Create a Minecraft Server on Windows

[CrustStation]

*If you see the oxymorons below complaining about various things I have in this article, ignore them. They are just trying to find people they can prove wrong. Just be careful when you're doing this.

 

Ok, here's the deal: I'm REALLY sick and tired of people on the Internet (especially YouTube) who are making "tutorials" on how to make a simple Minecraft server for you and a few friends. They are usually long, complicated, and require you to do SO MANY things that are not required (or useful) for a Minecraft server. I pretty much had to teach myself on how to make a simple server out of a repurposed Dell OptiPlex 755 USFF computer.

 

Keep in mind that this real tutorial is for WINDOWS ONLY. I'm not that foreign guy talking quietly into his microphone mumbling on how to make a server on a command line in Linux.

 

 

Step 1: Determine Your Hardware

 

Okay, the server can be run off of anything with an Intel or AMD processor after 2000. The lowest I would go for Intel is maybe a Pentium 4 2.0 GHz and the AMD I would go with an Athlon XP 3200+ (Despite its low FSB). 

For RAM, I highly recommend at least 1 gigabyte, as the minecraft server client is a LOT more RAM intensive than CPU intensive.

The hard drive can be anything as long as it's not one of those noisy WD ball-bearing drives that usually die. The server client only writes to the disk for when it dumps the memory into it, so it won't cause many write cycles. I recommend at least a 40 gigabyte drive.

Everything else can be WHATEVER. The case, optical drive, motherboard, PSU, anything can be whatever you choose. I know there are going to be a few of those in the peanut gallery that are going to start screaming about what I just said and puff your fake pecs and say you need "Real server hardware, m8". You don't. It can be an old Dell Dimension 2400 (remember those?) from your basement closet!

 

Step 2: Determine Your Software

 

This one's easy. You can run the server client off of any version of Windows (even Windows 2000 if you wanted to!). A lot of you low-budget folks out there will likely have Windows XP, which is fine (If you have Vista, please for the love of all that is holy install something else).

If I were you, I would do a reinstall if you can. If you can't do a reinstall, just do your best to clean up the install of Windows you have currently. I recommend CCLEANER. You also need to install the latest version of Java.

 

Step 3: Getting the Server Client

 

First off, DO NOT GET THE .EXE!!! We need that .jar file. So, just go to the download page on the Minecraft website and look down to the Multiplayer Server. Grab that last clickable link with .jar at the end. Click that sucker and download it. Do not open it, just drag it to your desktop.

 

Step 4: Telling the Server Client What to Do

 

If you were to just start the client from its current state, it would open and only run on 512 megabytes of RAM. Even if you want it to run on 512 megabytes of RAM, I still recommend you do this next step: Go into notepad and paste the following:

 

 @Echo off

java -Xmx(RAM AMOUNT)M -Xms(RAM AMOUNT)M -jar minecraft_server.jar nogui.

pause

 

Where I put "(RAM AMOUNT)", put your specified amount of RAM in the form of megabytes, so if you want a gig a ram running on it, type in 1024, and remove the parenthesis as well. When you are done with that, go to File, Save As, and then give it a name, but at the end, type the extension ".bat". This will make this notepad document a batch file command for the .jar file we just downloaded. Save this in the exact same spot as you put your .jar file (I recommend the Desktop).

 

Step 5: Starting Minecraft

 

Ok, if I remember right, you want to start the server client first by just clicking on the .jar file, don't click on the .bat yet. If will open and then close and poop out a bunch of folders and files in the same folder directory it is in. Right click the file that says "server.properties" and change "eula=false" to "eula=true". Save that and close it. Now, click on the .bat file we just created to test it. If it crashes, we're ok, we're not done yet.

Right click "server.properties" again and open it with notepad. First, scroll down to where it says "server-port" Click the space after the equals sign and do not tap the space bar. Type the desired port number you would like. This is up in the air for you, but make it 5 characters or less. If you would like to have it in either survival or creative, go to the top where it says "gamemode". I believe the stock gamemode is "0", which is survival. If you want creative, delete that zero and put a "1" there without any space between that and the equals sign before it. If you want to see what my "server.properties" looks like, I'll attach it below. There are several resources out there with the number codes and patterns for the client, so you can customize restrictions and rules all you want.

