Server tips

How to Reinstall Your Game Server From the Panel

Reinstalling re-runs the installer and can delete files. Here is when it is the right fix, how to back up first and how to bring your world back.

TheGameHosting Team 5 min read
Reinstall Your Game Server
Background: Valheim © Iron Gate AB

To reinstall your game server, make a backup first, then open the Settings tab, find Reinstall Server and confirm with Yes, reinstall server. The panel stops the server and runs its installer again. The panel itself warns that some files may be deleted or modified, so treat the backup as part of the job, not an extra.

Our panel is built on Pterodactyl, and the messages quoted here come from Pterodactyl's own source code. The same steps apply to every game.

What a reinstall actually does

Every server on the panel was created by an installation script for its game. Reinstalling runs that same script again. The panel's own description is clear:

Settings, Reinstall Server
Reinstall Server
Reinstalling your server will stop it, and then re-run the installation
script that initially set it up. Some files may be deleted or modified
during this process, please back up your data before continuing.

What the script deletes or overwrites depends on the game, and you cannot see that from the button. That is why the only safe assumption is that anything you have not backed up can be lost: worlds, saves, configs, plugins and mods.

When reinstalling is the right fix, and when it is not

SituationReinstall?Try this first
Game files are broken or missing after a failed updateYesRead the log to confirm
You want a completely fresh startYes, after a backupNothing else needed
Support asks you to after a Startup changeYesFollow their steps
The server crashes because of one mod or pluginUsually notRemove that add-on
You want another Minecraft version or loaderUsually notThe Version tab (Version Changer)
You want a different gameNoGame Changer, on the same plan
A change broke the world yesterdayNoRestore a backup from Backups

If you are not sure why the server fails, read the log before anything drastic. Our guide on how to read server crash logs shows where to look, and for Minecraft, Minecraft server not starting covers the usual causes.

Back up before you reinstall

  1. Open Backups, click Create backup and then Start backup. Wait until it shows as finished.
  2. Download that backup to your PC, or download the important folders from Files or over SFTP.
  3. Open Startup and write down any value you changed, such as the version, map or seed.

These are the folders worth saving for the most common games:

Files to keep
Minecraft:      world/ (and world_nether/, world_the_end/), server.properties,
                ops.json, whitelist.json, plugins/ or mods/ and config/
Rust:           server/<identity>/ (cfg/, saves)
Satisfactory:   .config/Epic/FactoryGame/Saved/SaveGames/
Any game:       every config file you edited by hand

Reinstall game server from the panel: step by step

  1. With your backup done, open your server in the panel and go to the Settings tab.
  2. Find the Reinstall Server box and click its Reinstall Server button.
  3. Read the confirmation: “Your server will be stopped and some files may be deleted or modified during this process”. If your backup is ready, click Yes, reinstall server.
  4. The panel shows “Your server has begun the reinstallation process.” Open Console to follow the installer's output.
  5. When the installer finishes, start the server once and let it create its fresh files.
  6. Stop it, upload the world, saves and configs you want to bring back through Files or SFTP, and start it again.
  7. Watch the console until the server is fully up, then join and check that everything is there.

In step 6, copy back only what you need. Restoring the whole backup instead would put back the old, broken files too. Pterodactyl warns that restoring a backup can delete all the server's files in the process, so it is a full rollback, not a merge.

"Reinstalling this server has been disabled"

Some servers are set up to skip their installation script. In that case the panel shows that reinstalling has been disabled and asks you to contact a server administrator. Write to support on live chat or open a ticket, and they will handle it with you.

You also need the settings.reinstall permission. If a friend added you as a subuser without it, you will not see the button; ask the owner. Our guide on adding a subuser to your game server panel explains why that permission is worth keeping to trusted people.

After the reinstall: a quick check

  • Same version? Check the console start-up lines. If you run Minecraft, the Version tab shows it too; our guide on updating a Minecraft server helps if it changed.
  • World and saves back? Join and look around before you invite everyone.
  • Settings back? Compare Startup with the values you wrote down.
  • Keep the backup for a few days, until you are sure nothing is missing.

Reinstall without fear on TheGameHosting

Every TheGameHosting plan includes Backups, the Files editor and SFTP, so making a safe copy before a reinstall takes a minute. If you want a different game rather than a fresh install, Game Changer switches it on the same plan, and Minecraft servers get the Version tab for Paper, Purpur, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, Vanilla and more. Servers are ready about 60 seconds after payment and run on AMD Ryzen 9950X and 7950X3D CPUs with DDR5 and NVMe, with DDoS protection in Dallas and Amsterdam. Our support team is on live chat and tickets 24/7 if you would rather reinstall together.

One plan covers 60+ games, from 2 GB at $1.90 USD a month. See all of them on the pricing page and use FULL2026 for 15% off for life.

FAQ

Does reinstalling a server delete my world?

It can. The panel warns that some files may be deleted or modified during a reinstall, and what goes depends on the game's install script. Back up and download your world before you start.

Where is the reinstall button?

In the server's Settings tab, in the Reinstall Server box. You need the settings.reinstall permission to see it.

Should I restore the full backup after reinstalling?

Usually not. Restoring the full backup brings back the old files too, and Pterodactyl warns that a restore can delete all server files in the process. Copy back only the world, saves and configs you need.

Is reinstalling the same as changing game or version?

No. To play another game, use Game Changer; for another Minecraft version or loader, use the Version tab. Reinstall is for a fresh copy of the same setup.

Hosting for these games

Written by TheGameHosting Team, the people who run our servers in Dallas and Amsterdam and answer your tickets.

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