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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteUse this procedure for Counter-Strike: Source, Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and other Source 1 games: install MetaMod:Source first, install SourceMod second, verify both with meta version and sm version, then place SMAC’s core and the detection modules you need in the SourceMod plugins directory. Counter-Strike 2 uses Source 2; the current material cited here says there is no production SourceMod build for CS2, so this guide does not apply to a CS2 server.
SMAC (SourceMod Anti-Cheat) is modular. The required smac.smx file supplies the framework, but it does not perform detections by itself. The checks come from separate modules such as the aimbot, auto-trigger, command, cvar, eye-angle, speedhack and wallhack detectors.
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First identify your game engine
SourceMod and SMAC installation instructions depend on the engine, not just the game’s name. Source 1 servers include CS:S, TF2 and CS:GO. CS2 is Source 2.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11| Server | Engine | Does this SourceMod/SMAC procedure apply? | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counter-Strike: Source | Source 1 | Yes | Follow the installation and verification steps below. |
| Team Fortress 2 | Source 1 | Yes | Use the game directory belonging to the TF2 server. |
| Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | Source 1 | Yes | Use the CS:GO server’s game directory; check compatibility of old modules before enabling them. |
| Counter-Strike 2 | Source 2 | No production SourceMod build is identified by the current 2026 material | Do not copy these Source 1 files into a CS2 server. A 2026 hosting wiki discusses MetaMod:Source v2 with CounterStrikeSharp instead: CS2 SourceMod and MetaMod information. |
The AlliedModders installation page also warns that its MetaMod:Source guide is not applicable to Source 2: Installing MetaMod:Source. If your host labels the server “CS2,” stop at this engine check rather than trying to force a Source 1 plug-in stack.
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What you need before installing
- File access to the server’s main game directory, either through your host’s file manager, SFTP or a local dedicated-server installation.
- Permission to stop and restart the server and to enter its server console.
- A clean backup of the existing
cfgdirectory, especiallycfg/sourcemodif SourceMod is already installed. - A MetaMod:Source package and a SourceMod package that match the server platform and game. Download links and package contents change; use the current AlliedModders pages rather than an unverified mirror.
- The SMAC core and modules you intend to run. The material available for SMAC does not establish a current official package version, so confirm module names and compatibility in the current AlliedModders SMAC area before deploying them.
Do not update a live server with no rollback plan. A one-click mod manager may overwrite configuration files during an update; this warning appears in hosting guidance and should be treated as a precaution, not as a statement that every manager behaves that way.
Install MetaMod:Source first
SourceMod depends on MetaMod:Source. Installing SourceMod before MetaMod commonly leaves SourceMod unable to load, so keep the order exact.
- Stop the server. A stopped server prevents files from being locked and avoids a partial plug-in load.
- Open the game directory. This is the directory containing the server’s game files, such as the
cstrikedirectory for CS:S or CS:GO. Do not place the files in the Steam installation root one level above the game directory. - Extract MetaMod:Source. Copy its
addons/folder into the game directory, merging with an existingaddons/folder when necessary. - Check the VDF file. Confirm that
addons/metamod.vdfexists in the game directory. The AlliedModders installation instructions describe this file as the loader entry point: MetaMod:Source installation instructions. - Preserve existing files. If the file manager asks whether to overwrite unrelated extensions or configuration files, stop and compare the paths. MetaMod should add its own files; it should not require deleting your game configuration.
For host-specific directory examples, a third-party installation guide shows the same basic pattern for Source servers: SourceMod and MetaMod installation guide. Treat host panels as interface variations, not as a substitute for checking the actual game directory.
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- Keep the server stopped. Finish the file copy before starting it again.
- Extract SourceMod into the same game directory. Copy both its
addons/andcfg/folders, merging them with the directories created by MetaMod. - Check the resulting paths. The installation should contain MetaMod files under
addons/metamod, SourceMod files underaddons/sourcemod, and SourceMod configuration undercfg/sourcemod. Exact subfolders can vary by package release, but the top-level game directory must be the same for both products. - Start or restart the server. SourceMod is loaded by MetaMod during startup; do not expect a newly copied installation to become active in an already running map.
