One of the most critical aspects of running a game server is ensuring your data is safe. Whether it's a corrupted world file, a rogue mod, or an accidental deletion, having a recent backup can save you dozens of hours of lost progress.
At East Gate Hosting, we highly recommend setting up automated, scheduled backups so you never have to remember to do it manually.
This guide will walk you through setting up a recurring backup schedule inside the Game Server Panel (Pterodactyl).
Prerequisites
Before proceeding, please ensure:
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You can log in to East Gate Game Panel.
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Your server plan has Backup Slots allocated. Game hosting plans should have 3 slots available by default.
Step 1: Navigate to Schedules
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Log in to the East Gate Game Panel.
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Click on the specific server you wish to manage.
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On the top menu, click on Schedules.
Step 2: Create a New Schedule
A "Schedule" acts as the trigger mechanism. It tells the server when to do something, but not what to do yet.
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On the Schedules page, click the blue Create Schedule button.
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You will be presented with a box to define the time. Give your schedule a name (e.g., "Daily Midnight Backup").
Understanding the Time Settings (Cron Syntax)
The panel uses standard "Cron" syntax to determine when tasks run. Five boxes correspond to: Minute, Hour, Day of Month, Month, and Day of Week.
Use an asterisk (*) to mean "every."
Here are the most common configurations our customers use:
Option A: Once Daily at Midnight (Recommended) - This will run every night at 00:00 server time.
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Minute:
0 -
Hour:
0 -
Day of Month:
* -
Month:
* -
Day of Week:
*
Option B: Weekly on Sunday Morning - This runs once a week, at 3:30 AM on Sundays.
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Minute:
30 -
Hour:
3 -
Day of Month:
* -
Month:
* -
Day of Week:
0(0 represents Sunday)
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Once you have entered your desired times, click the blue Create Schedule button at the bottom of the dialog box.
Step 3: Assign the Backup Task to the Schedule
You now have a trigger, but it doesn't know what action to perform.
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You should now see your new schedule listed on the page. Click on the name of the schedule (e.g., click on "Daily Midnight Backup").
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On the next page, click the blue New Task button in the top right.
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A "Create Task" box will appear.
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Under the Action dropdown menu, select Create Backup.
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(Optional) Ignored Files: If there are specific large files or folders you do not want to back up (like dynamic maps or massive log files), list them here to save space. Otherwise, leave it blank to back up everything.
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Click Create Task.
Success!
Your setup is complete. You will see the task listed under the schedule. The server will now automatically execute a backup according to the times you defined.
You can verify your backups are running by checking the Backups tab on the topbar menu the day after your first scheduled run.
Troubleshooting FAQs
Q: My scheduled backup failed. Why? A: The most common reason is running out of storage space or backup slots. Check the main dashboard to ensure you haven't exceeded your disk limit or your allocated number of backup slots. If your disk is full, the backup cannot be created.
Q: Can I run a backup manually right now? A: Yes. Just click the Backups tab on the top bar, then click the Create Backup button. Manual backups do not interfere with scheduled ones, provided you have enough slots.
