How to Remove an Old Project Zomboid Server: A Comprehensive Guide

If you’ve been running a Project Zomboid server for a while, you might find yourself with older servers that are no longer in use. Removing these old servers is a crucial step in maintaining a clean and efficient system. Getting rid of unnecessary server files frees up valuable disk space and system resources, ensuring your machine runs smoothly and is ready for new projects or servers. This guide provides a detailed walkthrough on how to safely and effectively remove an old Project Zomboid server from your system.

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Steps to Remove an Old Project Zomboid Server

1. Stop the Server

The first and most critical step before you start deleting any files is to ensure that your Project Zomboid server is completely stopped. This is essential because if the server is still running, files might be in use, and attempting to delete them could lead to errors or data corruption. Stopping the server ensures a clean and safe removal process.

How to Stop the Server:

Windows: If you launched your Project Zomboid server using a command prompt window, the simplest way to stop it is to close the command prompt window itself. Alternatively, if the server is running in the foreground of the command prompt, you can usually stop it by pressing Ctrl + C. This sends an interrupt signal to the server, telling it to shut down gracefully.
Linux: The method to stop your server on Linux depends on how you initially started it.
- As a systemd service: If you configured your Project Zomboid server to run as a systemd service (which is common for automated startup), you can stop it using the systemctl command. Open your terminal and execute the following command:
```
sudo systemctl stop projectzomboid.service
```
  This command sends a stop signal to the service named projectzomboid.service, ensuring it shuts down correctly.
- Manually in a terminal session: If you started the server manually by running a script or command directly in a terminal window, you can stop it by pressing Ctrl + C within that specific terminal window where the server is running. This will interrupt the server process and initiate a shutdown.

2. Backup Important Files (Highly Recommended)

Before you proceed with deleting any server files, it’s highly recommended to back up any important data you might want to keep for future reference. While you’re removing an old server, there might be configurations, saved game data, or logs that could be valuable later on. Backing up is a precautionary measure to prevent accidental data loss.

Files to Consider Backing Up:

Server Settings: The core server configuration file, typically named servertest.ini, contains all the settings that define how your server operates, including server name, passwords, world settings, and more. Backing this up allows you to easily recreate similar server settings in the future.
World Saves: Project Zomboid world saves, located in the Saves/Multiplayer directory, contain all the progress and world state of your server. If you or your players have invested time in building and surviving in this world, backing up these saves preserves your game progress.
Logs: Located in the Logs directory, these files contain server logs that can be useful for troubleshooting, understanding server activity, or simply for record-keeping.

You can back up these files by simply copying them to another location on your system, an external hard drive, or a cloud storage service. Choose a backup location that is separate from your server files to ensure data safety during the removal process.

3. Delete Server Files

Once you’ve stopped the server and backed up any essential data, you can now proceed with deleting the actual server files. This step will free up disk space occupied by the server.

Steps:

Windows:
1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the directory where you installed your Project Zomboid server files. This is usually the folder you created when you initially set up the server.
2. Locate the main folder that contains all the server files (it might be named something like ProjectZomboidServer, or whatever you named it).
3. Select this folder. To permanently delete the folder and its contents immediately (bypassing the Recycle Bin), press Shift + Delete on your keyboard. Confirm the deletion when prompted. Be absolutely sure you’ve selected the correct folder before permanently deleting it.
Linux:
1. Open your terminal and navigate to the server directory using the cd command. For example, if your server files are located in /home/user/zomboid-server, you would use:
```
cd /home/user/zomboid-server
```
2. Exercise extreme caution in this step. To remove all files and directories within the current directory, use the rm -rf * command.
```
sudo rm -rf *
```
  Warning: The rm -rf * command is powerful and irreversible. Double-check that you are in the correct server directory before executing this command. Deleting files from the wrong directory can lead to data loss. The sudo prefix is used if you need administrator privileges to delete the files.

4. Remove Server Entries from Startup (Linux)

This step is specifically for Linux systems if you configured your Project Zomboid server to start automatically when your system boots up (typically as a systemd service). Removing the service entry prevents the old server from automatically restarting in the future.

To Disable and Remove the Service:

Disable the Service: First, disable the service to prevent it from starting on the next boot. Use the following command in your terminal:
```
 sudo systemctl disable projectzomboid.service
```
This command disables the projectzomboid.service from starting automatically at system startup.
Remove the Service File: Next, you should remove the service file itself. Service files are usually located in /etc/systemd/system/. Remove the projectzomboid.service file using:
```
 sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/projectzomboid.service
```
This command deletes the service file, ensuring it’s completely removed from the system’s service configuration.
Reload systemd Daemon: After removing the service file, it’s good practice to reload the systemd daemon to apply the changes immediately:
```
 sudo systemctl daemon-reload
```
This command makes systemd aware of the changes you’ve made.

5. Remove Database Entries (If Applicable)

If your Project Zomboid server was configured to use a database (this is often the case if you used mods that require a database, or for advanced server setups), you might want to remove the database or database entries associated with the server. This step is optional and only necessary if you used a database.

SQLite: If your server used SQLite, the database is usually stored as .db files within the server directory or a designated database folder. To remove the database, simply delete the associated .db files.
MySQL/PostgreSQL: If you used a more robust database system like MySQL or PostgreSQL, you’ll need to use a database management tool (like mysql command-line client, phpMyAdmin, or pgAdmin) to drop the database that was used by your Project Zomboid server. Consult your database server’s documentation for instructions on how to drop a database. You’ll need to know the name of the database you created for your Project Zomboid server.

6. Clean Up Firewall Rules (For Server Security)

If you configured firewall rules to allow inbound traffic to your Project Zomboid server (which is necessary for players to connect), it’s good security practice to remove these firewall rules after you’ve removed the server. Leaving unnecessary firewall rules open can slightly increase your system’s attack surface.

Example Commands (Linux – depending on your firewall software):

UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall): If you used UFW to manage your firewall, you can delete the rules you added for Project Zomboid server ports. For example, if you allowed ports 16261 (TCP), 16262-16272 (TCP), and 8766 (UDP), you would use commands like:
```
  sudo ufw delete allow 16261
  sudo ufw delete allow 16262:16272/tcp
  sudo ufw delete allow 8766/udp
```
These commands delete the specified allow rules from UFW.
iptables: If you configured iptables directly, you would need to delete the corresponding rules. For example, to delete rules allowing TCP port 16261 and UDP port 8766, you might use commands like:
```
  sudo iptables -D INPUT -p tcp --dport 16261 -j ACCEPT
  sudo iptables -D INPUT -p udp --dport 8766 -j ACCEPT
```
The -D option in iptables is used to delete a rule from the specified chain (in this case, INPUT).

Remember to adjust the port numbers and protocols in these commands to match the firewall rules you originally set up for your Project Zomboid server.

7. Reboot Your System (Best Practice)

While not strictly necessary in all cases, rebooting your system after performing these steps is generally a good practice. Rebooting ensures that all changes you’ve made, especially those related to system services and firewall rules, are fully applied and that no remnants of the server are left running in memory. A reboot provides a clean state for your system.

Conclusion

By following these steps methodically, you can effectively and safely remove an old Project Zomboid server from your system. This process helps to reclaim disk space, free up system resources, and maintain good system hygiene. Always remember the importance of backing up any data you might need in the future before deleting server files. Regularly cleaning up old servers ensures your system remains organized and performs optimally.

Updated on: 2024-11-15