Back up and test a restore

The rule that matters#

Keep the live server, several dated backups, and at least one copy on another device. A backup on the same SSD does not protect against drive failure.

Back up your path#

Windows

1. 1
   Type stop in the server window.
2. 2
   Wait for it to close.
3. 3
   Copy or zip the complete C:\MinecraftServer folder.
4. 4
   Add the date to its name and copy it to another drive or computer.

Ubuntu/Linux

Stop the service, archive the folder, then start it again:

sudo systemctl stop minecraft
sudo tar -czf minecraft-backup-$(date +%F-%H%M).tar.gz -C /opt minecraft
sudo systemctl start minecraft

Move the archive off the server afterward.

ZimaOS + Crafty

1. 1
   Open Crafty's Backup manager.
2. 2
   Choose persistent storage and a retention limit.
3. 3
   Schedule a backup every 6 or 12 hours.
4. 4
   Run one now, then copy an archive to another device.

What the backup should contain#

• Every world folder, including Nether and End data
• server.properties, whitelist, bans and operators
• Plugins/mods plus their configuration and data
• A version list for Minecraft, Java and every add-on

Test one restore#

1. 1
   Stop the live server.
2. 2
   Preserve the current folder before replacing anything.
3. 3
   Restore a known backup into a separate test location when possible.
4. 4
   Start it locally and check inventories, dimensions and recent builds.