How to Set Up Automatic Restarts on an ARK: Survival Evolved Server

The reliable way to automate an ARK: Survival Evolved server restart is to schedule the same script or service that already starts your server. On Windows, use Task Scheduler to run a wrapper batch file. On Linux, run the server as a systemd service and schedule a timer or cron job. If you use LinuxGSM, its restart command handles a stop followed by a start, while monitor can recover a server that exits unexpectedly.

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Automation should stop the server cleanly, give players advance notice when possible, wait for the process to exit, and then start the existing service. A calendar schedule alone does not provide crash recovery, and a crash monitor does not automatically warn players about planned maintenance.

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Choose the restart method that matches your server

Use one launcher, not several competing launchers. First identify how the server is started manually, then automate that same entry point.

The examples below assume an existing ARK installation. Replace example paths with the paths used by your server, and test every command manually before adding a schedule.

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Prepare a safe restart workflow

An automatic restart should be a sequence rather than a blind process kill. Build and test the sequence in this order:

1. Warn players. Broadcast a maintenance message if your server has RCON configured.
2. Save the world. Use the save mechanism already used by your administration tools or extension.
3. Stop gracefully. Send the normal stop signal or run the server’s stop script; avoid terminating the process abruptly.
4. Wait for exit. Do not launch a second instance while the old process still owns the port or save files.
5. Start the existing server command. Reuse the known-good batch file, service unit or LinuxGSM script.
6. Verify readiness. Check the process, listening port, log output and a test connection.

Keep the stop and start logic in one wrapper where possible. This prevents Task Scheduler, cron and a human administrator from each having slightly different launch commands, map arguments or mod settings.

Decide when to restart

Schedule planned maintenance during the server’s lowest-traffic period. A daily or weekly calendar trigger is appropriate for routine maintenance; it does not detect an early crash. Pair it with a monitor when uptime after an unexpected exit matters.

Prevent overlapping jobs

Configure the scheduler so a new run cannot start while an earlier restart is still active. An overlapping start can create two server processes, lock save files or make the scheduled task appear successful even though players cannot connect.

Windows: schedule an ARK restart with Task Scheduler

The ARK Official Community Wiki’s Windows procedure uses Task Scheduler to launch the batch file that starts the server. The important detail is the task’s working directory: when the batch file relies on relative paths, set Start in (optional) to the directory containing that batch file.

1. Keep a single launch batch file

Put the established ARK launch command in a permanent file such as ArkStart.bat. Do not copy a second version of the command into Task Scheduler; duplicated arguments are a common cause of mismatched maps, mods and save locations.

@echo off
cd /d D:ARKServerShooterGameBinariesWin64
start ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?listen?SessionName=ExampleServer -server -log

The executable name, map and options in this example must match your installation. If your existing batch file already changes directory, keep that behavior and still configure the task’s working directory explicitly.

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2. Create a wrapper for stop, wait and start

A calendar task should call a wrapper that performs the complete maintenance sequence. The stop operation depends on your administration setup, so use the stop script or RCON tool you already trust rather than inserting an arbitrary process-kill command.

@echo off
cd /d D:ARKServerScripts
call ArkWarnAndSave.bat
call ArkStop.bat
timeout /t 20 /nobreak
call D:ARKServerArkStart.bat

Here, ArkWarnAndSave.bat and ArkStop.bat represent scripts you have tested independently. Increase the wait if your world takes longer to close, or replace the fixed delay with a check that confirms the process has exited. The key requirement is that the start command must not run while the previous process is still shutting down.

3. Create the scheduled task

1. Open Task Scheduler and choose Create Basic Task.
2. Give the task a descriptive name such as ARK planned restart.
3. Choose a Daily or Weekly trigger and select a low-traffic time. The ARK wiki also documents When the computer starts for boot-time launching; adapt the trigger when you need a calendar restart.
4. Select Start a program.
5. Browse to the wrapper batch file, not a manually retyped server command.
6. Open the task’s properties and set Start in (optional) to the wrapper’s directory when the script uses relative paths. If a batch file simply contains a start ShooterGame ... command, the directory containing that batch file should be used as the Start in path.
7. On the General tab, choose whether the task runs only when an administrator is logged on or whether it should run whether a user is logged on or not. Use an account that has permission to read the server files, write saves and access the RCON or stop tools.
8. Enable a setting that prevents a second instance of the task from starting if the previous run is still running.

4. Test under the same account

Right-click the task and select Run. Confirm that the warning is delivered, the world saves, the old process exits, the new process starts and the server is reachable. Test while logged out if you selected the option to run whether a user is logged on or not; an interactive desktop test can hide permission and working-directory errors.

