How to Update or Switch Your Minecraft Modpack

Updating a modpack (a newer version of the same pack) and switching to a different pack are two related jobs. Both start with a backup, and neither needs the Format Server button - that wipes everything. If you haven’t installed a pack yet, start with Install a Modpack with the Modpack Manager.

Update your modpack

Update server-side to stay in sync with your players’ client version and avoid connection errors. The Modpack Manager handles most updates.

1. Back up your server, then stop it.
2. Delete the mods folder from the root directory.
3. Open Tools → Modpack Manager, find your installed pack, and click Install.
4. Select the new version. Do not tick Format Server.
5. Start your server, then connect with the updated client pack to verify.

Server won’t start after updating?

1. Check the logs - they usually name the cause: a missing mod, an incomplete extraction, or the wrong Java version.
2. Check your Java version - a newer pack may need a newer one. Verify it against the Java version requirements.
3. Re-run the update - confirm you did not tick Format Server, delete the mods folder, and reinstall.
4. Restore your backup - if nothing else works, restore the backup you took before updating and start over.

Switch to a different modpack

A single server runs one modpack at a time. To swap packs but keep your current world, archive the whole server first so you can restore it later - don’t use Format Server.

1. Archive your current server

1. Stop your server.
2. In the Game Panel, open File Manager.
3. Select all files and folders in the root directory and click Compress - this creates a .tar.gz archive in the root.
4. Optionally download the archive as an extra local backup.

2. Install the new modpack

1. In the File Manager, delete everything in the root directory except the archive you just made.
2. Open Tools → Modpack Manager, search for the new pack, and click Install.
3. Do not tick Format Server - your directory is already clear.
4. Start your server and connect with the matching client pack to confirm.

3. Switch back later

1. Stop your server.
2. In the File Manager, delete the current pack’s files - keep everything except your archive from step 1.
3. Select the archive and click Decompress.
4. Start your server. It loads your previous pack and world exactly as you left it.

Automatic backups

WinterNode automatically backs up your server every 12 hours, at roughly 2-3 AM and 2-3 PM Central. If you lost files - for example by ticking Format Server during a switch - contact support; we can often restore from a recent snapshot as long as the loss was within the backup window.

Still not working?

Contact our support team with your Server UUID, roughly when the issue started (so we can match an automatic backup), and the names of the modpacks involved.