How to Move a Garry's Mod Server to a New Host

Q: Where does DarkRP save player money?

In garrysmod/sv.db by default, a SQLite file. If MySQL is turned on in darkrpconfig/mysql.lua, it is in that MySQL database instead.

Q: Where are ULX ranks stored?

In garrysmod/data/ulib/, with users in users.txt, ranks in groups.txt and bans in bans.txt.

To move a Garry's Mod server to a new host, stop the old server and download these from its garrysmod folder: sv.db (DarkRP money, PData and most addon saves), data/ (ULX ranks and bans, addon configs), addons/, gamemodes/, lua/autorun/server/ and cfg/server.cfg. Upload them to the same paths on the new server, start it with the same Workshop collection ID, gamemode and map, and give it its own Steam server token. sv.db is the file people forget.

What you can and cannot move

Thing	Moves to the new server?
DarkRP wallets, player names, PData from addons	Yes, `garrysmod/sv.db`
ULX and ULib ranks, users and bans	Yes, `garrysmod/data/ulib/`
Addon settings and saves written to files	Yes, the rest of `garrysmod/data/`
Your own and downloaded addons, maps, models	Yes, `garrysmod/addons/`
Workshop addons	No need to copy. Reuse the same collection ID and the server downloads them
Gamemodes and DarkRP jobs, shipments and config	Yes, `gamemodes/` and the `darkrpmodification` addon
Server name, password, convars	Yes, `cfg/server.cfg`
Data kept in a MySQL database	Only by exporting that database and importing it somewhere the new server can reach
The old Steam server token	Do not reuse it while the old server still runs. One token per server

What goes where

All paths are inside the garrysmod folder of the server install, the same on Windows and Linux.

File or folder	What it holds	Old server	New server
`sv.db`	SQLite database: DarkRP money and names, PData, many addon tables	`garrysmod/sv.db`	`garrysmod/sv.db`
`data/ulib/users.txt`, `groups.txt`, `bans.txt`	ULX users, ranks and bans	`garrysmod/data/ulib/`	Same
`data/` (everything else)	Addon configs, saved layouts, logs	`garrysmod/data/`	Same
`addons/`	Folder and `.gma` addons, including `darkrpmodification`	`garrysmod/addons/`	Same
`gamemodes/`	Downloaded gamemodes such as DarkRP	`garrysmod/gamemodes/`	Same
`lua/autorun/server/`	Files like `workshop.lua` with `resource.AddWorkshop` lines	Same	Same
`cfg/server.cfg`	`hostname`, `sv_password`, `rcon_password`, convars	`garrysmod/cfg/`	Same
`cfg/mount.cfg`	Mounted CS:S or other game content	`garrysmod/cfg/`	Same, with paths for the new machine
`maps/`	Maps not in your Workshop collection	`garrysmod/maps/`	Same

You do not need cache/ or the downloaded Workshop files. They are rebuilt on the new server.

A Garry's Mod roleplay city street full of player builds

Before you start

Stop the old server. sv.db is written while the server runs. Copy it from a stopped server, or the newest changes can be missing.
Note the launch line. Write down +gamemode, +map, +maxplayers, +host_workshop_collection and -tickrate. Most hosts show these as panel settings.
Check for MySQL. Open addons/darkrpmodification/lua/darkrp_config/mysql.lua and any other addon's database config. If MySQL is turned on, your player data is in that database, not sv.db.
Keep the collection. Your Workshop collection stays on Steam, so the same ID works on the new server.

Step 1: Download from the old host

Use the host's backup download, its file manager's zip option, or SFTP with FileZilla or WinSCP. Addon folders and custom content can be gigabytes, so SFTP is the most reliable. If you are not sure what matters, download the whole garrysmod folder minus cache and the Workshop download folders.

Step 2: Find where the player data really is

This is the gotcha that loses communities their economy. DarkRP and most addons that use Garry's Mod's built in database or PData save to sv.db, a single SQLite file in the root of garrysmod, not in the data folder. People copy data/ and addons/, see their ranks come back through ULX, and only notice a day later that every wallet is back to the starting amount.

So check both:

SQLite (default): copy garrysmod/sv.db.
MySQL (common on bigger servers): export the database (any MySQL tool can make a .sql dump), import it into a database the new server can reach, and update the host, username and password in mysql.lua and other addon configs.

Step 3: Upload to the new server

Stop the new server, then upload each file and folder to the same place inside garrysmod. Replace the new server's empty sv.db with yours. Edit cfg/mount.cfg so its paths point to content on the new machine, or remove lines for content that is not installed there.

Step 4: Match the launch settings

Start the new server with the same gamemode, map and Workshop collection ID as before. The collection is passed as +host_workshop_collection <ID>, and the server downloads every addon in it on start. Keep your lua/autorun/server/ file with the resource.AddWorkshop lines so players still download content addons.

Give the new server its own Steam game server token. Remove any old sv_setsteamaccount line from server.cfg or autoexec.cfg, because a token can only be used by one running server at a time. The Facepunch wiki covers launch options and server.cfg convars.

Step 5: Start and check

Start the server and watch the console for addon errors. Join, check your rank with ULX, check your DarkRP wallet, and buy a door to test the economy. Then post the new address to your community.

Common problems

Everyone's money reset: sv.db was not copied, or the old server used MySQL and the database was not moved.
Ranks gone: data/ulib/ was not copied, or ULX and ULib are missing from addons.
Purple and black checkers, ERROR models: players lack content. Keep resource.AddWorkshop lines and check mount.cfg for CS:S content.
Workshop addons not loading: the collection ID is wrong, or the collection is private. It must be public or unlisted.
Server not in the browser or listed oddly: the old token is still in server.cfg, or the new server has none.
Lua errors on start: an addon depended on a MySQL module or file path from the old machine.

Moving to GamezServers

On a Garry's Mod server from GamezServers, we create the Steam server token for you, and Workshop ID, Gamemode, Map and Max Players are panel settings. Click Backup, stop the server, and upload your garrysmod files from the Files tab or over SFTP (login in Settings). The file manager can extract a zip or download one straight from a link. Paste your collection ID, start it, and the server stays up without anyone's PC. For collections and resource.AddWorkshop, see how to add Workshop addons to a Garry's Mod server.

FAQ

Where does DarkRP save player money?

In garrysmod/sv.db by default, a SQLite file. If MySQL is turned on in darkrp_config/mysql.lua, it is in that MySQL database instead.

Where are ULX ranks stored?

In garrysmod/data/ulib/, with users in users.txt, ranks in groups.txt and bans in bans.txt.

Do I need to copy Workshop addons?

No. Use the same collection ID on the new server and it downloads them on start.

Can I reuse my Steam server token?

Only once the old server is shut down for good. A token works on one running server at a time, so it is simpler to make a new one.