Chapter 9.1: Server Setup & First Launch

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Summary: Install a DayZ Standalone dedicated server from scratch using SteamCMD, launch it with a minimal configuration, verify it appears in the server browser, and connect as a player. This chapter covers everything from hardware requirements to fixing the most common first-launch failures.

Prerequisites
Installing SteamCMD
Installing DayZ Server
Directory After Install
First Launch with Minimal Config
Verifying the Server is Running
Connecting as a Player
Common First-Launch Problems

Prerequisites

Hardware

Component	Minimum	Recommended
CPU	4 cores, 2.4 GHz	6+ cores, 3.5 GHz
RAM	8 GB	16 GB
Disk	20 GB SSD	40 GB NVMe SSD
Network	10 Mbps upload	50+ Mbps upload
OS	Windows Server 2016 / Ubuntu 20.04	Windows Server 2022 / Ubuntu 22.04

DayZ Server is single-threaded for gameplay logic. Clock speed matters more than core count.

Software

SteamCMD -- the Steam command-line client for installing dedicated servers
Visual C++ Redistributable 2019 (Windows) -- required by DayZServer_x64.exe
DirectX Runtime (Windows) -- usually already present
Ports 2302-2305 UDP forwarded on your router/firewall

Installing SteamCMD

Windows

Download SteamCMD from https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD
Extract steamcmd.exe to a permanent folder, e.g. C:\SteamCMD\
Run steamcmd.exe once -- it will update itself automatically

Linux

bash

sudo add-apt-repository multiverse
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install steamcmd

Installing DayZ Server

DayZ Server's Steam App ID is 223350. You can install it without logging into a Steam account that owns DayZ.

One-Line Install (Windows)

batch

C:\SteamCMD\steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir "C:\DayZServer" +login anonymous +app_update 223350 validate +quit

One-Line Install (Linux)

bash

steamcmd +force_install_dir /home/dayz/server +login anonymous +app_update 223350 validate +quit

Update Script

Create a script you can re-run whenever a patch drops:

batch

@echo off
C:\SteamCMD\steamcmd.exe ^
  +force_install_dir "C:\DayZServer" ^
  +login anonymous ^
  +app_update 223350 validate ^
  +quit
echo Update complete.
pause

The validate flag checks every file for corruption. On a fresh install, expect a 2-3 GB download.

Directory After Install

After installation, the server root looks like this:

DayZServer/
  DayZServer_x64.exe        # The server executable
  serverDZ.cfg               # Main server configuration
  dayzsetting.xml            # Rendering/video settings (not relevant for dedicated)
  addons/                    # Vanilla PBO files (ai.pbo, animals.pbo, etc.)
  battleye/                  # BattlEye anti-cheat (BEServer_x64.dll)
  dta/                       # Core engine data (bin.pbo, scripts.pbo, gui.pbo)
  keys/                      # Signature keys (dayz.bikey for vanilla)
  logs/                      # Engine logs (connection, content, audio)
  mpmissions/                # Mission folders
    dayzOffline.chernarusplus/   # Chernarus mission
    dayzOffline.enoch/           # Livonia mission (DLC)
    dayzOffline.sakhal/          # Sakhal mission (DLC)
  profiles/                  # Runtime output: RPT logs, script logs, player DB
  ban.txt                    # Banned player list (Steam64 IDs)
  whitelist.txt              # Whitelisted players (Steam64 IDs)
  steam_appid.txt            # Contains "221100"

Key points:

You edit serverDZ.cfg and files inside mpmissions/.
You never edit files in addons/ or dta/ -- they are overwritten on every update.
Mod PBOs go into the server root or a subfolder (covered in a later chapter).
profiles/ is created on first launch and contains your script logs and crash dumps.

First Launch with Minimal Config

Step 1: Edit serverDZ.cfg

Open serverDZ.cfg in a text editor. For a first test, use the simplest possible config:

cpp

hostname = "My Test Server";
password = "";
passwordAdmin = "changeme123";
maxPlayers = 10;
verifySignatures = 2;
forceSameBuild = 1;
disableVoN = 0;
vonCodecQuality = 20;
disable3rdPerson = 0;
disableCrosshair = 0;
disablePersonalLight = 1;
lightingConfig = 0;
serverTime = "SystemTime";
serverTimeAcceleration = 12;
serverNightTimeAcceleration = 4;
serverTimePersistent = 0;
guaranteedUpdates = 1;
loginQueueConcurrentPlayers = 5;
loginQueueMaxPlayers = 500;
instanceId = 1;
storageAutoFix = 1;

class Missions
{
    class DayZ
    {
        template = "dayzOffline.chernarusplus";
    };
};

Step 2: Launch the Server

Open a Command Prompt in the server directory and run:

batch

DayZServer_x64.exe -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 -profiles=profiles -dologs -adminlog -netlog -freezecheck

Flag	Purpose
`-config=serverDZ.cfg`	Path to config file
`-port=2302`	Main game port (also uses 2303-2305)
`-profiles=profiles`	Output folder for logs and player data
`-dologs`	Enable server logging
`-adminlog`	Log admin actions
`-netlog`	Log network events
`-freezecheck`	Auto-restart on freeze detection

Step 3: Wait for Initialization

The server takes 30-90 seconds to fully start. Watch the console output. When you see a line like:

BattlEye Server: Initialized (v1.xxx)

...the server is ready for connections.

