When your server hangs on Starting or drops back to Offline, the reason is almost always written in plain text in the Console log, and reading it is the fastest way to fix things.
The coloured status pill on the Console tab moves through a few states: Offline when nothing is running, Starting while the game boots, Running when it is online and joinable, and Stopping as it shuts down. A healthy start passes through Starting and settles on Running within a minute or so. When it gets stuck, the log tells you why.
How to read the console
Do not keep pressing Start. Instead, scroll the Console to the last several lines before it froze or crashed. Server logs are wordy, but the useful part is usually near the very bottom and often contains the word ERROR, FAILED, Exception or a message about what it could not do. That one line is your clue.
Common causes and fixes
- It is still installing. The first ever boot, or the first after a reinstall, downloads files and can sit on Starting longer than usual. Give it a few minutes and watch the log keep moving.
- A licence or agreement needs accepting. Some games refuse to start until you accept terms, the classic being Minecraft's eula.txt. Set the value to true (on the Files tab or via a Startup variable) and start again.
- Wrong or missing version. If the log complains about a version mismatch or a file it cannot find, check the Startup tab and confirm the version and server type are set correctly.
- Out of memory. A log that mentions running out of memory, or one that crashes just as the world loads, often means the plan needs more RAM. You can add RAM any time from guavahost.com/account, and billing is prorated.
- A bad plugin, mod or config. If the crash started right after you added something, that something is the suspect. Remove or rename the offending file on the Files tab and try again. The log frequently names the exact file.
- A corrupted world or save. If the server crashes at the moment it loads the world, the save may be damaged. Restore a healthy snapshot from the Backups tab, remembering that a restore overwrites current files.
A calm troubleshooting routine
- Read the last 10 to 20 lines of the Console and look for the first error, not the last one.
- Change one thing based on what it says, for example accept the licence, fix a version, or remove a plugin.
- Press Start and watch the log again.
- If it now gets further before failing, you are making progress; read the new error and repeat.
When to reinstall or restore
If the errors point to broken core files rather than your own content, a Reinstall from the Settings tab rebuilds the base install; take a backup first. If the errors point to your world or configs, a restore from the Backups tab is the better tool.
If you have read the log and still cannot tell what it means, copy the error lines and bring them to us. Half the battle is having that text ready.
Still stuck? Jump into our Discord at discord.gg/GuavaHost and the team will help you out.