 

Step 6: Removing Barriers (FOR WINDOWS SERVER ONLY)

 

Okay, since Windows Server has to be "secure", it blocks most incoming and outgoing ports, and we are going to need to open those up. Go into the Start menu and find the program labeled as "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security" or something along those lines. In the left menu, go to "Inbound Rules". Now go to the right and select "New Rule". In this Wizard, select "Port" and click next. Make sure "TCP" is marked for this first one and select "Specific local port". Here, type in the port you gave the Minecraft client earlier. Click next. Click "Allow the connection" and click next again. Make sure "Domain, private, public" are all checked and click next. Give this rule a name. I generally call it "Minecraft Server TCP".

Next, click "New rule" again, but this time, when it gives you the option for TCP or UDP, choose UDP. Everything else in this new rule is the exact same as I just stated above, just remember to give it the UDP. Name it "Minecraft Server UDP".

Finally, go to outbound rules and make two new rules with the exact same specifications as the two aforementioned ones, one TCP and one UDP. Then you're done!

 

Step 7: Getting it Online

 

Okay, this next part can be a wee tricky, but it's doable. Go to your router's web interface. This is generally 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1. To be sure, go to a Windows computer connected to the router and going into the Command Prompt (cmd). type in "ipconfig" and scroll down to "Default Gateway" This is your router's IP address. Type it into the Internet browser. Type in your username and password (If you don't know, search for default usernames and passwords for your router's brand). Go to a feature called "Port Forwarding". Make a new Port Forward. Make the service type TCP / UDP and the "Service" as other. At this point, go back to your new server and go into its command prompt and type in that same "ipconfig". Scroll down to see the "IPv4 address" Enter this address when you see something like "Server IP Address". Where it says "Starting Port" and "Ending Port", put the port number that you gave to the Minecraft server client earlier. Give it a name and save it.

At this point, start the client up from the batch file and let it run.

 

Step 8: Get Connected

 

Alright, now comes the easy part. Go to THIS WEBSITE. That IP address at the top is your external IP. Your server's IP will be:

EXTERNAL IP:PORT NUMBER. For example, 78.564.123.098:25565. Take your server's IP with the port number connected at the end with the colon and test it HERE. If it comes up at working, you're all set!! Put this into Minecraft and connect.

 

Step 9: Get Some Friends

 

To test the server's endurance, have a few friends come on and see how it handles that.

 

Start building and enjoy!!

 

Written by Logan C.S. on January 15th, 2016

ChexMixMondays server.properties.txt

[Godlygamer23]

I've decided to move this to Guides and Tutorials.

[DarkBlade2117]

Ehmm Step 9 would be an issue.

Nice tutorial

[CrustStation]

I've decided to move this to Guides and Tutorials.

Works for me!

[CrustStation]

Ehmm Step 9 would be an issue.

Nice tutorial

Thanks m8!

[Luc401]

I have a question for you since i do have a MC server running right now. I want the server to restart itself every night. I plan to do this by using task scheduler. But i need to make the command prompt save it self before it shuts down right. How do i get the server to /stop.

[Philcat101]

And this isn't a long and complicated tutorial?

/s

Good guide, will definitely help some people.

[CrustStation]

And this isn't a long and complicated tutorial?

/s

Good guide, will definitely help some people.

It's long, but not complicated I guess, haha.

[CrustStation]

I have a question for you since i do have a MC server running right now. I want the server to restart itself every night. I plan to do this by using task scheduler. But i need to make the command prompt save it self before it shuts down right. How do i get the server to /stop.

Hmmm... I don't see why you would need the command prompt to save itself. The way I have it is that it starts the server and that's it.

[kirashi]

Great tutorial! Up next: How to Run a Minecraft Server with any Modpack from FTB Launcher or Technic Launcher!