Windows failure checks

• The task reports success but no server appears: inspect Start in (optional), executable paths and the account’s file permissions.
• Mods or saves are missing: the script is starting from the wrong directory or under an account with a different profile.
• Two server processes appear: the wrapper is starting before the stop has completed, or another boot task is launching the server.
• Warnings do not arrive: test the RCON client and credentials manually, then check that the scheduled account can access the warning script.
• The server starts only while you are logged in: change the task’s logon setting and store credentials with the required local permissions.

Linux: run ARK with systemd and schedule the restart

The ARK Official Community Wiki provides a systemd unit pattern for a dedicated server. It uses a full executable path, an explicit WorkingDirectory, a dedicated User and Group, an optional SteamCMD preparation step, and an interrupt signal for graceful stopping. Most popular Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Debian and Enterprise Linux, support systemd.

Example service unit

Create a unit such as /etc/systemd/system/ark-dedicated.service. The paths below are examples; use the real locations on your host.

[Unit]
Description=ARK dedicated server
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=ark
Group=ark
WorkingDirectory=/home/ark/server/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux
ExecStartPre=/home/ark/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +login anonymous +app_update 376030 validate +quit
ExecStart=/home/ark/server/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/ShooterGameServer TheIsland?listen?SessionName=ExampleServer -server -log
ExecStop=/bin/kill -s INT $MAINPID
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=15

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

The unit illustrates the requirements documented by the ARK wiki: use a full path in ExecStart, set WorkingDirectory to the server’s binary directory, and run under an unprivileged account dedicated to the server instead of root. An explicit working directory is particularly important when automatic mod management is enabled; the wiki notes that the WorkingDirectory option fixes issues such as mod downloads.

SteamCMD in ExecStartPre is optional. Keep it only if you intentionally want that preparation step on every start; otherwise use the update procedure you already operate. Validate the unit manually before automating it.

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Load, enable and test the service

1. Create the dedicated account and ensure it owns the server directory and save files.
2. Save the unit file, then run sudo systemctl daemon-reload.
3. Enable boot-time startup with sudo systemctl enable ark-dedicated.service.
4. Start it with sudo systemctl start ark-dedicated.service.
5. Inspect the result using sudo systemctl status ark-dedicated.service and the service journal.
6. Test a graceful stop with sudo systemctl stop ark-dedicated.service, confirm the process exits and saves remain intact, then start it again.

Run daemon-reload after every unit edit. Without it, systemd may continue using an older definition.

Schedule a planned restart with a systemd timer

A timer can invoke a separate oneshot unit that restarts the ARK service. Keeping the calendar trigger separate from the long-running game service makes the schedule easy to audit.

[Unit]
Description=Restart ARK service

[Service]
Type=oneshot
ExecStart=/bin/systemctl restart ark-dedicated.service

Save that as /etc/systemd/system/ark-restart.service, then create a timer:

[Unit]
Description=Scheduled ARK restart

[Timer]
OnCalendar=*-*-* 04:00:00
Persistent=true
Unit=ark-restart.service

[Install]
WantedBy=timers.target

Save it as /etc/systemd/system/ark-restart.timer, then run:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now ark-restart.timer
sudo systemctl list-timers ark-restart.timer

The calendar expression is an example. Choose the time zone and maintenance window appropriate for your community. Check the timer’s next-run value instead of assuming the host’s time zone matches your players’.

Use cron when a timer is not desirable

LinuxGSM’s boot and automation documentation describes cron as an option for commands at a set time or on reboot. A cron entry can call a tested wrapper that warns players, stops the service and starts it again. Run it as the dedicated ark user when the wrapper does not require root; if systemctl permissions are required, grant only the narrow command through your operating system’s policy rather than running the game as root.

0 4 * * * /home/ark/bin/ark-planned-restart.sh >> /home/ark/logs/restart.log 2>&1

Use an absolute path to the wrapper and redirect output to a log. Cron starts with a minimal environment, so never rely on an interactive shell’s PATH, current directory or profile variables.

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LinuxGSM: combine scheduled restarts and crash monitoring

LinuxGSM has an ARK-specific integration. Its documented restart operation is:

./gameserver restart

The command “will simply stop, and then start the server.” Your installed script may have a name such as arkserver; run the name present in your LinuxGSM directory.

Routine maintenance

1. Change to the LinuxGSM installation directory.
2. Run the restart command manually and confirm that the server returns to an online state.
3. Schedule the same command at a low-traffic time using cron or the service mechanism you already use.
4. Keep update operations separate if updates should precede a restart. LinuxGSM’s command list includes update, but do not add it to a maintenance window until you have tested the update workflow and rollback plan.
5. Use backup independently when you need an archive before maintenance.

LinuxGSM also exposes start, stop, console and other administration commands. Use the script’s own working directory and the dedicated server account so configuration, logs and saves resolve consistently.

