission to issue the required command, and that the current service plan and partner availability meet your needs.
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Even with a hosted scheduler, retain an independent recovery plan. Export or record the schedule, keep persistence backups, and know how to disable the schedule if it starts issuing duplicate commands. A hosted warning does not replace the DayZ messages.xml shutdown configuration unless the service itself performs a graceful shutdown command.
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Design Discord notifications that help operators
Send events that answer three questions: what happened, when did it happen, and what should an operator do next. A useful minimum is:
- Warning: restart planned, with the deadline and time zone.
- Shutdown: countdown completed and the process is expected to exit.
- Backup/update: persistence backup started, completed, or failed.
- Start: a new DayZ process launched.
- Recovery: startup failed, the process exited unexpectedly, or a webhook was rejected.
Discord delivery must never block the server lifecycle. Set a short HTTP timeout, log a failed response, and continue with shutdown or startup. A missing webhook should produce an operator alert through logs or another channel, not prevent DayZ from restarting.
Backups, updates, and restart-loop protection
Back up after a clean exit
Copy persistence only after DayZ has exited. Use timestamped directories and retain enough generations to recover from a corrupt save. Periodically restore a backup on a separate test instance; a backup that has never been restored is only an assumption.
Make updates an explicit phase
If you update the server or mods during a restart, stop the cycle when the update command fails. Starting an instance with a partial download can be worse than leaving the server offline. Send the error to Discord and require an operator decision before retrying.
Prevent overlapping instances
- Use Task Scheduler’s Do not start a new instance, a process lock,
flock, or a systemd unit. - Check for an existing DayZ process before launching.
- Never force-kill a process merely because a countdown has not completed; investigate a genuinely hung process separately.
- Record process IDs, exit codes, and timestamps so a crash can be distinguished from a planned shutdown.
Test the complete cycle before relying on it
- Trigger a short countdown in a maintenance window and confirm that players see the message and changing
#tminvalue. - Verify that the shutdown flag ends the process at the deadline and that it is not ignored because countdown mode was disabled.
- Confirm that the wrapper notices the exit, creates a readable persistence backup, and launches DayZ with the correct profile, ports, mods, and configuration.
- Reconnect a test player and check that character and storage state survived the restart.
- Temporarily make the update command fail. The expected result is a clear alert and no uncontrolled restart loop.
- Temporarily remove or invalidate the Discord webhook. The server should still shut down and restart while the wrapper records the delivery error.
- Start the scheduler while DayZ is already running. Confirm that it refuses to create a second instance.
- Inspect logs after a full cycle and document the recovery action for whoever operates the server.
Troubleshooting by symptom
| Symptom | Likely cause | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Players see warnings but the server never returns | No external relaunch layer, or the wrapper is not scheduled. | Run the wrapper manually, inspect Task Scheduler/cron history, and verify the executable path and account permissions. |
| The countdown appears but shutdown does not occur | Shutdown is enabled without countdown mode, or the property is on the wrong message entry. | Enable countdown behavior and place the shutdown setting on the deadline message in the existing XML structure. |
| Two DayZ processes run together | Multiple schedulers or overlapping triggers. | Choose one restart authority, disable duplicates, and add a lock or no-new-instance policy. |
| Discord is silent but restarts work | Webhook URL, permissions, network access, or JSON delivery failed. | Test the webhook independently, inspect HTTP errors, and keep notification failure non-blocking. |
| Players lose recent progress | Process was killed, backup ran before exit, or persistence was not included. | Use graceful shutdown, wait for process exit, back up the complete persistence path, and test restoration. |
| The server loops after an update | The wrapper treats every failure as permission to relaunch. | Make update failures exit the cycle, alert Discord, and require an operator-approved retry. |
| Restart happens at the wrong local time | Scheduler time zone differs from the community’s time zone. | Set and document the host/scheduler time zone and include it in warning messages. |
Recommended operating pattern
For a self-managed Windows server, use messages.xml for the player countdown, a PowerShell wrapper for shutdown detection, backup, optional updates, and relaunch, and Task Scheduler as the single timer. For a supported Linux arrangement, use the equivalent shell wrapper with cron or a supervisor. If you prefer less local maintenance, use a hosted scheduler with its warning and webhook features, but retain backups and a documented rollback procedure.
The important boundary is simple: DayZ announces and performs the graceful stop; an external authority starts the next process; Discord reports each phase. When those roles are configured independently and tested together, recurring restarts become predictable maintenance instead of an outage gamble.
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