# Run Packs Server

> Check on Packs Server, read its log, give it more memory, update it, and uninstall it.

Source: https://oasis-protection.com/docs/packs-server/operations/

Once [Packs Server is set up](/docs/packs-server/setup/), it looks after itself. This page covers the few things you might do now and then. Run every command here as root, on the machine that runs Packs Server.

## Check on it

To check on Packs Server, run `packs status`. It shows how busy it is, which Minecraft servers are connected, and the last problem it ran into. Add a store’s name, like `packs status survival`, to see only that store. [The `packs` command](/docs/packs-server/cli/#packs-status) explains each line.

For the full log, run `journalctl -u packs-server`. Add `-f` to follow it as it grows.

## Start, stop and restart

Packs Server runs as the `packs-server` service, under a user of its own called `packs`. Manage it with `systemctl`:

Terminal window

```sh
systemctl restart packs-server
systemctl stop packs-server
systemctl start packs-server
```

If Packs Server crashes, the service starts it again after 5 seconds. While it’s down, your Minecraft server keeps logging, and Oasis sends the edits over once it’s back. See [If Packs Server goes down](/docs/packs-server/setup/#if-packs-server-goes-down).

## Change its settings

Packs Server’s settings live in `/etc/packs/packs-server.properties`. [packs-server.properties](/docs/packs-server/properties/) explains each one. Run `systemctl restart packs-server` after you edit the file.

## Give Packs Server more memory

Packs Server gets 2 GB of memory by default. It always runs on Java 25 with the ZGC garbage collector, so you don’t set any Java flags yourself. To give it more memory, run `systemctl edit packs-server`, add these two lines, and then run `systemctl restart packs-server`:

```ini
[Service]
Environment=PACKS_HEAP=4g
```

`PACKS_HEAP` takes the same sizes as Java’s `-Xmx`, like `3g` or `3072m`.

## Update it

To update Packs Server and nothing else on the machine, run:

**Debian and Ubuntu**

Terminal window

```sh
apt update
apt install --only-upgrade packs
```

If `apt update` brings no new Packs Server, look at `/etc/apt/sources.list.d/packs.list`. It must name `packs-server-deb` or `packs-server-deb-dev`. If it names `packs-server` or `packs-server-dev`, run the block in [Install Packs Server](/docs/packs-server/setup/#1-install-packs-server) again.

**Fedora and RHEL**

Terminal window

```sh
dnf upgrade packs
```

**openSUSE**

Terminal window

```sh
zypper update packs
```

**Arch Linux**

Terminal window

```sh
pacman -Syu
```

Arch updates the whole system at once, because it doesn’t support updating one package alone.

The update restarts Packs Server by itself. Update Oasis at the same time. [Updating](/docs/updating/) says what happens when the two don’t match.

## Where things are

With the default settings, Packs Server keeps its files here:

| Path                                 | What it holds                                |
| ------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- |
| `/etc/packs/packs-server.properties` | The settings                                 |
| `/var/lib/packs`                     | Your history and the keys                    |
| `/run/packs/packs-server.sock`       | The socket that the `packs` command talks to |
| `/opt/packs/packs.jar`               | Packs Server itself                          |

## Uninstall it

**Debian and Ubuntu**

`apt remove packs` uninstalls Packs Server but keeps your history in `/var/lib/packs`. Even `apt purge packs` only deletes the settings in `/etc/packs` and leaves your history alone.

**Fedora and RHEL**

`dnf remove packs` uninstalls Packs Server but keeps your history in `/var/lib/packs` and the settings in `/etc/packs`.

**openSUSE**

`zypper remove packs` uninstalls Packs Server but keeps your history in `/var/lib/packs` and the settings in `/etc/packs`.

**Arch Linux**

`pacman -R packs` uninstalls Packs Server but keeps your history in `/var/lib/packs` and the settings in `/etc/packs`.