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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To update an Arma Reforger dedicated server, stop the running process, point SteamCMD at the existing installation, install the correct branch, then start the server again with its established configuration and profile paths. Stable servers use Steam app ID 1874900; experimental servers use 1890870. A client and server on different branches may reject connections even when both installations are otherwise healthy.
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The procedure below works for a server you operate yourself. It also explains what to check when players cannot join, mods stop downloading, or the server disappears from the public list.
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The dedicated-server files are distributed through SteamCMD. Updating does not require creating a new server instance or deleting your configuration. SteamCMD compares the installed files with the selected branch, downloads what is missing or changed, and can validate the installation. You then restart the executable so the process loads the new files.
Keep the installation directory, configuration file, profile directory, command-line options, and any service definition you already use. The update changes server binaries and data; it should not be treated as a reset of your world, settings, or administrative files.
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Stable and experimental are separate installations
| Server branch | Steam app ID | SteamCMD command | Client requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stable | 1874900 |
app_update 1874900 validate |
Players must use a compatible stable client. |
| Experimental | 1890870 |
app_update 1890870 validate |
Players must use the compatible experimental branch. |
Do not change the app ID merely to obtain a newer build. Choose the branch that matches the clients you intend to support. Bohemia Interactive identifies branch or version differences as a cause of multiplayer connection failures.
Prepare for the update
Updating a live process is the most common avoidable mistake. The executable can keep old files open while SteamCMD replaces files underneath it, leaving an inconsistent process or an update that appears not to take effect.
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Use a short maintenance window
- Tell players when the server will be unavailable. The exact duration depends on download size, disk speed, and your host, so do not promise a universal downtime figure.
- Stop the server cleanly through your service manager, control panel, or console.
- Confirm that the process has exited before running SteamCMD. On Linux, check the service status or process list; on Windows, verify that the server executable is no longer running in Task Manager or your service console.
Record the paths and options you must preserve
Write down the full path to the dedicated-server installation, the -config file, the -profile directory, and every runtime option used by your service. The official Bash example includes -maxFPS 60; retain an option such as this when it is part of your established launch command rather than removing it during an update.
Check disk space and backups
SteamCMD needs room for downloaded and replaced files. A nearly full volume can produce an incomplete installation or prevent mods from being written. Keep a backup of your configuration and profile data before changing the server. Do not delete the installation as a first step: updating the existing directory is faster and preserves the paths your service already expects.
Update the server with SteamCMD
Run SteamCMD against the existing directory
Use force_install_dir to identify the directory that already contains the Reforger dedicated-server files, then log in anonymously. The directory in the command must be the same directory from which your service launches the executable.
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- Open a shell on the server, or open the SteamCMD console on Windows.
- Set the existing installation directory with
force_install_dir. - Run
login anonymous. - Run
app_updatewith the app ID for the branch you operate. - Wait for SteamCMD to finish downloading and validating files.
- Run
quitto leave SteamCMD.
For a stable server, the direct command sequence is:
force_install_dir /path/to/your/arma-reforger-server
login anonymous
app_update 1874900 validate
quitReplace the path with your real installation directory. For an experimental server, use the same sequence with app_update 1890870 validate.
Use an update script for repeatable maintenance
A script avoids typing a different path or app ID during every maintenance window. This is the official-style SteamCMD script pattern for a stable installation:
@ShutdownOnFailedCommand 1
@NoPromptForPassword 1
force_install_dir ../armar_ds
login anonymous
app_update 1874900 validate
quitSave it as update_armar_ds.txt in a location that your SteamCMD command can read. The relative path ../armar_ds is resolved from SteamCMD’s working directory; change it if your server is elsewhere. Run the script with:
steamcmd +runscript update_armar_ds.txtFor experimental, change only the update line:
app_update 1890870 validateKeep the script’s install path aligned with the directory used by the service. A successful update in a second directory will not change the files your running service uses.
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Interpret the SteamCMD result
Let the command complete before closing the console. The validate argument asks SteamCMD to check the installed files as part of the update. If SteamCMD reports a failure, capture the error, check the path and available storage, and do not start the server until you know which directory was affected. Starting with a partially updated directory can make later troubleshooting harder.
Restart the dedicated server without losing its configuration
After SteamCMD exits, launch the executable from the updated installation directory. Reuse the existing -config and -profile paths. Those paths contain the settings and profile data that define how the server starts; changing them accidentally can make a healthy update look like a fresh or misconfigured server.
Linux launch pattern
Bohemia Interactive’s Bash example uses the following pattern:
/usr/games/steamcmd +force_install_dir /home/<username>/armaR +runscript /home/<username>/armaR/steamShell.txt
./ArmaReforgerServer -config /home/<username>/.config/ArmaReforgerServer/config.json -profile /home/<username>/.config/ArmaReforgerServer -maxFPS 60Replace <username> and both directories with your actual paths. The location /usr/games/steamcmd is an example, not a requirement for every Linux distribution. If a systemd unit, Docker wrapper, tmux session, or another supervisor starts your server, restart that supervisor instead of launching a second copy manually.
