Starting, Stopping and Restarting a RUST Server
On a RUST server, the first start takes 6 to 11 minutes. This article explains what happens when you start, stop and restart the server, and how long you need to wait.
Revision History
- 1.0:
- Creation Date: 2026/10/06
- Update Details: Initial version created
- Created by: BESTNET-GSERVER
1. Start
Press “Start” in the upper right of the server screen.
| Important | The first start takes 6 to 11 minutes, because the map is generated. On our test server, the time from pressing the start button until the server appeared in the in-game server list was 8 minutes 41 seconds (direct connection from the game was possible about 40 seconds before that). During that time the panel keeps showing “Starting”, but this is not a malfunction. Please simply wait. |
From the second start onward, it takes about 3 minutes. The server only loads the saved world, so no map generation is needed.
How to Check That It Is Progressing
Open “Console” from the left menu, and the processing scrolls past. As long as the lines keep scrolling without stopping, it is progressing normally.
When the start has finished, the console shows Server startup complete, and the server screen changes to “Online”.
2. Stop
Press “Stop” in the upper right of the server screen.
| Note | “Stop” saves the world before shutting down. The console shows Saving complete → Config Saved → Server Shutting Down in that order, and then the server shuts down. You can use it with confidence. |
| Important | Please do not press “Kill”. Kill force-quits the server without saving, so the buildings and progress up to that point are lost. Use it only as a last resort, when “Stop” does not finish even after waiting a few minutes. |
3. Restart
“Restart” stops the server and then starts it again. Use it to apply a setting after you have changed it on the Startup tab.
The settings on the Startup tab are loaded when the server starts, so changing them while the server is running does not apply them on its own.
4. Reinstall Is a Different Operation
“Reinstall Server” on the “Settings” tab is a completely different operation from starting and stopping.
| Important | Even if you reinstall, your world and buildings stay as they are. The game’s program files are installed again, and your save data is carried over. Only when you want to start your world over from scratch (a wipe) should you do the following. Worlds and buildings that have been deleted cannot be brought back. On the Startup tab, turn REGEN SERVER (this is an on/off switch, not a field where you enter a number) on first and then reinstall. Your buildings and progress are deleted, and a new map is created (blueprints are kept). Once the server has started on the new map, please turn REGEN SERVER back off. If you leave it on, your world will be lost every time you reinstall. For maps and seeds, please see How to Change World Size and Seed. |
Rough Waiting Times
| Operation | Time required | Display during that time |
| Installation (right after your order) | About 2 minutes | Running Installer |
| First start (with map generation) | 6 to 11 minutes (measured: 8 minutes 41 seconds) | Starting |
| Second start onward | About 3 minutes | Starting |
| Stop | A few seconds | Stopping |
