Migrating Your Server to Zeros Host

Moving an existing server to a new host is less complicated than it looks. The key is knowing which files matter and where they go. This guide covers migration for both GMod and Minecraft.

Step 1: Download your files from the old host

Most hosting panels provide either an FTP connection or a built-in file manager. Use whichever is available to download your server files. If your old host offers a backup download, that works too.

You do not need to download everything. Game engine files (the base GMod or Minecraft server binaries) will already be on your Zeros Host server. You only need your custom data.

Step 2: Know what to bring (GMod)

For a Garry's Mod server, the important directories are:

• garrysmod/addons/: all your installed addons. This is the bulk of what makes your server unique.
• garrysmod/gamemodes/: custom gamemodes like DarkRP Modification. The base DarkRP gamemode can be reinstalled fresh.
• garrysmod/data/: server data files, including ULX configuration, addon data, and saved settings.
• garrysmod/cfg/: server configuration files like server.cfg and autoexec.cfg.
• garrysmod/lua/autorun/server/: any custom server-side Lua scripts, including workshop.lua if you wrote it manually.

If your server uses a MySQL database (common for DarkRP money, door ownership, and addon data), you will also need to export your database from the old host and import it to a new MySQL instance.

Step 3: Know what to bring (Minecraft)

For a Minecraft server, the important files are:

• world/ (and world_nether/, world_the_end/): your world data. This is the most important thing to migrate. Without it, you start fresh.
• plugins/: all installed plugin JAR files and their configuration folders.
• server.properties: your server configuration (gamemode, difficulty, max players, seed, etc).
• bukkit.yml, spigot.yml, paper.yml: server-type-specific configuration if you have customised them.
• banned-players.json, ops.json, whitelist.json: player management data.

Step 4: Upload to Zeros Host

Create a new server on Zeros Host. Stop it before uploading. Open the file manager in the panel and upload your files to the correct directories. For large uploads (world files can be several gigabytes), compress them into a zip file first. The panel can extract archives server-side, which is faster than uploading thousands of individual files.

Make sure directory structures match. Addons go in garrysmod/addons/, not in the server root. Plugins go in plugins/, not in the server root. Misplaced files are the most common migration mistake.

Step 5: Configure startup

Check your startup configuration in the panel. For GMod, make sure the gamemode and map variables match what you were running before. For Minecraft, verify the server type (Paper, Spigot, Forge) matches what your plugins or mods expect.

Step 6: Re-import your Workshop collection (GMod)

If your old server used a Steam Workshop collection, go to the Workshop page in the Zeros Host panel and enter your collection ID. The panel generates the workshop.lua file automatically. Your players will download the same addons they had before.

Step 7: Test before going live

Start the server and connect. Check that all addons or plugins load correctly by watching the console output. Walk around, test a few features, and make sure player data carried over if you migrated a database. Only update your community's connect address once you have confirmed everything works.

Ready to move? Register at zerosrp.co.uk/register to get a server in seconds. See pricing for plan options, or go directly to the GMod or Minecraft page for game-specific details.