Verifying the Server is Running

Method 1: Script Log

Check profiles/ for a file named like script_YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS.log. Open it and look for:

SCRIPT       : ...creatingass. world
SCRIPT       : ...creating mission

These lines confirm the economy initialized and the mission loaded.

Method 2: RPT File

The .RPT file in profiles/ shows engine-level output. Look for:

Dedicated host created.
BattlEye Server: Initialized

Method 3: Steam Server Browser

Open Steam, go to View > Game Servers > Favorites, click Add a Server, enter 127.0.0.1:2302 (or your public IP), and click Find games at this address. If the server appears, it is running and reachable.

Method 4: Query Port

Use an external tool like https://www.battlemetrics.com/ or the gamedig npm package to query port 27016 (Steam query port = game port + 24714).

Connecting as a Player

From the Same Machine

Launch DayZ (not DayZ Server -- the regular game client)
Open the Server Browser
Go to the LAN tab or Favorites tab
Add 127.0.0.1:2302 to favorites
Click Connect

If running client and server on the same machine, use DayZDiag_x64.exe (the diagnostic client) instead of the retail client. Launch with:

batch

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\DayZ\DayZDiag_x64.exe" -connect=127.0.0.1 -port=2302

From Another Machine

Use your server's public IP or LAN IP depending on whether the client is on the same network. The ports 2302-2305 UDP must be forwarded.

Common First-Launch Problems

Server Starts But Immediately Closes

Cause: Missing Visual C++ Redistributable or a syntax error in serverDZ.cfg.

Fix: Install VC++ Redist 2019 (x64). Check serverDZ.cfg for missing semicolons -- every parameter line must end with ;.

"BattlEye initialization failed"

Cause: The battleye/ folder is missing or antivirus is blocking BEServer_x64.dll.

Fix: Re-validate the server files via SteamCMD. Add an antivirus exception for the entire server folder.

Server Runs But Does Not Appear in Browser

Cause: Ports not forwarded, or Windows Firewall blocking the executable.

Fix:

Add a Windows Firewall inbound rule for DayZServer_x64.exe (allow all UDP)
Forward ports 2302-2305 UDP on your router
Check with an external port checker that 2302 UDP is open on your public IP

"Version Mismatch" When Connecting

Cause: Server and client are on different versions.

Fix: Update both. Run the SteamCMD update command for the server. The client updates automatically through Steam.

No Loot Spawning

Cause: The init.c file is missing or the Hive failed to initialize.

Fix: Verify mpmissions/dayzOffline.chernarusplus/init.c exists and contains CreateHive(). Check the script log for errors.

Server Uses 100% of One CPU Core

This is normal. DayZ Server is single-threaded. Do not run multiple server instances on the same core -- use processor affinity or separate machines.

Players Spawn as Crows / Stuck in Loading

Cause: The mission template in serverDZ.cfg does not match an existing folder in mpmissions/.

Fix: Check the template value. It must exactly match a folder name:

cpp

template = "dayzOffline.chernarusplus";  // Must match mpmissions/ folder name

Home | Next: Directory Structure >>

Chapter 9.1: Server Setup & First Launch ​

Table of Contents ​

Prerequisites ​

Hardware ​

Software ​

Installing SteamCMD ​

Windows ​

Linux ​

Installing DayZ Server ​

One-Line Install (Windows) ​

One-Line Install (Linux) ​

Update Script ​

Directory After Install ​

First Launch with Minimal Config ​

Step 1: Edit serverDZ.cfg ​

Step 2: Launch the Server ​

Step 3: Wait for Initialization ​

Verifying the Server is Running ​

Method 1: Script Log ​

Method 2: RPT File ​

Method 3: Steam Server Browser ​

Method 4: Query Port ​

Connecting as a Player ​

From the Same Machine ​

From Another Machine ​

Common First-Launch Problems ​

Server Starts But Immediately Closes ​

"BattlEye initialization failed" ​

Server Runs But Does Not Appear in Browser ​

"Version Mismatch" When Connecting ​

No Loot Spawning ​

Server Uses 100% of One CPU Core ​

Players Spawn as Crows / Stuck in Loading ​

Chapter 9.1: Server Setup & First Launch

Table of Contents

Prerequisites

Hardware

Software

Installing SteamCMD

Windows

Linux

Installing DayZ Server

One-Line Install (Windows)

One-Line Install (Linux)

Update Script

Directory After Install

First Launch with Minimal Config

Step 1: Edit serverDZ.cfg

Step 2: Launch the Server

Step 3: Wait for Initialization

Verifying the Server is Running

Method 1: Script Log

Method 2: RPT File

Method 3: Steam Server Browser

Method 4: Query Port

Connecting as a Player

From the Same Machine

From Another Machine

Common First-Launch Problems

Server Starts But Immediately Closes

"BattlEye initialization failed"

Server Runs But Does Not Appear in Browser

"Version Mismatch" When Connecting

No Loot Spawning

Server Uses 100% of One CPU Core

Players Spawn as Crows / Stuck in Loading