To wipe a DayZ server safely, stop the server cleanly, back up its mission persistence—especially storage_1—and remove only the data that matches the reset you intend. Deleting the entire storage_1/ folder creates a completely new world; deleting storage_1/data/ removes persisted world objects while retaining documented character records; removing the players persistence area resets characters; and setting RestartSpawn to 1 for one restart refreshes loot without deleting persistence.
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Stop the server and make a recoverable backup first
DayZ writes persistence while the server process is running. Deleting files from an active instance can leave an incomplete or corrupt save. Shut down the process through your host panel or service manager and wait until it is fully stopped before touching the mission files.
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- Stop the DayZ server cleanly. Do not delete folders from an open FTP session while the process is still writing.
- Archive the mission folder. Copy the complete mission directory, with particular attention to
storage_1, to a separate location. A second disk or offline backup protects you if the selected scope is wrong. - Record the active configuration. Note the map, mission name, instance path and any economy settings so you can distinguish a deliberate reset from a path mistake.
- Check that the backup is usable. Confirm that the archive can be opened and that it contains the expected persistence directories or files. If your hosting panel offers a restore function, verify that the backup appears in its restore list before proceeding.
A backup is not a reset mechanism by itself. It is your recovery point if you remove the wrong directory, discover that a filename differs on your host, or need to return to the pre-wipe state.
Locate the mission and persistence files
The commonly documented Chernarus path is mpmissions/dayzOffline.chernarusplus/storage_1/. Your installation can use a different mission name for another map, a different instance directory, or a host-specific root. Start from the mission that the running server actually loads rather than searching for a similarly named example folder.
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Verify the map and instance
Open the server’s configuration or control panel and identify the active mission. Follow that exact path to storage_1. If you find several mission folders, check modification times and the instance selected by the startup configuration. Wiping an unused folder has no effect; wiping the wrong active folder can affect a different server instance.
Identify the player persistence area
Character data is not named identically on every installation. Some servers expose a players/ directory, while others use files such as players.db. Version and host packaging determine the actual names. Do not apply a filename copied from another server unless that same file or directory is present in your active mission.
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Choose the reset scope before deleting anything
The table below maps the administrator’s goal to the smallest operation that achieves it. “Ground loot” refers to items managed by the Central Economy (CE); it is separate from the persistence folders that hold characters and placed objects.
| Reset operation | Characters and inventory | Bases, storage and vehicles | Ground loot | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Delete all of storage_1/ |
Removed; connecting players receive fresh characters | Removed, including built structures, stored vehicles, tents, barrels and stashes | CE creates a fresh world economy | You want a total server restart |
Delete storage_1/data/ |
Kept according to the documented split | Removed, along with persisted dynamic-event state | CE repopulates the world | You want to clear bases and objects but keep characters |
| Delete the players persistence area | Reset to fresh-spawn state | Kept according to the documented split | Continues under the existing economy behavior | You want to reset survivors without deleting the world |
Set RestartSpawn=1 for one restart |
Kept | Kept | Re-randomized after the restart | You need a loot refresh, not a persistence wipe |
Use the narrowest row that satisfies your goal. A loot problem does not justify deleting persistence, and a base purge does not require removing player records.
Perform a full wipe by deleting storage_1
A full wipe removes every persisted element in that storage directory. StarDZ Team’s documented description is explicit: when storage_1 is absent at startup, the server creates a fresh world with no built structures, stored vehicles or existing character state.
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- Stop the server and finish the backup described above.
- Open the active mission directory and confirm that you are looking at the live
storage_1, not a template or old instance. - Delete the entire
storage_1/directory. If your host supports moving files to a quarantine area instead of immediate deletion, keep the archived copy outside the active mission path so the server cannot load it. - Start the server normally. On startup it recreates the persistence directory and initializes a new world.
- Join with an administrator account and verify that the server behaves as a fresh instance before announcing it open.
What the full wipe changes
Saved characters, carried inventories, bases, placed storage, vehicles, tents, barrels, stashes and other persisted state are gone from the live instance. The Central Economy then repopulates loot for the newly created world. This is irreversible without restoring the backup.
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If the process still has open handles to files inside storage_1, it may recreate partial data, fail to initialize, or write inconsistent state. A panel that reports “stopped” should no longer show a running process or active console output before you delete the directory.
Reset bases and world objects while retaining characters
To clear constructed and placed world state without deliberately removing the documented player records, remove the data/ subdirectory inside the active storage directory.
- Stop the server cleanly and create a fresh backup of
storage_1. - Open
storage_1/data/and verify the path belongs to the active mission. - Delete the entire
data/directory, or move it outside the mission path after archiving it. - Restart the server and allow it to rebuild the missing data.
- Connect with a test account and inspect a known base location, a vehicle spawn area and a storage location before reopening the server.
This operation is intended for a “wipe bases, keep players” scenario. Persisted bases, placed containers, vehicles and saved dynamic-event state are cleared, while the documented split retains character records. Because individual host layouts can vary, compare the resulting files with your backup if the behavior does not match the table.
Reset characters without deleting the map
A character reset targets the players persistence area and leaves the world-object data in place. The exact target may be a players/ directory or a file such as players.db; use the name that exists in your installation.
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- Stop the server and back up the complete mission folder.
