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First identify what “not working” means
Use the symptom that matches your server. Each points to a different fix.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| What you see | Most likely layer | First check |
|---|---|---|
| RustDedicated is running on Linux, but the terminal is blank or will not accept typing | Normal Linux launch behavior | Read the logfile, attach to the screen session, or connect with WebRCON |
| The process closes before you can administer it | Startup failure | Find the last logfile line and confirm whether Server startup complete appeared |
| A command returns nothing or appears ignored locally | Wrong process, wrong command type, or startup-only setting | Confirm the console/session and use a valid Rust server command |
| WebRCON or another RCON client cannot connect | RCON configuration, firewall, NAT, or credentials | Check the dedicated RCON arguments, reachability, and password |
| Settings revert after restart | server.cfg precedence or duplicate settings |
Inspect rust/server/server.identity/cfg/server.cfg |
| Commands disappeared after a Rust update | uMod/Oxide compatibility or files reverted to vanilla | Compare the mod build with the Rust build and inspect oxide/logs |
Use this recovery sequence before changing anything else
This order prevents you from troubleshooting RCON or plugins while the underlying server is not even running correctly.
- Stop duplicate processes. Shut down extra RustDedicated instances and identify one server process and one known identity. Two processes can make you attach to one console while administering another.
- Start one known command. Use the same launch script or command you intend to keep. Include a logfile path with
-logfileso output survives a disconnected terminal. For example:./RustDedicated -batchmode -nographics -logfile /srv/rust/logs/rust.log +server.identity myserverUse your actual installation and identity values; the important diagnostic feature is the explicit logfile.
- Wait for the startup milestone. Do not test commands until the log contains the official Facepunch milestone
Server startup complete. If that line never appears, the issue is still startup, not console input. - Choose the correct administration path. On Windows, use the RustDedicated window. On Linux, attach to the correct
screensession, follow the logfile withtail -f, or use RCON/WebRCON. - Run a harmless server command. Test a command that only reads state, such as an information or player-list command appropriate to your installed Rust version. If it works in one path but not another, the server is healthy and the failing path is the problem.
- Validate remote administration. If you use RCON, confirm the dedicated port, password, and WebRCON setting (when applicable), then test network reachability and firewall rules.
- Check configuration precedence. Review
server.cfgfor duplicate, stale, or misspelled entries. Restart after correcting it. - Isolate modifications. If uMod/Oxide is installed, inspect its logs, bring it up to the Rust build currently installed, and temporarily disable suspect plugins.
Linux: a blank terminal is usually expected
Facepunch’s Linux setup uses -batchmode. Unlike the Windows server window, a Linux launch is normally non-interactive: you should not assume that a blank shell means RustDedicated has stopped or is broken. A uMod community answer summarizes the limitation as “On Linux you cant,” referring to typing into the normal Linux console, and recommends following a logfile or using WebRCON instead.
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Attach to the running screen session
Start the server inside a named GNU Screen session so it continues running after you disconnect:
screen -S rustserver
./RustDedicated -batchmode -nographics -logfile /srv/rust/logs/rust.log +server.identity myserverDetach with Ctrl+A, then D. Reattach later with:
screen -x rustserverIf the session name differs, list sessions with your operating system’s Screen command and attach to the one that launched this server. Attaching to an empty or unrelated session will make a healthy server look unresponsive.
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Follow the logfile instead of expecting a prompt
The -logfile argument writes console output to the path you selected. Follow it live with:
tail -f /srv/rust/logs/rust.logUse the exact path from your launch command. The uMod documentation describes a server log as containing almost all server console output and calls it the most useful place to find bugs and errors. If the file is empty, verify that you are reading the same file named in the active process command and that the process has permission to write there.
Use WebRCON for interactive administration
When you need to enter commands rather than watch output, use a WebRCON-capable client or another RCON client. This is also the practical solution when the Linux host is remote and you do not want to maintain a terminal session. Configure RCON at startup as described below; it is not enabled reliably by typing a password into an already running console.
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Windows: verify the window and process
On Windows, RustDedicated normally provides an interactive server window. If it is blank, frozen, or accepts no commands:
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- Check that the window belongs to the RustDedicated process you intended to start, not a second instance.