Crash recovery with monitor

LinuxGSM’s basic-usage documentation recommends the monitor command for checking a server and restarting it after a crash:

./gameserver monitor

Schedule monitoring frequently enough to detect an unexpected exit without creating overlapping runs. Keep the planned restart schedule and monitor job distinct: the calendar job performs intentional maintenance, while monitor handles an unplanned process loss.

After enabling monitoring, deliberately test a controlled failure during a maintenance window. Confirm that the monitor identifies the missing process, starts one instance, preserves the save directory and records the event in the LinuxGSM logs. Do not simulate failure by deleting saves or terminating a process during peak play.

LinuxGSM scheduling example

# Planned restart at 04:00 every day
0 4 * * * cd /home/ark/linuxgsm && ./arkserver restart >> /home/ark/logs/restart.log 2>&1

# Crash check every five minutes
*/5 * * * * cd /home/ark/linuxgsm && ./arkserver monitor >> /home/ark/logs/monitor.log 2>&1

The script name, installation path and monitoring interval are examples. Verify that the cron account can execute the script and that the script’s own configuration points to the correct ARK instance.

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Warn players before a restart

Neither a basic calendar trigger nor the ARK server’s documented systemd unit automatically provides a player-warning sequence. A LinuxGSM project issue describes an ARK extension that sends RCON broadcasts 15, 5 and 1 minute before a restart, then runs the restart workflow. Treat that as an extension example, not a built-in scheduling setting.

A practical warning timeline

1. 15 minutes: broadcast the planned restart time and the expected interruption.
2. 5 minutes: broadcast again, save the world and discourage players from beginning long activities.
3. 1 minute: send the final warning.
4. At zero: stop gracefully, wait for process exit, then start the service.
5. After startup: verify that the server answers and players can reconnect.

Adapt the extension or wrapper to the RCON client, credentials and server version installed on your host. Test each broadcast manually. A failed RCON command should not leave the server running indefinitely or cause the scheduler to start a second instance; make the wrapper log failures and continue to the controlled stop only when that behavior is acceptable for your operations.

Security and reliability requirements

• Do not run the game as root. Use a dedicated unprivileged account for the Linux service and grant it ownership of only the required files.
• Use absolute paths. Full paths in systemd, cron and Windows task actions prevent failures caused by a different working directory or environment.
• Keep the working directory explicit. This is required for reliable relative paths and helps automatic mod management find its files.
• Protect RCON credentials. Store them in a file readable only by the account that runs the warning script, and avoid placing them in world-readable cron files or public logs.
• Log every automated run. Record the start time, stop result, process exit, startup result and any warning failure.
• Separate updates from restarts. An update can change files or require additional validation; schedule it independently unless your tested LinuxGSM workflow deliberately combines the operations.
• Back up before risky maintenance. A restart is not a backup. Keep a separate, tested backup command and verify that archives can be restored.

Test the automation before players depend on it

1. Run the stop and start wrapper manually from its intended directory.
2. Run it under the exact Windows account, Linux user or LinuxGSM account used by the scheduler.
3. Check that the old process exits before the new one starts.
4. Confirm that the latest world save timestamp changes and that the expected map, mods and configuration load.
5. Connect as an administrator or test player and verify that normal connections work after the restart.
6. Force a controlled process exit during a quiet window and verify that the monitor or service recovery starts only one replacement process.
7. Review logs after both a successful run and a failed run. A schedule that silently fails is not automation you can trust.

Troubleshoot common restart failures

Systemd says the service is active, but ARK is unreachable

Check the service journal, the full ExecStart path, the map and server arguments, firewall rules and whether another process already owns the game port. Confirm that the dedicated user can read the executable and write the save and mod directories.

Mods are not downloaded or load after a restart

Verify WorkingDirectory and the ownership of the mod directories. The ARK wiki specifically notes that an explicit working directory is required to avoid issues, including problems when -automanagedmods is used.

Windows starts a second server

Look for duplicate Task Scheduler entries, a boot-time task plus a calendar task, or a wrapper that launches the start batch before the stop script has completed. Add a process-exit check or increase the wait and configure the task to prevent overlapping instances.

LinuxGSM monitor repeatedly restarts the server

Inspect the LinuxGSM logs and the server log for an immediate crash, invalid arguments, missing libraries, disk exhaustion or permission errors. Fix the underlying startup failure before increasing the monitor frequency; otherwise automation only repeats the same failed launch.

Players receive no warning but the restart still occurs

Run the RCON broadcast command manually with the same account and configuration used by the scheduler. Check credentials, network access, the RCON port and the extension’s compatibility with the installed server version. Keep the stop sequence safe even when a broadcast fails.

Which setup should you use?

The minimum dependable design is a single tested launcher, a scheduled graceful restart and a verification step. For Linux, add an unprivileged systemd service or LinuxGSM monitor for crash recovery. Add RCON broadcasts only after the underlying stop and start sequence works reliably.

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