The simple AlliedModders procedure is documented here: Installing SourceMod (simple). If you use a control panel, its “Install SourceMod” button should still produce the same addons and cfg layout.
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Verify the loader before adding anti-cheat modules
Verify the foundation first. Enter these commands in the server console, one at a time:
- Run
meta version. - Run
sm version.
A successful response identifies a loaded MetaMod:Source version for the first command and a loaded SourceMod version for the second. Exact version text varies by release. An unknown command response is a failure, not a harmless warning.
If meta version is an unknown command
- Confirm that
addons/metamod.vdfis in the game directory, not in the server root or inside a second nested game directory. - Check that the server was fully restarted after copying the files.
- Verify that the package matches the server operating system and architecture.
- Read the startup log for a failed library load or a permissions error.
- Only after MetaMod responds should you troubleshoot SourceMod.
If meta version works but sm version is unknown
- Recheck that SourceMod’s
addons/folder was merged into the same game directory as MetaMod’s files. - Look for a duplicate path such as
cstrike/cstrike/addons/sourcemod; this happens when an archive’s top-level folder is copied instead of its contents. - Check the SourceMod error log and server console for a missing dependency or incompatible binary.
- Restart after correcting the path, then run both commands again.
Community and hosting walkthroughs can help compare directory layouts, but the two console commands are the decisive test: SourceMod and MetaMod installation/update walkthrough.
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Add SMAC to SourceMod
Once sm version works, install SMAC as ordinary SourceMod plug-ins.
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- Stop the server or use a planned map change. Copying files while plug-ins are running can leave an incomplete load.
- Open the SourceMod plug-in directory. For a CS:S, CS:GO or similar Source 1 server, the path is
cstrike/addons/sourcemod/plugins. Replacecstrikewith the game directory used by your server. - Copy the core. Place
smac.smxdirectly inaddons/sourcemod/plugins. - Copy selected modules. Place each detector’s
.smxfile in the same directory. SourceMod loads every.smxfile in that directory at startup. - Keep disabled plug-ins separate. To disable a module without deleting it, move its file to
addons/sourcemod/plugins/disabled. Do not leave a second copy in the activepluginsdirectory. - Start the server and change maps. A full restart is safest for the first installation. SMAC creates its configuration files in
cfg/sourcemodafter the first successful run.
The plug-in-directory behavior is described in this installation reference: Installing SourceMod plug-ins on CS:S. The SMAC core and module relationship is also documented in the SMAC material mirrored at the mirrored SMAC wiki; that mirror is not an AlliedModders-hosted page, so verify names against the current official discussion area.
Choose SMAC modules deliberately
smac.smx is required but does not detect cheats on its own. It exposes the natives and forwards used by the detector modules. Start with the recommended set, then add optional modules only when their behavior fits your server and moderation process.
| Priority | File | Role indicated by the module name | Setup guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | smac.smx |
Core framework, natives and forwards | Always install this before any SMAC detector. |
| Recommended | smac_aimbot.smx |
Aimbot detector | Enable when you want SMAC’s aim-pattern checks. |
| Recommended | smac_autotrigger.smx |
Auto-trigger detector | Install only with a matching core; dependency errors indicate a version mismatch. |
| Recommended | smac_client.smx |
Client protection checks | Review its generated configuration after the first map. |
| Recommended | smac_commands.smx |
Command monitoring | Useful where you want command-based checks and logging. |
| Recommended | smac_cvars.smx |
ConVar checking | Inspect server rules and exclusions before enabling enforcement. |
| Recommended | smac_eyetest.smx |
Eye-angle test | Enable with the core and review its logs for false positives. |
| Recommended | smac_rcon.smx |
RCON lock-down | Use only if its controls match your administration workflow. |
| Recommended | smac_speedhack.smx |
Speedhack detector | Enable after confirming that movement-related server plug-ins are compatible. |
| Optional | smac_wallhack.smx |
Anti-wallhack module | Treat as optional and test on your specific map and game version. |
| Optional | smac_spinhack.smx |
Spinhack detector | Add only if you have a moderation reason to monitor this behavior. |
This required/recommended/optional grouping comes from a mirrored copy of the SMAC module wiki: SMAC module list. An archived AlliedModders thread also lists the SMAC family, but it dates from 2012, so do not assume that an old archive is a current download source: AlliedModders SMAC archive.
