Game Server Troubleshooting
Reference this guide when customers report game server issues. Organized by symptom category for quick diagnosis.
Connection Issues
Section titled “Connection Issues”Players Can’t Connect
Section titled “Players Can’t Connect”| Symptom | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Connection timed out | Server not running | Check portal status, start server |
| Connection refused | Wrong IP/port | Verify connection details in portal |
| Server not in browser | Still booting, private mode | Wait 5 minutes, check server flags |
| Kicked immediately | Whitelist, ban, version mismatch | Check server logs, verify client version |
Diagnostic Steps
Section titled “Diagnostic Steps”- Verify server is running — Check portal status indicator
- Check connection info — Confirm IP:port from portal
- Review firewall — Ports should be open automatically
- Test locally — Try connecting from same network
- Check game version — Client and server must match
Network Troubleshooting
Section titled “Network Troubleshooting”If connection issues persist:
-
Customer should try:
- Flush DNS (
ipconfig /flushdnson Windows) - Disable VPN temporarily
- Try different network
- Flush DNS (
-
Check server side:
- Verify allocations in Pterodactyl
- Check for DDoS mitigation triggers
- Review node network status
Performance Problems
Section titled “Performance Problems”High Latency/Lag
Section titled “High Latency/Lag”Symptoms:
- Rubber-banding
- Delayed actions
- High ping reported
Solutions:
- Check server location vs player location
- Reduce tick rate if applicable
- Optimize heavy scripts/plugins
- Upgrade plan for more resources
- Check node network status
Low TPS/Tick Rate
Section titled “Low TPS/Tick Rate”Common in: Minecraft, FiveM, Rust
Causes:
- CPU overload
- Heavy plugins/scripts
- World size/complexity
- Memory pressure
Solutions:
- Profile with game-specific tools:
- Minecraft:
/spark profiler, Timings - FiveM: resmon, txAdmin performance
- Rust: Oxide diagnostics
- Minecraft:
- Identify heavy operations
- Optimize or remove problematic addons
- Upgrade plan resources
Memory Issues
Section titled “Memory Issues”Symptoms:
- Server crashes
- “Out of memory” errors
- Degrading performance over time
Solutions:
- Check current memory usage in portal
- Review memory allocation vs plan limit
- Schedule regular restarts to clear memory
- Identify memory leaks in plugins/mods
- Upgrade plan if consistently near limit
Server Won’t Start
Section titled “Server Won’t Start”Immediate Crash (Exit Code 1)
Section titled “Immediate Crash (Exit Code 1)”Causes:
- Configuration error
- Missing dependencies
- Corrupted files
Diagnostic steps:
- Check console output for error message
- Review recent changes (configs, plugins, updates)
- Try starting with minimal configuration
- Restore from last known working backup
Exit Code 137 (OOM Kill)
Section titled “Exit Code 137 (OOM Kill)”Server ran out of memory:
- Reduce startup memory allocation
- Remove heavy plugins/mods
- Upgrade plan for more RAM
- Check for memory leaks
Exit Code 0 (Clean Exit)
Section titled “Exit Code 0 (Clean Exit)”Server exited normally but shouldn’t have:
- Check if startup command is correct
- Verify game files aren’t corrupted
- Review configuration for auto-stop settings
Game-Specific Issues
Section titled “Game-Specific Issues”Minecraft
Section titled “Minecraft”| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Chunk errors | Corruption | Delete region files or restore backup |
| Plugin conflicts | Incompatible versions | Check plugin compatibility matrix |
| Forge/Fabric crash | Mod conflicts | Review crash log, remove conflicting mods |
| World not loading | Wrong level-name | Check server.properties |
| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Infinite loading | Resource error | Check txAdmin console for errors |
| txAdmin won’t start | Port conflict, config error | Verify ports, reset txAdmin |
| Database errors | Connection string wrong | Check mysql_connection_string |
| Resources not loading | Manifest error, dependency missing | Check fxmanifest.lua, load order |
| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| EAC kicks | EAC configuration | Verify EAC settings |
| Wipe issues | Incomplete wipe | Delete all map/save files |
| Plugin errors | Oxide version mismatch | Update Oxide, check plugin compatibility |
ARK/Other
Section titled “ARK/Other”| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Mods not downloading | Steam Workshop issues | Force mod update, verify IDs |
| Save corruption | Improper shutdown | Restore backup, enable autosave |
| Admin commands fail | Not configured | Add Steam IDs to admin config |
File & Upload Issues
Section titled “File & Upload Issues”Upload Failures
Section titled “Upload Failures”| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 413 Request Too Large | File too big for web upload | Use SFTP instead |
| Permission denied | Wrong file ownership | Re-upload via SFTP |
| Connection timeout | Slow connection | Use reliable network, compress files |
Corrupted Configs
Section titled “Corrupted Configs”Prevention:
- Use proper text editors (not Word)
- Version control important configs
- Backup before editing
Recovery:
- Restore from backup
- Download fresh default config
- Manually fix syntax errors
SFTP Connection Issues
Section titled “SFTP Connection Issues”| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Connection refused | Verify port (usually 2022), check credentials |
| Authentication failed | Reset password in portal |
| Timeout | Check firewall, try different client |
Backup & Restore
Section titled “Backup & Restore”Backup Failures
Section titled “Backup Failures”Causes:
- Storage limit reached
- Server running during backup
- File locks
Solutions:
- Check storage usage
- Stop server before manual backup
- Verify backup schedule configuration
Restore Issues
Section titled “Restore Issues”- Verify backup integrity before restore
- Stop server completely
- Choose correct restore options
- Restart and verify
Scheduled Tasks
Section titled “Scheduled Tasks”Tasks Not Running
Section titled “Tasks Not Running”- Verify schedule is enabled
- Check cron expression syntax
- Confirm timezone settings
- Review task execution logs
Tasks Running Wrong Time
Section titled “Tasks Running Wrong Time”- Verify timezone configuration
- Check cron expression (minute/hour order)
- Account for DST if applicable
When to Escalate
Section titled “When to Escalate”Infrastructure Issues
Section titled “Infrastructure Issues”Contact support when:
- Multiple customers affected
- Node-level problems suspected
- Network issues beyond customer control
- Hardware failures
Information to Collect
Section titled “Information to Collect”Server Information:- Server name and ID- Game type and version- Plan tier
Issue Details:- When it started- What changed recently- Error messages/logs
Troubleshooting Done:- Steps already taken- Results of each stepQuick Reference
Section titled “Quick Reference”Check Server Status
Section titled “Check Server Status”- Portal → Server → Status indicator
View Console/Logs
Section titled “View Console/Logs”- Portal → Server → Console
Restart Server
Section titled “Restart Server”- Portal → Server → Restart button
Access Files
Section titled “Access Files”- Portal → Server → File Manager
- Or via SFTP (port 2022)
Restore Backup
Section titled “Restore Backup”- Portal → Server → Backups
- Select backup → Restore