Team Fortress 2
Whenever Valve releases a new update for Team Fortress 2 - whether it is a major seasonal event like Scream Fortress, a new crate drop, or just updating localization files - your server needs to be updated to match. If your server is running an older version of the game, players will get a "Server is running an older version of the game" error when they try to join.
Updating your MintServers host is a very quick process that will not delete your custom maps or plugins. Let us get your server updated!
While standard TF2 updates rarely break server files, it is always a good practice to navigate to the Backups tab and create a manual backup before updating, especially if you rely on complex SourceMod plugins that might need to be updated as well!
Method 1: Restarting Your Server (Auto-Update)
Because Team Fortress 2 runs through SteamCMD, the easiest way to update your server is simply by rebooting it. By default, most MintServers Source engine games check for updates every time they start.
- Log into your MintServers panel.
- Navigate to the Console tab on the left-hand sidebar.
- Click the Restart button (or click Stop and then Start).
- Watch the console output. As the server boots up, it will connect to Steam, check your current game version, and automatically download any missing or updated files.
- Once the console says the server has successfully started, your update is complete!
Method 2: Using the Reinstall Button (Manual Update)
If a simple restart did not fetch the new update, or if your server files have become corrupted and you want to force SteamCMD to verify and re-download the core game files, you can use the Reinstall feature.
- Log into your MintServers panel and click the Stop button to shut down your server safely.
- On the left-hand sidebar, navigate to the Settings tab.
- Click the Reinstall Server button.
- A prompt will ask you to confirm. Accept it. Do not worry - this process only replaces and updates the core Valve game engine files. It will not delete your custom maps, SourceMod configurations, or plugins.
- Wait a minute or two for the process to finish. You can watch the download progress in the Console tab.
- Once the installation is complete, click Start to boot up your updated server.
🛠️ Troubleshooting Version Mismatches
If you launch the game and still get a version mismatch error when trying to join, double-check that your personal Steam client has fully downloaded its own update.
If your server crashes after an update, it is highly likely that a SourceMod plugin or extension broke and needs to be updated by its creator. No worries! Let us fix that together. If you need a hand figuring out why your server will not start after an update, just open a support ticket and our team will gladly jump in and instruct you on how to resolve the issue!