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- Let the server complete a map change. This gives SourceMod time to load the core and modules together.
- Open
cfg/sourcemod. Look for the SMAC configuration files created after the first run. If no files appear, check the SourceMod error log before changing settings. - Read the generated comments. Keep the defaults until you understand each setting; do not paste configuration from a different game or SMAC fork without checking the module version.
- Watch the console and logs. Confirm that
smac.smxand each selected module loads without a missing-native, duplicate-plugin or dependency error. - Test administration separately. A detection plug-in loading successfully does not prove that every action, notification or ban destination is configured for your server.
SMAC should be treated as one part of server moderation. The available material does not provide a measured effectiveness percentage, so do not represent the installation as a guarantee that all cheating will be identified or blocked. Use logs, demos and human review for disputed cases.
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Updating without breaking the module chain
SMAC modules depend on the core’s API. Updating one file while leaving incompatible modules in place can stop detection.
- Record the current file set. Save a list of
.smxfiles and copycfg/sourcemodto a dated backup. - Stop the server. Do not replace the core while its modules are active.
- Obtain a compatible package. Check the current AlliedModders SMAC discussion and release information. The community fork at srcdslab/sm-plugin-SMAC is a community project, not proof of an official AlliedModders release.
- Replace the core and modules as a set. Avoid mixing a newly downloaded
smac.smxwith old detector binaries unless the package explicitly says they are compatible. - Start and verify. Run
meta version,sm version, then inspect the plug-in list and error logs. - Change maps before judging the result. Let all modules initialize on a clean map.
Do not reload smac.smx in the middle of a map. An archived report explains that a mid-map reload can leave modules without their dependency and stop detection: AlliedModders CS:GO SMAC thread. If you must change the core, schedule a restart or map change instead.
Troubleshoot “smac.smx not working after update”
The core loads, but a module reports a missing native
An error such as a missing SMAC_LogAction native for smac_autotrigger.smx indicates that the detector expects an API the loaded core does not provide. Forum reports associate this symptom with an updater that downgraded smac.smx. Restore the backed-up, matching set; do not fix it by repeatedly reloading the plug-in mid-map.
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The module appears in the folder but does not load
- Confirm that the file ends in
.smxand is directly insideaddons/sourcemod/plugins. - Remove duplicate copies from both the active and
disableddirectories. - Check whether the module requires
smac.smx; the core must load first. - Read
addons/sourcemod/logsand the server console for the exact filename and error. - Check whether the module belongs to a different SMAC fork or game generation.
Configuration files were reset
Restore the backed-up cfg/sourcemod files, then compare them with the newly generated versions rather than overwriting blindly. A host installer may have replaced them during an update; keep future backups outside the server directory.
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Players report a false positive
Do not treat one detection message as conclusive. Preserve the log and demo, review the generated module settings, and temporarily move the questionable module to plugins/disabled if you need to isolate its behavior. Re-enable it after testing on a controlled map.
Where to get help and how to judge a package
AlliedModders is the primary reference point for MetaMod:Source and SourceMod installation. The SMAC discussion area can be used to discuss the plug-in, but an AlliedModders forum notice says code and plug-in binaries cannot be distributed there: AlliedModders SMAC core discussion. That means a forum post linking to a binary is not automatically an official release.
Use third-party host guides only to compare practical file paths and control-panel labels. For example, the CS:S plug-in procedure at Shockbyte’s knowledge base illustrates the usual placement under the game’s SourceMod plug-in directory. Verify every download and module name against a current, trustworthy release page before putting it on a public server.
Quick Recap
Final deployment checklist
- Engine confirmed as Source 1, not CS2/Source 2.
- Backup of
cfgand existing SourceMod settings stored away from the server. - MetaMod:Source copied first, with
addons/metamod.vdfpresent. - SourceMod
addons/andcfg/copied into the same game directory. - Server restarted successfully.
meta versionreturns MetaMod information.sm versionreturns SourceMod information.smac.smxinstalled inaddons/sourcemod/plugins.- Only compatible SMAC detector modules enabled.
- Generated files checked in
cfg/sourcemod. - No mid-map reload of
smac.smx. - Update rollback files retained and logs checked after every change.
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