How to read game server crash logs

A game server sometimes crashes unexpectedly. The crash log tells you exactly what went wrong. By reading this log you can often solve the problem yourself, or provide our support team with the information they need to help quickly.

Where to find the crash log

The location of the crash log depends on the game:

Minecraft (Paper/Spigot): in the crash-reports/ folder or at the bottom of logs/latest.log.
FiveM: in the server console and in the cache/ folder or the log file you configured in server.cfg.
Other games: usually in a folder like logs/, Saved/Logs/ or directly in the console output.

On the HostValues game panel, you can view the console output directly in the Console tab. Scroll up to find the error message just before the server stopped.

What is in a crash log?

A crash log typically contains the following parts:

The error message (exception): the first line after "Exception" or "Error" describes the problem. This is the most important part.
The stack trace: a series of lines starting with "at" that show which code caused the error. Here you can often recognize the name of a plugin, mod or the game itself.
System information: Java version, server version, operating system and memory usage.

Recognizing common errors

OutOfMemoryError: the server ran out of RAM. Upgrade your plan or optimize your settings.
UnsupportedClassVersionError: wrong Java version. Check which Java version belongs to your Minecraft version.
PluginException or a plugin name in the stack trace: a plugin caused the crash. Remove or update the plugin.
IOException on a world file: possible disk corruption or a damaged chunk file.
Connection refused or BindException: the port is already in use or not correctly configured.

What to do after a crash

Copy the full error message and stack trace.
Search for the error message in a search engine. Many problems have already been solved by the community.
Check whether the problem was caused by a recent change: a new plugin, an update or a configuration adjustment.
If you cannot figure it out, open a support ticket and include the relevant lines from the crash log. The more context you provide, the faster we can help.

How do I tell the difference between a server crash and a client crash?

A server crash stops the entire server process. All players lose their connection at the same time. A client crash only affects the individual player. If the server is still online after the problem, it is a client crash.

Can crash logs be saved automatically?

Yes. Most game servers store crash logs automatically in a log folder. On a VPS, you can redirect console output to a file by passing a log parameter at startup, for example --log or -logfile output.log.

My server keeps crashing right after starting. What now?

Check the log for the error message. Try removing the most recently added plugin or mod. Also verify that your Java version and server version match. If nothing helps, temporarily rename the plugins or mods folder to test whether the server starts without those files.