How to Move a Project Zomboid Server to a New Host

To move a Project Zomboid server to a new host, stop the old server and download four things from its Zomboid folder: the world in Saves/Multiplayer/<servername>, the settings in Server/ (<servername>.ini, <servername>_SandboxVars.lua and <servername>_spawnregions.lua), and the accounts database db/<servername>.db. Upload them to the same places on the new server, keep every name identical to the server name it starts with, and run the same build (42 or legacy41) and the same mods.

What you can and cannot move

What goes where

The Zomboid folder is in the home folder of whatever account runs the server: ~/Zomboid/ on Linux, C:\Users\<user>\Zomboid\ on Windows. Some hosts move it with the -cachedir= launch option, in which case it is wherever that points. The default server name is servertest.

Long running worlds can be several gigabytes, mostly thousands of small map chunk files in the save folder. Zip the folder before downloading.

Before you start

• Stop the old server cleanly. Run save, then quit in the console, so the last world state is on disk.
• Check the build. Note whether the old server ran Build 42 or the legacy41 branch, and the exact version if you can.
• Copy the mod list. Copy the WorkshopItems=, Mods= and Map= lines from the old ini somewhere safe. They are the mod setup in full.
• Back up the new server if it already made its own world on first start.

Step 1: Download from the old host

Use whatever the old host offers: a backup download, the file manager's zip option on the Zomboid folder, or SFTP with FileZilla or WinSCP. SFTP is the safest route for big saves, because browser downloads of huge folders often stop partway. Download the whole Zomboid folder if you are unsure which parts you need. The Logs and steamapps folders are not needed on the new server.

Step 2: Find the real server name

Look in Zomboid/Server/. The ini file's name, without .ini, is the server name. It is usually servertest, but hosts often set their own with the -servername launch option. The world folder in Saves/Multiplayer/, the database in db/ and the three settings files must all use that same name.

Step 3: Match the name on the new server

This is where most moves fail. A Project Zomboid server only loads files that match the name it starts with. If the new server starts as myserver and your files are called servertest, it ignores them and creates a fresh world called myserver with default settings.

Pick one of two fixes:

1. Set the new server's name to the old one (for example servertest), or
2. Rename all five items to the new server's name: myserver.ini, myserver_SandboxVars.lua, myserver_spawnregions.lua, Saves/Multiplayer/myserver/ and db/myserver.db.

Do not rename anything inside the save folder, only the folder itself.

Step 4: Upload and check the ini

Stop the new server, upload each item to its matching folder, then open the ini before starting:

• WorkshopItems and Mods must list every mod the world used. On Build 42, Mod IDs carry a leading backslash, like \ModName.
• Map keeps map mods first and Muldraugh, KY last.
• DefaultPort and UDPPort should match the ports the new host gives you, not the old ones. A wrong port here is a common reason nobody can connect after a move.
• Password, Public and MaxPlayers are what you want now.

The PZwiki dedicated server page lists every ini key.

Step 5: Start and watch the console

Start the server and wait. With many mods, the first start downloads every Workshop item again, which can take a while. When the console reports the server has started, join with your usual username and password. Your character should be where you logged out.

Common problems

• Server makes a brand new world: one or more names do not match the server name, or the save folder ended up nested, like Saves/Multiplayer/servertest/servertest/.
• "Wrong password" for everyone: the db file did not come across or has a different name, so the server has no accounts. Upload db/<servername>.db.
• Players spawn as fresh characters: the server is reading a different save folder than the one you uploaded. Check the name again.
• Crash or stuck on loading map: a mod is missing, on a different version, or the world is Build 41 on a Build 42 server.
• Settings went back to default: you edited the ini while the server ran. Stop, edit, start.

Moving to GamezServers

On a Project Zomboid server from GamezServers, the Zomboid folder is .cache and the server name is the Save name setting (GamezServers by default, letters and numbers only). Either set Save name to your old name, or rename your files to match. Click Backup first, upload over SFTP (login in Settings) or as a zip that the file manager extracts, and paste your Workshop IDs and Mod IDs into the panel. Pick Build 42 or Build 41 (legacy) to match the world. For a world that was hosted from the game instead, see how to move a Project Zomboid save to a server.

FAQ

Where are Project Zomboid server saves stored?

In Zomboid/Saves/Multiplayer/<servername> in the home folder of the account running the server, with settings in Zomboid/Server/ and accounts in Zomboid/db/.

Will my friends keep their characters?

Yes. On a dedicated server, characters are stored in the save folder, so they carry over when the whole folder moves and the names match.

Do I need to download the Workshop mods too?

No. Copy the WorkshopItems and Mods lines and the new server downloads the mods itself on start.

Can I move a Build 41 server to Build 42?

No. Build 41 saves do not load in Build 42. Run the new server on the legacy41 branch to keep the world.