How to Wipe a Conan Exiles Server Safely

Wiping a Conan Exiles server clears all player progress, buildings, and world data, giving everyone a fresh start. This guide walks you through the process for both official and private servers, ensuring you don’t lose your server settings or admin rights.

What You’ll Need

• Admin access to the server (for private servers) or ownership of the official server (if applicable).
• Access to the server’s file system (via FTP, hosting panel, or local installation).
• For official servers: a way to contact server admins or use the in-game admin panel.
• Optional: a backup tool or manual copy of the server files.

Step-by-Step

1. Backup your server files. Before wiping, copy the entire server folder (especially the Saved directory) to a safe location. This ensures you can restore if something goes wrong.
2. Stop the server. Use your hosting control panel or the command line to stop the server process. This prevents data corruption during the wipe.
3. Locate the save files. On most servers, the world data is in ConanSandbox/Saved/. Look for files like World or Game.ini (depending on your setup).
4. Delete the world files. Remove the entire Saved folder or just the world-specific files (e.g., World and Level.sav). Do not delete the Config folder unless you want to reset server settings.
5. Clear the database (optional). If you want to reset player characters and inventories, delete the Sandbox.sav and Sandbox.sav.bak files. This is often in the same Saved folder.
6. Restart the server. Start the server again. It will generate a fresh world with default settings.
7. Verify the wipe. Log into the game and check that the world is empty. If you deleted the database, your admin character will also be gone – you may need to re-add yourself as admin.

Common Mistakes

• Deleting the wrong files. Removing the Config folder resets server settings, not just the world. Double-check you are only deleting world/database files.
• Not backing up. Skipping the backup can lead to permanent loss of your server’s history, including builds and player progress.
• Wiping while the server is running. This can corrupt the new world generation. Always stop the server first.
• Forgetting to clear the database. If you only delete the world files, player characters and inventories may persist, causing issues.

Tips

• Announce the wipe to your community in advance, so players can prepare and log off safely.
• If you want to keep some settings (like XP rates), back up the Config folder and restore it after the wipe.
• Consider using a server management tool like Conan Exiles Server Manager to automate backups and wipes.
• After wiping, test that the server is accessible and that admin commands work before opening it to players.

Troubleshooting

Server fails to start after wipe: Check the server logs for errors. If the world files are corrupted, restore from your backup and try again.

Players still see old characters: The database was not cleared. Stop the server, delete the Sandbox.sav files, and restart.

Admin privileges lost: Re-add your admin account via the server config file or in-game console commands.

World generates but with errors: Ensure you deleted all world-related files, not just the main save. Look for files like Level.sav and World.

Server settings reset unexpectedly: You probably deleted the Config folder. Restore it from your backup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will a wipe reset server settings like XP rates?
A: No, if you only delete world/database files, settings remain. Settings are stored in the Config folder.

Q: Can I wipe only the buildings but keep characters?
A: Yes, delete the world files but keep the Sandbox.sav database. This resets the map but preserves player inventories and levels.

Q: How often should I wipe my server?
A: It’s up to you. Some servers wipe monthly to keep things fresh, others never. Announce any wipe to your players.

Q: Is it possible to wipe an official server?
A: Official servers are managed by Funcom. You cannot wipe them yourself; you must contact support or wait for a server reset.

Q: Will a wipe delete admin ranks?
A: Yes, if you delete the database, admin ranks are reset. You’ll need to re-add them via config or console.

Q: Can I do a partial wipe, like only the map?
A: Yes, by selectively deleting map files while keeping the database. However, this can cause inconsistencies, so a full wipe is safer.

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