Start and stop an ARK Ascended dedicated server on Windows

Launch model

YARK starts {installDir}/ShooterGame/Binaries/Win64/ArkAscendedServer.exe directly (no .cmd / cmd /c wrapper).

CLI vs INI

Concern	Where it lives
Map + session name	CLI map URL (token?SessionName=…)
Game port	CLI -port= and INI SessionSettings.Port
Max players	CLI -WinLiveMaxPlayers= (ASA ignores INI MaxPlayers; omit and ASA defaults to 70)
Platform	CLI -ServerPlatform=ALL (unless you set it in extra args)
Enabled mods	CLI -mods=id1,id2,… (includes CurseForge map packs)
Cluster trio	CLI when both cluster ID and directory are set
RCON enable/port	INI only
Admin / server password	INI only
Query port	INI only

Danger

Never put RCON, passwords, or query port on the command line. YARK syncs those into GameUserSettings.ini before start.

Example logical command lines:

"TheIsland_WP"?SessionName="MyServer" -port=7777 -WinLiveMaxPlayers=70 -ServerPlatform=ALL -mods=123,456
"Svartalfheim_WP"?SessionName="MyMap" -port=7777 -WinLiveMaxPlayers=70 -ServerPlatform=ALL -mods=962796

Custom / modded maps use the same shape: author launch token in the map URL, and the map pack Project ID on -mods=. YARK strips ASE ActiveMapMod. -MapModID= is added only for official-token remasters (launch token is a known official map and a linked mapModId is enabled) — otherwise token + -mods= only. See Mods → Maps / custom worlds.

Launch tab

The workspace Launch tab is where you edit curated ASA command-line options, Extra arguments, and preview the full command line before Start. Prefer structured toggles for common flags; keep one-off tokens in Extra arguments. A search field filters flags by token, description, or group while keeping Extra arguments and the command preview visible. A browseable catalog (wiki-sourced metadata) is available from that tab when you need examples.

Map identity checks

Before Start, YARK blocks when a custom map’s linked map mod is missing from the mods list, disabled, or unset. The Launch tab shows a yellow alert for the same cases so you can fix Map / Mods before attempting a boot. Official maps do not use that link.

Ready = RCON, not just a process

After spawn, status stays starting until RCON ListPlayers succeeds on 127.0.0.1 (poll ~3s, timeout up to 10 minutes). Timeout → error and the process is terminated.

Actions

Start

1. Check ports against other active servers
2. Sync profile networking/passwords into INI
3. Spawn the dedicated exe
4. Wait for RCON readiness → running

Stop

1. RCON SaveWorld + short wait
2. RCON DoExit (force-kill fallback)
3. Best-effort pre_stop backup (world) unless the caller skipped backups Stop is single-flight; other ops wait or reject while the stop backup runs.

Restart

One backend operation under a single lock:
stop (no nested pre_stop) → fail-hard pre_restart backup → start.
If the backup fails, the server stays stopped and start is not called.

Force close

Immediate terminate for stuck processes. Confirmed in the UI. Prefer normal stop when possible.

Runtime logs vs native console

Mode	What you get
Piped (default)	Hidden process; Runtime tails ShooterGame.log plus any stdout/stderr
Native console on	Separate ASA console window and the same ShooterGame.log tail in Runtime

Both modes append -log so Unreal writes the disk log. Runtime is cleared on the next Start, not when the process crashes.

Auto-start with YARK

On each server’s Server tab (Startup), you can opt in to Auto-start with YARK (default off). After leave-running reattach finishes, eligible stopped servers start one after another through the normal start path. Inactive profiles, servers already running, and uncertain reattach cases are skipped (with audit events). Settings shows a summary of opted-in profiles. This is separate from Start with Windows.

Scheduled maintenance

The workspace Maintenance tab can schedule a graceful restart (with player chat warnings and backup), an optional wild dino wipe after that restart, and opt-in auto-update when Steam reports a newer dedicated build. Jobs only run while YARK is open. See Maintenance.

Move installation

When a server is stopped and idle, Move installation relocates the install folder: same-drive rename in place, or cross-drive copy with live progress, then verifies, updates the profile path, and removes the previous folder. If a same-drive rename is cancelled or commit fails, YARK renames the folder back so the profile is not left pointing at an empty source. The install path is read-only in normal server editing — use Move instead of typing a new path.

Remove or delete a server

Overview card kebab / context menu → Delete server:

Mode	Result
Remove from YARK only (default when a choice is shown)	Profile gone; ASA folder kept for manual launch or later Import
Delete everything	Profile + recursive wipe of the install folder

Empty never-installed folders skip the choice and always wipe (with a live emptiness recheck). Disable is separate — the profile stays in YARK but cannot start.

Quit YARK vs close to tray

Close window to tray (default on) hides YARK when you close the window — servers and scheduled jobs keep running. To exit for real, use the tray Quit YARK menu or the sidebar footer Quit YARK control (confirm first). If servers are still running, YARK asks you to Stop them safely before exit.

Common pitfalls

1. Treating “process started” as ready — wait for RCON
2. Port clash with another profile
3. Ignoring Runtime after a crash — ShooterGame.log stays there until the next Start
4. Assuming restart skips backups — it takes a fail-hard pre_restart snapshot
5. Expecting Auto-start to run while the profile is Inactive or still reattaching
6. Custom map token without the map pack enabled on Mods (or Map still on an official world)

See also Mods, Backups, Logs, and Settings.