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Common Minecraft Server Issues

Running a Minecraft server can sometimes lead to unexpected problems. This guide covers the most common issues you might encounter with your Minecraft server on our Wasabi Hosting Gamepanel and provides step-by-step solutions.

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Server Won’t Start

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Java Errors

Issue: Server fails to start with Java-related errors.

Solutions:

  1. Check Java version: Make sure the Java version matches your Minecraft server type 
    # Check which Java version your server is using
java -version
  2. Memory allocation: Ensure you’ve allocated enough RAM in the startup parameters 
    # Adjust these values in the Startup tab
-Xms1G -Xmx4G
  3. Corrupt JAR file: Try reinstalling the server JAR using the Version Changer

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Plugin Conflicts

Issue: Server crashes during startup due to incompatible or corrupt plugins.

Solutions:

  1. Start server with no plugins by temporarily moving them to another folder
  2. Add plugins back one by one to identify the problematic one
  3. Check plugin compatibility with your Minecraft version

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Server Lag Issues

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High TPS (Tick Per Second) Drops

Issue: Server experience lag spikes or consistently runs below 20 TPS.

Solutions:

  1. Check timings report: 
    /timings report
  2. Reduce view distance in server.properties (try 8-10)
  3. Limit entities with plugins like ClearLag
  4. Optimize redstone by using alternatives to heavy redstone contraptions

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Memory Leaks

Issue: RAM usage gradually increases until server crashes.

Solutions:

  1. Set up automated restarts (every 6-12 hours)
  2. Add GC (Garbage Collection) optimization flags: 
    -XX:+UseG1GC -XX:+ParallelRefProcEnabled -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=200
  3. Check for plugins with known memory leaks

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Connection Issues

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Players Can’t Join

Issue: Players receiving “Connection refused” or timing out when trying to connect.

Solutions:

  1. Verify port forwarding: Default Minecraft port is 25565
  2. Check firewall settings: Make sure the port is open
  3. Confirm server IP: Ensure you’re using the correct IP address
  4. Restart the server: Sometimes a simple restart resolves connection issues

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Whitelist Problems

Issue: Whitelisted players can’t join the server.

Solutions:

  1. Check whitelist formatting: 
    /whitelist list
  2. Re-add players to the whitelist: 
    /whitelist add PlayerName
  3. Verify whitelisted usernames match exactly (case sensitive)

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Crash Reports

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Reading Crash Reports

When your server crashes, a crash report is usually generated in the crash-reports folder. Look for patterns like:

  1. Java exceptions: OutOfMemoryError, NullPointerException
  2. Mod/Plugin conflicts: Incompatible versions or modifications
  3. World corruption: Chunk errors or world data issues

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Debugging Steps

  1. Open the latest crash report from the file manager
  2. Identify the “Caused by” sections
  3. Look for mentions of specific plugins, mods, or world regions
  4. Google the exact error message for community solutions

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Chunk Errors

Issue: Corrupted chunks causing server crashes or visual glitches.

Solutions:

  1. Use a world editor like MCEdit to delete corrupted chunks
  2. Run a world repair plugin
  3. In extreme cases, restore from a backup

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Database Connection Issues

Issue: Plugins that use databases (MySQL/SQLite) failing to connect.

Solutions:

  1. Verify database credentials in plugin configuration files
  2. Check if the database server is running
  3. Ensure the database user has proper permissions

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Console Spam

Issue: Console being flooded with error messages making it difficult to moderate.

Solutions:

  1. Identify the source of the spam (often from a plugin)
  2. Check if a particular player or entity is causing the errors
  3. Configure logging levels in log4j.xml file

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Getting More Help

If you’re still experiencing issues after trying these solutions:

  1. Join our Discord server for community support
  2. Create a detailed support ticket with:
    • Error logs
    • Server specifications
    • Steps to reproduce the issue
  3. Consider consulting our optimization guide for performance-related issues

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Advanced Debugging

For experienced administrators:

  1. Use JVM flight recorder for deep performance analysis
  2. Set up remote debugging with a Java IDE
  3. Use profiling tools to identify performance bottlenecks

Remember that most Minecraft server issues have been encountered by others before, and solutions can often be found through careful analysis of logs and community resources.