[AlTech]

Awesome, Now i need to find a way to get money so i can buy parts for this. ( I don't have anything lying around for me to use except a PSU, keyboard and mouse and monitor)

[Luc401]

Hmmm... I don't see why you would need the command prompt to save itself. The way i have it is that it starts the server and that's it.

If you want the server to correctly shutdown when i need to reboot the system, the server has to save itself right.. My server is located 1 hour away from me so everything has to be automated.

[CrustStation]

Great tutorial! Up next: How to Run a Minecraft Server with any Modpack from FTB Launcher or Technic Launcher!

Oh god, I don't know how to use MC server mods... But thanks!!

[CrustStation]

Awesome, Now i need to find a way to get money so i can buy parts for this. ( I don't have anything lying around for me to use except a PSU, keyboard and mouse and monitor)

eBay. Maybe pick up a a Dell OptiPlex USFF machine like I have. Look at THIS. It needs a hard drive, though.

[CrustStation]

If you want the server to correctly shutdown when i need to reboot the system, the server has to save itself right.. My server is located 1 hour away from me so everything has to be automated.

Usually, if it's Vanilla Minecraft, it'll autosave every 5 minutes or so.

[kirashi]

Oh god, I don't know how to use MC server mods... But thanks!!

 

Awe schucks. Alrighty, I'll search around then!

 

eBay. Maybe pick up a a Dell OptiPlex USFF machine like I have. Look at THIS. It needs a hard drive, though.

 

Good machine. I picked up the Optiplex 780 USFF for $99 after shipping and taxes last boxing day (Dec 26th in Canada) to run Windows-only stuff.

They work pretty good for being older Core 2/Core Duo machines and are nice n' quiet.

[CrustStation]

Awe schucks. Alrighty, I'll search around then!

 

 

Good machine. I picked up the Optiplex 780 USFF for $99 after shipping and taxes last boxing day (Dec 26th in Canada) to run Windows-only stuff.

They work pretty good for being older Core 2/Core Duo machines and are nice n' quiet.

Yeah! Mine's been loyal from the year it's been running!

[AlTech]

eBay. Maybe pick up a a Dell OptiPlex USFF machine like I have. Look at THIS. It needs a hard drive, though.

Damnit. It would also need an OS.

[CrustStation]

Damnit. It would also need an OS.

Eh. Try HERE. While I can't vouch for it's "legality" if you don't have a product key, but it works.

[manikyath]

you made A LOT of errors in there bro, i'll write up a compact list here for you to edit them in:

 

step1:

- a 2GHz P4 is NOT gonna run your server in any satisfying way, seeing none of my 4GHz P4's can even come close to a satisfying experience. on the amd side an athlon 64 should be "okay"-ish, on the intel side i REALLY cant recommend anything P4 or earlier, because earlier you're stuck on 32-bit, and P4 itself is a steaming turd.

- get a reliable power supply, as long as it gives out decently clean power and is not a fire hazard its fine for me.

- hard drive can be IDE for all i care, but the more time the server needs to load/unload chunks the more peformance is lost.

- make sure its not a vaccuum cleaner, your neighbors will hate you. (this is more so a sanity advice, than actual hardware choice advice)

 

step2:

- as much as this is a windows tutorial, i REALLY cant recommend running a minecraft server off of windows, because linux is free, and WAY faster at java for some reason. my minecraft server is on a windows machine, but its hosted on ubuntu server inside a virtualbox VM, because its NOTABLY faster that way.

- latest version of java and all the toys, maybe look into getting a remote management solution for a server, in whatever form you see fit. i prefer ssh, because its awesome.

- remove everything that takes up unnecessary cycles, and if for the love of god you decide to use windows, put it on the lowest system usage theme available. it'll actually be better.

 

step3:

- get the server jar, however i recommend looking into alternatives to the vanilla minecraft server like bukkit or spigot, or minecraft forge if you dont mind clientside mods. (trust me, "opis" will change the way you manage your server, forever.)

 

step4:

- i usually dont bother with -Xms, modern day java is perfectly capable without telling it the minimum amount of ram it should use.