- Inspect the active storage directory and identify the actual players persistence directory or file. Do not guess from a guide written for another server version.
- Delete that players area, or move it outside the active path after preserving the backup.
- Restart the server. Connecting users should receive fresh-spawn characters, while the documented world-object records remain.
- Test with a nonessential account. Check that the expected bases, vehicles or containers still exist before inviting regular players back.
Deleting the wrong file can either do nothing or remove more state than intended. If your host exposes several similarly named databases, stop and compare their locations and modification times with the active mission configuration rather than experimenting on the production copy.
Refresh loot only with RestartSpawn
A loot-only reset is an economy operation, not a folder wipe. It is appropriate when you want the Central Economy to re-randomize ground loot after changing economy settings while keeping characters, bases and vehicles.
- Stop the server and retain a backup even though you are not deleting persistence.
- Open the active mission’s
globals.xmland findRestartSpawn. - Set the value to
1. - Start the server and let one complete restart occur. The setting instructs the economy to regenerate ground-spawn behavior for that restart.
- Stop the server again, change
RestartSpawnback to0, save the file and start the server normally.
Leaving the value at 1 defeats the “one restart” intent and can cause repeated loot re-randomization. This procedure does not intentionally delete persistent character, base or vehicle records. Existing economy rules, damaged items and other CE behavior can still influence what appears after the restart.
Verify the result before reopening the server
Do not judge a wipe solely by whether the process starts. Use a controlled checklist that matches the operation you selected.
- Full wipe: confirm that a test connection produces a fresh character, that a known base location is empty, and that old vehicles or storage are absent.
- World/object reset: confirm that test character progress remains while a previously known structure or placed container is gone.
- Character reset: confirm that the test account starts fresh while a known world object remains.
- Loot refresh: confirm that persistence objects and characters remain, then check several ordinary loot locations after the CE has had time to initialize.
- All operations: review the server log for startup errors, confirm that the expected mission path was loaded, and ensure that the host did not silently restore an automatic snapshot.
Use a test account or administrator character rather than risking a player’s only survivor. Record the observed result and the exact folder or setting changed; that record makes the next maintenance window safer.
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Recovery and troubleshooting
The server starts with an empty or broken world
Stop it again and do not let players continue writing new state. Restore the backed-up mission folder, verify ownership and permissions if your host requires them, and start the server once. If the restored copy works, the original wipe scope or path selection was the likely cause.
Nothing changed after deletion
The most common explanation is that the wrong mission or instance directory was edited. Compare the path in the startup configuration with the folder you changed, and check modification times after a restart. A host may also restore a scheduled snapshot automatically; inspect the panel’s backup and deployment history.
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Characters disappeared during an intended object reset
Stop the server and restore the pre-reset backup rather than trying to reconstruct records manually. Recheck that only storage_1/data/ was removed and that the players persistence area was not included in the deletion.
Loot did not refresh
Confirm that RestartSpawn was set to 1 before the restart, that the edited globals.xml belongs to the active mission, and that it was returned to 0 afterward. A restart alone without the setting change is not the documented loot-refresh procedure.
The expected players file is missing
Do not create a replacement file based on a filename from another guide. The installation may use a directory, a database file, or a version-specific layout. Restore from backup if necessary and identify the actual player persistence area by tracing the active mission and observing which files the server updates during a controlled test.
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Plan wipes as maintenance events
A wipe is easier to reverse when it is treated like a change-management task rather than a quick deletion.
- Define the outcome in one sentence: for example, “remove bases and vehicles, retain characters” or “refresh loot once.”
- Choose the minimum scope: use the decision table before opening the file manager.
- Capture a timestamped backup: include the map name, instance name and intended reset in the archive label.
- Keep the backup outside the live mission path: otherwise a host restore script or a mistaken restart can put old state back into service.
- Schedule a verification window: allow time for a test connection and log review before players return.
- Communicate what survives: players need to know whether they must rebuild, respawn, or simply search for newly randomized loot.
For a community server, retain at least one pre-wipe copy until the new world has been verified and accepted. The storage footprint and retention period depend on your host, but the operational principle is the same: never make the only copy of persistent data the one you are about to remove.
Why “wipe” can mean different things
DayZ persistence is divided into areas with different jobs. The storage_1 directory is the top-level persistence container. Its data/ area holds world-object state such as placed structures and vehicles, while a separate players area holds character records on installations that follow the documented split. The Central Economy controls the spawning and replenishment of ground loot and responds to economy settings such as RestartSpawn.
Because these systems are separate, deleting a folder is not the only way to change what players see. A full storage deletion removes both character and world persistence; a data deletion targets world state; a players-area deletion targets survivors; and a one-time economy setting changes loot generation without removing either persistence set.
Historical updates show why scope must be stated
Bohemia Interactive’s DayZ Update 1.23 announcement, published on November 30, 2023, described a wipe while reassuring players that their characters and carried loot were safe. That official example demonstrates that the word “wipe” does not universally mean character loss. Server administrators should always state the exact scope—world, objects, characters, loot or all persistence—instead of announcing only “wipe.”
For the same reason, host documentation and the files present on the running server take priority over a filename remembered from another version. Back up first, verify the active mission path, and remove only the directory or setting that corresponds to the intended outcome.
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