How to Manage, Back Up, and Restore Your Runescape Dragonwilds Server Saves

Whether you are fending off dragons or hoarding hard-earned loot, your server's save data is your most precious asset. Understanding how to back up your progress and restore old saves is essential for a safe and smooth hosting experience.

Runescape Dragonwilds has a very specific rule for how it loads worlds. This guide will explain that logic and walk you through every step of managing your .sav files.

How World Loading Works

Before making any changes, it is critical to understand how the server decides which world to load:

• The "Most Recent" Rule: On startup, the server automatically looks inside the RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames folder and loads the most recently modified .sav file.

• Fresh Starts: If no valid .sav file exists in that folder, the server will automatically generate a brand new default world.

Because of this system, simply uploading a backup file makes it the most recently modified, meaning the server will automatically select it upon the next startup.

How to Back Up Your Server Data

Regular backups are your best defense against data corruption or accidental progress loss.

1. Go to the Actions tab and click Shutdown. This is to avoid any files from corrupting.

   

    

2. Navigate to your Server Panel and open the File Manager and go to the following directory: RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames

   

    

3. Locate your active .sav file(s).

4. Download or copy the .sav files to a safe location on your computer.

   

    

Tip: Once downloaded, you can rename the file on your PC (e.g., Backup_Jan15.sav) to easily keep track of different versions.

How to Restore Your Server Data

If you need to roll back your server to a previous state, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Actions tab and click Shutdown. Never swap files while the server is running!

   

    

2. Open the File Manager and navigate again to: RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames

   

    

3. Replace the current .sav file with your backup file by dragging and dropping your downloaded file to the upload bubble above the path. (You can delete the corrupted/unwanted save and upload your backup).

   

   

Important Reminder for Server Names: Make sure the uploaded .sav file name is exactly the same as the "World Name" in your server's Basic Settings. If you renamed your file while backing it up (e.g., Backup_Jan15.sav), you must rename it back to your original world name before starting the server. Otherwise, when you search for your server in the multiplayer browser, it will show up under the saved file's name ("Backup_Jan15") instead of the name you originally set up!

4. Go back to the Actions tab and click Restart.

   

    

The server will detect your uploaded backup as the most recently modified file and load it.

Troubleshooting

• My server name changed in the server browser!

  • As mentioned in the reminder above, the game pulls the server name directly from the save file. If your restored backup file was named Backup_Jan15.sav, your server will show up as "Backup_Jan15" in the browser. To fix this, shut down the server, rename the .sav file in the File Manager to match your desired server name, and restart.

• The server is still loading the corrupted/old world instead of my backup.

  • The server strictly loads the most recently modified .sav file. Sometimes, transferring files can mess with the file's timestamp, causing the server to think the old world is newer. To force it to load your backup, shut down the server, delete the old .sav file from the RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames folder completely, leave only your newly uploaded backup .sav file, and restart.

• The server crashes immediately after startup.

  • This usually happens if the server was still running when you uploaded or swapped the backup file, which causes the save data to corrupt. Always ensure the server status is fully stopped before modifying files. If this happens, delete the corrupted file, ensure the server is off, and re-upload a fresh copy of your backup.

Conclusion

By mastering the RSDragonwilds/Saved/Savegames folder, you have complete control over your server's timeline. Always remember the golden rule: shut down your server before moving files, and keep in mind that the server will always prioritize the most recently modified save file.

If you run into any issues or if the server refuses to load your backup, feel free to reach out to our support team for assistance!

Happy adventuring!