How to Backup Your Windrose Server

If you’re hosting an AleForge server, we make offsite backups of your server regularly to give you a failsafe incase something unexpected happens. However, we also make manual backups available in case you want to back up the server directly before installing a mod, patching, uploading a world, etc.

Caution

You need the full world folder and ServerDescription.json so WorldIslandId still points at that world.

Panel Backups (Recommended)

Create a Backup

1. Open the AleForge Panel
2. Select your Windrose server
3. Open Backups
4. Click Create Backup

You can also schedule automatic backups.

Restore a Backup

1. Stop the server
2. Open Backups
3. Open the menu on the backup and click Restore
4. Check Delete all files before restoring backup if you want a clean restore
5. Start the server and rejoin with your invite code

Manual File Backup

Use this when you want a copy on your PC before a risky change.

What to Copy

1. World folder — the 32-character hex directory under:

   R5/Saved/SaveProfiles/Default/RocksDB_v2/<game_version>/Worlds/<WorldID>/

   (or RocksDB on older trees)

2. R5/ServerDescription.json — invite code, password, and WorldIslandId

Windrose also writes its own snapshots under R5/Saved/SaveProfiles/Default_Backups (and similar _Backups folders). Those can help if you never took a panel backup, but they are not a substitute for Backups in the panel.

Download the Files

1. Stop the server so RocksDB is not mid-write
2. In Files, go to the Worlds directory
3. Archive the world folder and download the archive
4. Download R5/ServerDescription.json
5. Start the server again

For large worlds: use SFTP.

Restore a Manual Backup

Follow upload a world: stop the server, extract the world folder into the matching Worlds path, restore ServerDescription.json, confirm WorldIslandId matches the folder name, then start.

RocksDB

The world folder is a database (CURRENT, MANIFEST-*, LOCK, *.sst, and friends). Copy the whole folder. Do not cherry-pick files.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does AleForge automatically back up my Windrose server?

Yes! You can also create on-demand backups in Backups and schedule them. Take an extra manual copy before world uploads or mods.

Why back up ServerDescription.json?

It stores WorldIslandId. Restoring only the world folder can leave the server pointed at a different (or new) world.

Can I back up a single file from the world folder?

No. Restore the entire RocksDB directory as a unit.