 

step5:

- dont click the jar file, ever, its the wrong way to do things. if you have a script for your server, use it.

- i'm pretty sure eula is in a seperate file called eula.txt - since i doubt minecraft forge changes that. (i -always- run modded, refer to step 3 why)

- for port numbers, check the wikipedia article, since you just gave the worst possible description ever.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_TCP_and_UDP_port_numbers

use a port number that does not overlap with any commonly used services, and avoid ports commonly used for malicious intents

(21, 22, 80, 9000 are the worst ones off the top of my head. the first 3 are ports commonly used for malicious login attemps, 9000 is a port commonly used by malicious software)

- theres a decent guide about the options in server.properties on the official wiki, go take a look at it if you want to mess with it.

- especially on low end hardware i suggest turning down view distance to 8 or 7, since this literally halves the amount of chunks loaded around the player, at a very slight aesthetic cost for the player.

 

step6:

- i thought windows firewall was much, much simpler than that, but if you cant figure out windows firewall you shouldnt be messing with any kind of server to be honest...

(attacks can, and WILL happen, trust me.)

 

step7:

- repeating again, if you cant figure this out on your own, you probably shouldnt mess with servers. but if you insist, theres this really malicious website called portforward dot com that has a very detailed database on how to log in and portforward on every router in history, and will use it to try and sell you their malicious software.

 

step8:

- while you're in your router anyways, your external address is right there, the router's WAN side should be your external IP. this is also a good sanity check.

(if it isnt, you're in double NAT, where you need to rinse and repeat on the next router in line)

 

step9:

- get the "right" kind of friends, please. once again more of a sanity advice here, the kind of friend that straight up asks to be OP is the wrong kind of friend.

 

ps: this is all from testing and personal experience, i've been messing with minecraft server, and modded servers, since beta 1.7

(thats the 1.7 before minecraft 1.0 btw, not the 1.7 that recently happened)

@ get ready to edit things

[CrustStation]

you made A LOT of errors in there bro, i'll write up a compact list here for you to edit them in:

 

step1:

- a 2GHz P4 is NOT gonna run your server in any satisfying way, seeing none of my 4GHz P4's can even come close to a satisfying experience. on the amd side an athlon 64 should be "okay"-ish, on the intel side i REALLY cant recommend anything P4 or earlier, because earlier you're stuck on 32-bit, and P4 itself is a steaming turd.

- get a reliable power supply, as long as it gives out decently clean power and is not a fire hazard its fine for me.

- hard drive can be IDE for all i care, but the more time the server needs to load/unload chunks the more peformance is lost.

- make sure its not a vaccuum cleaner, your neighbors will hate you. (this is more so a sanity advice, than actual hardware choice advice)

 

step2:

- as much as this is a windows tutorial, i REALLY cant recommend running a minecraft server off of windows, because linux is free, and WAY faster at java for some reason. my minecraft server is on a windows machine, but its hosted on ubuntu server inside a virtualbox VM, because its NOTABLY faster that way.

- latest version of java and all the toys, maybe look into getting a remote management solution for a server, in whatever form you see fit. i prefer ssh, because its awesome.

- remove everything that takes up unnecessary cycles, and if for the love of god you decide to use windows, put it on the lowest system usage theme available. it'll actually be better.

 

step3:

- get the server jar, however i recommend looking into alternatives to the vanilla minecraft server like bukkit or spigot, or minecraft forge if you dont mind clientside mods. (trust me, "opis" will change the way you manage your server, forever.)

 

step4:

- i usually dont bother with -Xms, modern day java is perfectly capable without telling it the minimum amount of ram it should use.

 

step5:

- dont click the jar file, ever, its the wrong way to do things. if you have a script for your server, use it.

