Quick diagnosis
| Symptom | Likely cause | First action |
|---|---|---|
| Server loads a new empty world | Config points to a new or wrong world name | Check config world name and active save folder. |
| Server crashes while loading world | Damaged save, update mismatch, or config error | Copy logs and restore a backup copy. |
| World worked before moving PC | Save folder or config was not transferred together | Compare old and new server folders. |
| World disappeared after update | Update created new data path or changed config behavior | Preserve files and follow update recovery steps. |
Safe recovery steps
- Stop the Romestead server immediately.
- Copy the current save folder, config file, and latest logs to a safe folder.
- Find the active save file location and compare modified dates.
- Check whether the config references the correct world name.
- Restore a backup into a test folder instead of overwriting the only backup.
- Start the server and confirm the correct world loads before inviting friends.
Do not make it worse
- Do not delete the new empty world until you know where the old world is.
- Do not keep restarting a broken save without copying it first.
- Do not run updates or validation before preserving saves and config.
- Do not change world name, password, port, and player slots together during recovery.
When this becomes a hosting issue
If world recovery is hard because your host has poor file access, no downloadable backups, or unclear restore tools, that is a hosting quality problem. A good managed host should make save downloads, config access, and restore testing simple.
Related Romestead server guides
Use save file location to find the world, save backup guide to build a recovery routine, update broke save for post-update recovery, config file location for wrong world names, and managed server hosting if backup tools are the real problem.