Basic Server Install & Upgrade Guide

Install or update your Visual Studio Redistributable packages using the installers found in the Visual Studio C++ Redistributables directory included with the Epoch server files.

Install or update MySQL Server on the server machine. Then, in your MySQL client (MySQL Workbench, HeidiSQL, or the command line):

1. Create a new database. dayz_epoch is the conventional name, but it doesn't have to be — you can call it whatever you like. Just remember the name, because it must be entered as the Database value in HiveExt.ini later.
2. Execute epoch.sql on that database to create the tables.
3. Execute add_recommended_mysql_events.sql on the same database to add the recommended cleanup events.
4. Create a MySQL user for the server and grant it access to the database, using legacy password auth (see below).
5. Confirm the MySQL event scheduler is turned on (see below).

CREATE USER 'dayz'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'YourStrongPassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON dayz_epoch.* TO 'dayz'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

ALTER USER 'dayz'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'YourStrongPassword';

SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'event_scheduler';

SET GLOBAL event_scheduler = ON;

event_scheduler=ON

Download both the client and server files and extract them into the root ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead folder, for example:

On some Windows systems, DLL files may need to be unblocked after extraction. Right-click the file → Properties → click Unblock. Additionally, copy the DLLs from the dlls folder into the server root folder (the directory containing arma2oaserver.exe).

The server loads as a mod folder in your OA root. The release normally includes it, but if you're assembling it by hand, build this structure inside your Arma 2 Operation Arrowhead directory:

...\Arma 2 Operation Arrowhead\
├─ @DayZ_Epoch_Server\
│  ├─ addons\
│  │  └─ dayz_server.pbo
│  └─ HiveExt.dll          (HiveExt.ini sits alongside it)
└─ MPMissions\
   └─ DayZ_Epoch_11.Chernarus    (the map[s] you plan to run)

1. Create the @DayZ_Epoch_Server folder in the OA root.
2. Inside it, create an addons folder and place dayz_server.pbo in it.
3. Place HiveExt.dll directly in @DayZ_Epoch_Server (with HiveExt.ini next to it).
4. Put the mission folder(s) or .pbo(s) for the map(s) you want to run into the MPMissions folder (e.g. DayZ_Epoch_11.Chernarus).

Move the DZE_Server_Config folder to the root of your drive (e.g. C:\DZE_Server_Config) or another location outside the arma2oaserver.exe folder and its subfolders. Keeping config files outside the game directory is an important security measure — it prevents scripts from reading your passwords via directory traversal.

1. Open HiveExt.ini and fill in your MySQL connection details under [Database] — IP, Port, Username, Password and Database. The Database value must match the database name you created in MySQL (dayz_epoch or your custom name).
2. Open your server config file (the *_map.cfg, e.g. 11_chernarus.cfg) and set a strong admin password. This file is also where you set the public-facing server options:
   • hostName — the server name shown in the in-game server browser
   • password — password players must enter to join (leave blank for an open/public server)
   • passwordAdmin — the admin / RCon login password
   • maxPlayers — number of player slots
   • motd[] — the message of the day shown to players as they join the lobby
3. Open BEServer.cfg in the BattlEye folder and set a strong RCon password.

Server-side gameplay options live inside the mission .pbo in MPMissions\ (e.g. DayZ_Epoch_11.Chernarus.pbo). Unpack it with PBO Manager, edit, then repack. The main file to review is configVariables.sqf, which controls things like:

• Spawn selection and starting loadouts
• Safe zones / trader-city god mode
• Day/night cycle and time acceleration
• Vehicle, trader and economy tuning, plus many other gameplay toggles

Run the desired *_map.bat file to start the server for the map you configured.

If players cannot connect, you may need to open the following ports in your server's software and hardware firewalls:

To host more than one server from a single machine:

1. Create a copy of the DZE_Server_Config folder with a unique name for each additional server.
2. Update the config folder name referenced inside each *_map.bat.
3. Use different port numbers in each server's *_map.cfg and *_map.bat.
4. Update HiveExt.ini settings if each server uses a separate database.
5. Make a copy of arma2oaserver.exe for each instance, give each a unique name (e.g. arma2oaserver_1.exe, arma2oaserver_2.exe), and point each *_map.bat at its own renamed copy.

Ensure Visual C++ redistributables are current, MySQL is up to date, and the new Epoch files are extracted to the correct location.

Replace the following with the new versions from the download:

• MPMission folder
• dayz_server.pbo
• BattlEye filter files
• HiveExt.dll

1. Connect to MySQL and make a full backup of dayz_epoch before proceeding.
2. Open the included *_Updates.sql file and read the comments carefully, especially those at the bottom of the file.
3. Run the appropriate update queries against the dayz_epoch database.

Inside the server Keys folder, remove any DayZ_Epoch*.bikey files from previous versions.