- Look at the logfile specified by
-logfile; it remains useful even when the window is obscured or stops repainting. - Confirm that
Server startup completewas reached. - Test a harmless Rust server command, not a SteamCMD command. SteamCMD manages installation and updates; it is not the Rust runtime console.
If the process exits, capture the final lines from the logfile before restarting. The last error is usually more informative than the absence of a prompt.
If “Server startup complete” never appears
The console cannot administer a server that has not finished booting. Open the logfile and work upward from the final line. Common branches are:
Argument or path error
Compare the command you actually launched with the known-good command in your service file or script. A typo in the executable path, identity, map, or a required argument can stop startup before the console becomes usable. Remove newly added options one at a time and restart until the milestone returns.
Port already in use
A duplicate RustDedicated process or another service may occupy a configured port. Stop the duplicate process, choose an unused port where appropriate, and start only one instance. Do not “fix” this by attaching to a different console; that can hide the original conflict.
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Configuration parse failure
Temporarily move suspect entries out of server.cfg, restart, and add them back in small groups. Keep a copy of the original file so you can restore intentional settings after identifying the bad line.
Mod or plugin load failure
For a uMod/Oxide server, inspect oxide/logs. A plugin can prevent a clean startup or make commands unavailable even though the base server launches. Temporarily disable the suspect plugin, verify startup, then update or replace it.
When commands appear to be ignored
You are connected to the wrong process
Stop all duplicate RustDedicated processes and start one instance with a distinctive identity and logfile. Confirm that the output you are reading contains that identity and the current startup time. On Linux, reattach to the exact Screen session that launched it.
The command belongs to the wrong tool
Rust server commands are runtime commands. SteamCMD commands control downloading and updating files and will not behave like server commands in the Rust console. Conversely, a launch argument is not necessarily a runtime command.
The setting is startup-only
rcon.password is configured at startup in the launch arguments. Treating it as a normal in-game command will not establish RCON. Put startup-only values in the launch command or the service definition, then restart the server.
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The command requires a mod
Commands supplied by uMod/Oxide plugins do not exist on a vanilla server. If they disappeared after an update, check whether SteamCMD ran as part of your startup script and restored vanilla files. Facepunch warns that this can remove mod commands and change startup behavior.
Fix RCON and WebRCON connection failures
RCON is a separate administration connection, not the local server console. A server can be fully started while RCON remains unreachable.
Set the RCON values at startup
Use a dedicated RCON port and a strong password in the launch arguments. When using WebRCON, include the WebRCON setting as well:
+rcon.port 28016 +rcon.password "use-a-long-unique-password" +rcon.web 1The number above is an example, not a required default. Choose an available port and keep it distinct from server.port and server.queryport. Restart after changing any of these values; editing them in a client cannot retroactively configure the server.
Check network reachability
- Permit the selected RCON connection through the host firewall.
- If the server is behind a router or NAT, forward the RCON port to the correct host and test from outside the local network.
- Open
server.portandserver.queryportover UDP as required by your deployment, and keep those two ports distinct. RCON is a separate administration connection and should not be confused with either game port. - Use the server’s reachable address, the exact RCON port, and the exact password in the client. A successful game connection does not prove that the RCON path is open.
Interpret the client symptom
| Client result | Likely cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Connection refused immediately | No listener, wrong port, or local firewall rejection | Confirm the startup arguments and inspect the host firewall |
| Connection times out | NAT, upstream firewall, or unreachable address | Test from an external network and verify forwarding |
| Authentication fails | Password mismatch or stale client credentials | Copy the startup password exactly, restart, and update the client entry |
| Connects but commands do nothing | Wrong server instance, invalid command, or mod mismatch | Match the identity and logfile, then test a vanilla server command |
Understand server.cfg precedence
Facepunch states that server.cfg is read at startup and takes priority over command-line settings. The file is located at:
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rust/server/server.identity/cfg/server.cfgIn that file, entries do not use the + or - prefixes used on the command line. A command-line option can therefore appear correct while a conflicting line in server.cfg wins every time the server starts.
Clean the file safely
- Stop RustDedicated completely.