- i'm pretty sure eula is in a seperate file called eula.txt - since i doubt minecraft forge changes that. (i -always- run modded, refer to step 3 why)

- for port numbers, check the wikipedia article, since you just gave the worst possible description ever.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_TCP_and_UDP_port_numbers

use a port number that does not overlap with any commonly used services, and avoid ports commonly used for malicious intents

(21, 22, 80, 9000 are the worst ones off the top of my head. the first 3 are ports commonly used for malicious login attemps, 9000 is a port commonly used by malicious software)

- theres a decent guide about the options in server.properties on the official wiki, go take a look at it if you want to mess with it.

- especially on low end hardware i suggest turning down view distance to 8 or 7, since this literally halves the amount of chunks loaded around the player, at a very slight aesthetic cost for the player.

 

step6:

- i thought windows firewall was much, much simpler than that, but if you cant figure out windows firewall you shouldnt be messing with any kind of server to be honest...

(attacks can, and WILL happen, trust me.)

 

step7:

- repeating again, if you cant figure this out on your own, you probably shouldnt mess with servers. but if you insist, theres this really malicious website called portforward dot com that has a very detailed database on how to log in and portforward on every router in history, and will use it to try and sell you their malicious software.

 

step8:

- while you're in your router anyways, your external address is right there, the router's WAN side should be your external IP. this is also a good sanity check.

(if it isnt, you're in double NAT, where you need to rinse and repeat on the next router in line)

 

step9:

- get the "right" kind of friends, please. once again more of a sanity advice here, the kind of friend that straight up asks to be OP is the wrong kind of friend.

 

ps: this is all from testing and personal experience, i've been messing with minecraft server, and modded servers, since beta 1.7

(thats the 1.7 before minecraft 1.0 btw, not the 1.7 that recently happened)

@ get ready to edit things

Oh boy. Not these types of people. Please keep in mind this is a SIMPLE server tutorial. I don't think people will want to deal with the catastrophe that is Ubuntu Server. I ran a server client on a P4 for 2 years without a hickup, I just needed to move to something physically smaller, that's why I have the Dell now. As long as you don't use the ports used by SMB or FTP, I don't see how an advanced attack can occur. Again, this is a simple server for simple people with simple computers.

[manikyath]

Oh boy. Not these types of people. Please keep in mind this is a SIMPLE server tutorial. I don't think people will want to deal with the catastrophe that is Ubuntu Server. I ran a server client on a P4 for 2 years without a hickup, I just needed to move to something physically smaller, that's why I have the Dell now. As long as you don't use the ports used by SMB or FTP, I don't see how an advanced attack can occur. Again, this is a simple server for simple people with simple computers.

the issue with your "simple" tutorial is that hosting servers (especially public) is very, very dangerous. theres many bots out there that just go trough the entire IP range and knock whatever port the guy is looking for. finding a 5000 line pastebin dump with FTP enabled IP addresses is not only creepy, its plain scary.

 

theres also very big errors like your description of port numbers, which is very blatantly "wrong" as well as there being standards for which ports are doing what, and i'd rather not somone use 6969 because it was funny, and suddenly their brother's bittorent hangs.

 

all you're doing now is adding to the pile of useless tutorials because it not only is more complicated than most tutorials out there, its also less correct.

 

EDIT: as well as linux being very, very easy the moment you dive into possibilities:

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/402567-need-help-with-debian-start-script/#entry5428233

[CrustStation]

the issue with your "simple" tutorial is that hosting servers (especially public) is very, very dangerous. theres many bots out there that just go trough the entire IP range and knock whatever port the guy is looking for. finding a 5000 line pastebin dump with FTP enabled IP addresses is not only creepy, its plain scary.

 

theres also very big errors like your description of port numbers, which is very blatantly "wrong" as well as there being standards for which ports are doing what, and i'd rather not somone use 6969 because it was funny, and suddenly their brother's bittorent hangs.

 

all you're doing now is adding to the pile of useless tutorials because it not only is more complicated than most tutorials out there, its also less correct.

Gee thanks. I don't think the average Joe has a VPN / Firewall server.

[manikyath]

Gee thanks. I don't think the average Joe has a VPN / Firewall server.

i dont see myself mentioning those anywhere to be honest.

i dont have those available to myself either.

[NeatSquidYT]

What about port forwarding?