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The most common issues with your Contagion server on a VPS and how to fix them quickly, from crashes to lag → Learn more
Running your own Contagion server on a VPS is a lot of fun, but it also means taking responsibility when things go wrong. Crashes, lag, and configuration issues are common challenges that every server owner will encounter at some point.
To help you spend less time troubleshooting, we’ll cover the most common issues here and show you how to fix them quickly on your VPS.
FAQ
status or by looking for the contagionds.exe process in Task Manager. Restarts after crashes are logged in C:\\ZapX-GameServers\\contagion\\logs\\supervisor.log.server.cfg, an invalid map name, a port that’s already in use, or insufficient memory. Try reverting any settings you recently changed.Contagion (contagion) - Backup shortcut on your VPS. Your entire VPS is also backed up daily, and with an active ZapX Pass, you can restore these backups yourself.Feedback
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The causes of server issues are often not immediately obvious. Contagion does not write any output to the installer’s log file. The best way to check whether the server is running is to use RCON with the status command, for example with the rcon-cli command-line tool and the RCON password from server.cfg. You can also check for the contagionds.exe process in Task Manager. If you set up Contagion using the Game Server Installer, the installer logs restarts after crashes in C:\\ZapX-GameServers\\contagion\\logs\\supervisor.log.
If your server doesn’t appear in the server list, first check whether it’s running using RCON (status) or Task Manager. Then check that port 27015 (TCP and UDP) is open in the Windows Firewall and your VPS’s network firewall. For more information, see Contagion: Set up a server on your VPS. Also make sure there are no filters enabled in the server list. You can connect through the console using connect IP:Port regardless.
Start the server over Remote Desktop using the Contagion (contagion) - Start shortcut, then check in Task Manager whether contagionds.exe stays running. Common causes include a typo in server.cfg, an invalid map name, a port already in use by another program, or insufficient memory. If you recently changed the configuration, try reverting the change. If the installer gives up after multiple crashes, you’ll see this in logs\\supervisor.log.
Nothing ends a great session faster than an unexpected crash. Causes can include an outdated server version, faulty add-on content, an overloaded VPS, or a misconfiguration. The installer automatically restarts your server after a crash. If it crashes several times in quick succession, the installer gives up. You’ll then need to fix the cause and restart the server yourself.
An outdated server can cause crashes, unexpected behavior, or startup issues, and often prevents players from connecting with a newer game version. Updates aren’t installed automatically. Open the Game Server Installer again and select Contagion; it will then show Update. Alternatively, use the Contagion (contagion) - Update shortcut on your VPS.
Crashes are often caused by faulty or outdated add-on content, such as mods or custom maps, especially after a game update. Try removing the add-on content and starting with a minimal configuration. If the problem goes away, add the content back one item at a time and test after each change. This will help you pinpoint the cause.
Issues such as lag or delays often occur when the configuration isn’t suitable, the VPS doesn’t have enough resources, or add-on content overloads the system.
Unsuitable settings can lead to higher resource usage and lag. Check the values in server\\contagion\\cfg\\server.cfg. Stop the server before editing the file.
Contagion needs at least 2 GB of memory. The operating system and other programs on the VPS need additional resources. You can check how heavily your VPS is being used in the ZapX dashboard under Monitoring. If memory or CPU usage is consistently maxed out, upgrading your VPS can help. For more information, see Upgrade, downgrade, renew, and cancel.
Ping spikes and lag are usually caused by limited VPS resources, a high number of players, or a server location far from your players. First, check resource usage under Monitoring. If you suspect routing issues, see Diagnose network issues with WinMTR/MTR. If you still need help, contact our support team.
Game servers are sometimes targeted by DDoS attacks that flood the server with traffic. Your VPS is protected by our DDoS protection. You can view past attacks in the ZapX dashboard in your VPS’s DDoS Manager, if it’s available at your location. If you suspect an attack is causing issues, contact our support team.
Regular backups can save you a lot of stress. Use the Contagion (contagion) - Backup shortcut to save your server settings, ban lists, and map rotation as a ZIP file at any time. Use Contagion (contagion) - Restore to restore a backup. Your entire VPS is also backed up automatically every day. With an active ZapX Pass, you can restore these backups yourself and create your own backups. For more information, see Daily backups, restoring, and restricted actions.
These steps should help you solve the issue. If they don’t, don’t hesitate to contact our support team: simply start a support chat in your ZapX customer account. We’re here for you every day and happy to help! 🙂
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