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Windows launch pattern
On Windows, start the executable from the installation directory using the same configuration and profile arguments already present in your shortcut, batch file, service, or hosting panel. Do not create a second profile path just because the binary was updated. If the service starts with a working-directory setting, confirm that it still points to the directory updated by SteamCMD.
Confirm that the new process is the one you updated
- Check the service or console log for a normal startup and the expected configuration path.
- Confirm that only one server process is listening on the configured game port.
- Connect locally or with an administrator account before announcing that the server is available.
- Have a player on the same branch join and load into a session.
Why players cannot join after an update
Version or branch mismatch
A client on the stable branch cannot be assumed to connect to an experimental-branch server, and the reverse is also true. Ask an affected player which branch and game version is installed, then compare it with the server branch selected by the app ID. If you changed the server to 1890870 while the community remains on stable, switch back to 1874900 or have every intended player move to the compatible branch.
Do not solve a branch mismatch by repeatedly validating files. Validation repairs the installation you selected; it does not make two different branches compatible.
The server started with the wrong files
If SteamCMD completed but the server behaves as if nothing changed, check the paths first. Common causes are an update script pointing to ../armar_ds while the service launches another directory, a second copy of the installation, or a service that was never restarted. Compare the executable path in the running process with the force_install_dir value.
Configuration or profile path errors
A missing or mistyped -config path can prevent startup; a changed -profile path can make the process load different settings. Restore the exact paths used before maintenance, including capitalization where the operating system distinguishes it. Check file permissions for the account that runs the service.
Fix mod download and update failures
Bohemia Interactive identifies several common causes after a game update: a server or client version mismatch, an incomplete download, insufficient storage, or a recently released game update that has changed compatibility.
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Use this isolation order
- Confirm that both server and client are on compatible branches.
- Restart the server and retry the download so an interrupted transfer can complete.
- Check free space on the volume that stores workshop or server mod data.
- Identify the mod most recently added or changed and disable it temporarily.
- Test the server with the remaining mod set, then re-enable the suspect mod after its compatible version is available.
Do not remove the entire configuration to cure one mod. Preserve a copy of the current mod list and change one item at a time so you can identify the conflict.
When the server is not visible from outside
An update does not automatically alter network exposure. If the process runs locally but players outside your network cannot see or reach it, review the host firewall and router port-forwarding rules in the hosting documentation. Confirm that the forwarding rule targets the machine running the server, that the server is bound to the intended address and port, and that the operating-system firewall allows the traffic.
Test from a network outside the host’s local LAN; a local connection can succeed even when forwarding is wrong. If you changed machines, interfaces, or service accounts during the update, recheck the bind address and the destination address in the forwarding rule.
Automate updates without creating avoidable outages
Once a manual update works, place the SteamCMD script and server restart in the same maintenance workflow. A safe workflow is:
- Announce maintenance and stop the service.
- Run SteamCMD with the fixed installation path and the selected app ID.
- Abort the workflow when SteamCMD returns a failure.
- Start the service with the established configuration, profile, and runtime options.
- Wait for a healthy startup log before reopening access.
Use a process supervisor that can restart the server after a controlled stop, but avoid a supervisor that immediately launches the executable while SteamCMD is replacing files. Schedule backups of configuration and profile data separately from binary updates. Keep dated copies of the update script so you can see when the branch or path changed.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsSelf-hosting versus managed hosting
Bohemia Interactive states that dedicated-server hosting can be local or handled through third-party providers. The right choice depends less on the update command than on who is responsible for the surrounding operations.
| Decision area | Self-hosted server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Operating-system access | You control the OS, files, services, and permissions. | The provider may limit shell or filesystem access. |
| SteamCMD control | You choose scripts, branch selection, validation, and timing. | The panel may expose a one-click update or a restricted schedule. |
| Restarts and backups | You must configure service supervision and backup jobs. | Automatic restart and backup features may be included; verify what is actually covered. |
| Network protection | You configure firewall, forwarding, and any DDoS protection. | Network options vary by provider and location. |
| Region | You select the machine and its network location. | Choose from the provider’s available regions and check latency for your players. |
| Mod storage | You size disks and monitor growth yourself. | Check storage limits and overage rules before installing a large mod set. |
| Total cost | Includes hardware, electricity, connectivity, storage, and your time. | Includes the recurring hosting charge and any paid extras. |
If you do not want to maintain SteamCMD, firewall rules, backups, and restarts, a managed provider can remove those tasks. Compare current terms directly, because features, regions, storage limits, and prices vary and are not established by the update procedure itself.
Quick Recap
Update checklist
- Identify whether the server is stable (
1874900) or experimental (1890870). - Announce maintenance and stop the running executable.
- Back up configuration and profile data.
- Confirm free disk space.
- Run SteamCMD with
force_install_dirset to the existing installation. - Use
login anonymous, the correctapp_updatecommand, andvalidate. - Exit SteamCMD successfully.
- Restart the service with the same
-config,-profile, and runtime options. - Read the startup log and test a connection on the same branch.
- If access fails, check branch compatibility, paths, mods, storage, firewall, and forwarding in that order.
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