0 Always start here: read the console

txAdmin's dashboard often shows a vague "server failed to start" while the actual cause is printed in the Live Console a few lines up. Before changing anything:

  • Open txAdmin → Live Console (or your host's server console).
  • Scroll to the first error/SCRIPT ERROR/couldn't line — that's your real problem, not the last line.
  • Copy that exact line; it usually names the resource, file, or convar at fault.

1 "Invalid license key" / server won't list

sv_licenseKey is not set / invalid license key

Your server needs a Cfx.re key from keymaster.fivem.net.

  • Set it in server.cfg: sv_licenseKey "cfxk_...".
  • One key per server. Re-using a key across two running servers will knock one offline.
  • Keys can be IP-locked — if you changed host/IP, regenerate the key in keymaster for the new IP.
  • Never paste your key in a public Discord or paste-bin; treat it like a password.
Building your config? Our server.cfg generator puts the license key, endpoints and OneSync in the right place with safe defaults.

2 Wrong FXServer artifact version

server is running an outdated version / this artifact is too new

FXServer ships as numbered "artifacts," and resources/frameworks target certain ranges. If yours is too old (or bleeding-edge), things break.

  • Use a recommended artifact, not the absolute latest, for stability.
  • Most panels (including ours) have an artifact/version selector — switch it, then restart.
  • After a big GTA update, you may also need sv_enforceGameBuild set to match the content your scripts expect.

3 Database won't connect (oxmysql / mysql-async)

[oxmysql] failed to connect / ECONNREFUSED / Access denied for user

Framework servers (ESX, QBCore) need a MySQL database. This error means the connection string is wrong or the database isn't running.

  • Set the connection convar in server.cfg, e.g.:
    set mysql_connection_string "mysql://user:password@localhost/database?charset=utf8mb4"
  • Check the host, user, password and database name match what your panel gave you exactly.
  • ECONNREFUSED = the database service isn't running or the host/port is wrong. Access denied = wrong user/password.
  • Make sure you actually imported the framework's SQL into the database.

4 Port already in use

Could not bind on 0.0.0.0:30120 / address already in use

Something is already using your server's port (default 30120) — usually a previous instance that didn't fully stop, or two servers set to the same port.

  • Make sure only one server is running on that port. Fully stop the old one.
  • On a shared panel, your port is assigned — match the endpoint_add_tcp/endpoint_add_udp lines to the port your host gave you.
  • Both the TCP and UDP endpoint lines should use the same port.

5 A resource fails to load

Failed to load resource X / Could not find dependency Y / manifest error

One bad resource can stop a server or spam the console. The console line names which one.

  • Manifest error → the resource's fxmanifest.lua is malformed. Rebuild it cleanly with our fxmanifest.lua generator.
  • Missing dependency → start the dependency first (e.g. oxmysql, ox_lib before the scripts that use them).
  • Load order → ensure shared libraries near the top of your cfg, frameworks next, then everything else.
  • Isolate it: comment out the resource's ensure line, restart, and confirm the server boots without it.

6 Locked out of txAdmin (lost PIN / password)

txAdmin admin accounts are recovered through the server console, which your host's panel gives you access to:

  • On first run with no admins, txAdmin prints a one-time setup PIN in the console — use it to create your master account.
  • If you've lost access to an existing account, txAdmin offers a master-account recovery flow from the console. Restart the server and watch the console output for the recovery prompt/link.
  • Because recovery runs through the console, whoever controls the server files controls txAdmin — so keep panel access locked down.
Exact steps shift between txAdmin versions. If the console prompt looks different from this, follow the wording it shows — it walks you through recovery. The official txAdmin docs have the current flow.

7 "Server thread hitch" / hangs & warnings

server thread hitch warning / hardcap / sv_main thread hitch

These aren't startup errors — they're performance warnings that a tick took too long. A heavy resource or a tight loop is the usual cause.

Don't guess: paste your resmon output into our FiveM Performance Analyzer, or read the full fix-FiveM-lag guide to find the resource eating your tick.

Fewer errors start with a better host

Solace runs FiveM on high-clock dedicated CPUs with NVMe storage, DDoS protection, an artifact version selector and pre-installed txAdmin — so most of the above is one click, not an afternoon.

View FiveM hosting

8 Quick recap

  1. Read the live console — the real error is there, not in txAdmin's summary.
  2. License key: set, valid, one per server, matches your IP.
  3. Artifact: use a recommended version; set sv_enforceGameBuild if needed.
  4. Database: correct connection string, service running, SQL imported.
  5. Port: one server per port; TCP + UDP match.
  6. Resources: fix the manifest, satisfy dependencies, get the load order right.
  7. Locked out: recover the admin account from the console.

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