- Back up
server.cfgbefore editing. - Search for duplicate definitions of ports, RCON values, identity, and other settings related to the symptom.
- Remove stale or contradictory lines and correct syntax errors.
- Start the server once, then confirm the effective value in the logfile.
Do not add command-line prefixes to the file. If a value must be changed at runtime, use the appropriate Rust command; if it is startup configuration, keep one authoritative definition in the launch arguments or configuration file.
Repair uMod/Oxide servers after a Rust update
Rust updates can change the compatibility relationship between the game server and uMod/Oxide. Update the mod framework to a build that supports the Rust version currently installed, then inspect oxide/logs for plugin load errors.
Check whether SteamCMD reverted the installation
Facepunch warns that running SteamCMD in a startup script can revert files to vanilla. That can remove uMod/Oxide files, eliminate plugin commands, and alter startup behavior. If commands vanished immediately after a restart or update, compare the installation contents with a known modded copy and review the startup script for an automatic update step.
Isolate plugins
- Stop the server and preserve the current
oxide/logsdirectory. - Disable the plugin named in the error or move only that plugin out of the active plugins directory.
- Start the server and wait for
Server startup complete. - Test the base server command path.
- Update or replace the incompatible plugin before re-enabling it.
If the vanilla command path works with plugins disabled, the console transport is healthy; the remaining fault is the mod layer.
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Read logs like a diagnostic record
Do not rely on a silent terminal or a single client error. Keep the relevant records together:
- The full launch command, including the logfile path and startup arguments.
- The lines around
Server startup complete, or the final lines if that milestone is absent. - The regular server logfile, followed with
tail -fon Linux when needed. - The
oxide/logsfiles for modded servers. - Firewall, NAT, or service-manager events covering the same restart.
Preserve a failing log before restarting repeatedly. Repeated restarts can overwrite the only useful error or make it unclear which process produced which output.
Choose the administration method that fits your setup
| Situation | Best primary method | Why | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows host with local access | RustDedicated window plus logfile | Interactive local commands and durable output | A second process can make the window misleading |
| Linux host with shell access | Screen session plus logfile | Survives disconnects and allows reattachment | The normal batch-mode shell is not an interactive console |
| Remote Linux administration | WebRCON or another RCON client | Interactive commands without terminal attachment | Requires correct credentials and network exposure |
| Modded server after an update | Logfile, oxide/logs, then isolated plugin testing |
Separates base-server faults from plugin faults | Compatibility may change with each Rust update |
| Host behind NAT or a strict firewall | Local logfile first, then controlled RCON exposure | Proves the server works before testing the network | Port forwarding and firewall policy can block remote clients |
Prevent the next console outage
- Keep one authoritative startup script and remove obsolete duplicate launchers.
- Always specify a logfile path and retain logs across restarts.
- Run only one RustDedicated process per server identity.
- Document the RCON port and password location without exposing the password in chat or public documentation.
- Keep
server.port,server.queryport, and RCON assignments distinct and recorded in the firewall/NAT configuration. - After every Rust update, verify
Server startup complete, test one local command, test RCON if used, and review uMod/Oxide compatibility. - Do not let an automatic SteamCMD step silently replace a modded installation unless that replacement is intentional.
When self-hosting remains fragile
If the server works only while a terminal is open, loses logs after disconnects, or requires several people to administer remotely, a managed Rust host or control panel with persistent logs and WebRCON can remove the session and firewall-management burden. It does not replace the diagnostic sequence: you still need to confirm startup completion, effective configuration, credentials, and mod compatibility.
Quick Recap
Final fault-isolation checklist
- One RustDedicated process is running.
- The active command includes
-batchmodewhere required and an explicit-logfile. - The log contains
Server startup complete. - Linux administration uses Screen, logfile tailing, or RCON/WebRCON rather than an assumed interactive shell.
- The test command is a Rust server command, not a SteamCMD command.
- RCON uses a dedicated configured port, password, and WebRCON setting when needed.
- Firewall and NAT rules expose only the intended ports, with game and query UDP ports distinct.
server.cfgcontains no conflicting or malformed entries.- uMod/Oxide and plugins match the installed Rust version, and
oxide/logsis clean enough to identify remaining failures.
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