How to Change Your Minecraft Server Modpack

7 min. readlast update: 10.17.2023

Switching modpacks on your SimpleGameHosting Minecraft Server takes just a few steps to get everything prepared. Let's go over the best way to change or switch your server's modpack. 

🛑 IMPORTANT: Before switching modpacks, knowing how much RAM you will need is crucial. 

👉 How Much RAM Modpack Servers Need

The amount of RAM required for a modded Minecraft server depends on a couple of primary factors such as the number of mods and number of players. Modpack servers usually aren't designed to have more than 5-10 players at a time. Because of this, the below guide assumes no more than 10 players max on a server with a modpack. 

📌 Check out our new RAM Calculator to find the perfect Minecraft Server plan for your needs!

General Guide

  • Vanilla Server: 2 GB RAM
  • Light Modpacks (fewer than 100 mods): 4-6 GB RAM
  • Moderate Modpacks (100-200 mods): 6-8 GB RAM
  • Heavy Modpacks (200+ mods): 8-10- GB RAM
⚡️ If you are experiencing lag or crashing on your server after installing a modpack, it is most likely a RAM issue. Upgrading your server may be needed. You can monitor RAM usage on your Panel

Step 1: Log Into SimpleGameHosting Panel

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To get started with switching Modpacks on your server, you first need to access the SimpleGameHosting Control Panel. From here, log in to your account with the information you set up after purchasing your server. 

Once you log in, select your server by pressing "Manage Server." You will then be taken to the Console page. 

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From here, ensure your server is stopped/not running. You can stop your server by hitting 'Stop' in the console. Once the status changes to "Offline," your server has safely shut down. 

Step 2: Creating Your New World

🛑 Changing Modpacks on your server will require you to fully change worlds. This means you will lose all progress in your current world. If you would like to keep your world, create a backup with our guide here. 

Navigate to the File Manager in the menu bar. Select all files except 'eula.txt.'

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You can do this easily by selecting the first checkbox at the top of the page. Then, scroll down until you see the EULA file and uncheck it. 

If you accidentally delete the 'eula.txt' file, you will have the opportunity to accept it later. However, it's usually easier to just leave it in your File Manager.  

Next, hit the red "Delete" button at the bottom of the screen. 

You will now have a prompt to confirm you would like to delete essential files from your server. Hit 'Delete' once again to move forward with switching modpacks. 

Step 3: Uninstall Old Modpack

After deleting the files in the File Manager, navigate to the Modpacks page in the menu bar. At the top of the page, you will see the name of the current Modpack that is installed on your server. Next to it (on the right) you will see an 'Uninstall' button. Click this to uninstall the old Modpack. 

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You will be prompted to confirm that you would like to uninstall the old modpack. Hit 'Yes' to continue. 

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NOTE: If you get an error that your server failed to perform the reinstallation, go back to 'Console' in the menu bar, and hit 'Kill' in the console to terminate the server fully. Then, go back to 'Modpacks' and hit Uninstall. 

Step 4: Install New Modpack

Once your old modpack is uninstalled, you can now use the Modpacks installer to search for a new one. On this page, you can search for CurseForge, Modrinth, FTB, Technic, and Voidswrath modpacks. 

For 'Results,' select 12 and hit Search. This will show the top 12 modpacks for each type. 

You can also search for specific modpacks you would like to install. 

For version, it's almost always best to select the one at the bottom of the list, as this is the latest version. You can check the release date directly on this page to see the newest one. 

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With the version of the modpack selected, hit the 'Install' button to begin adding the modpack to your server. 

You will now have a prompt to confirm you would like to install a new modpack. Hit the red 'Yes' button to proceed. 

👋 This will take a few minutes to install on your server. Depending on the size of the modpack, it may require a few minutes of waiting. You will not be able to access your panel during installation. 

Step 5: Start Server

Once the server has finished the installation process, head back to the 'Console' page in the menu bar. You can now hit the purple 'Start' button in your console.

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Note: Modpack servers can take several minutes to start for the first time. It isn't uncommon for a server to take 5 minutes to start with a large mods folder. 

EULA Acceptance

If you deleted your 'eula.txt' file when removing the files from your server, you will need to accept it before your server will start. Normally, a popup will display on the screen asking you to accept the EULA. 

If you don't see a popup, it's likely that your Console is frozen. In the text box, type 'true' and hit enter on your keyboard. This will accept the EULA and continue starting your server. 

Step 6: Install Modpack Locally

Once your server is running, you will now need to move on to installing the modpack on your computer. For this example, we used a CurseForge modpack, so we will use the CurseForge app to install the modpack on our computer. 

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🛑 IMPORTANT: You and everyone playing on the server will need to download and launch the modpack in order to join the server. You will not be able to join without running the modpack on your computer. 

Modpack Launchers

Open the pack launcher that you are using, and search for the modpack you installed on your server. Once that is installed on your machine, launch it through the platform where you installed it. 

When the application opens, you may need to log in to your Microsoft/Mojang account. After logging in, you can hit the green 'Play' button as usual to open Minecraft. 

Optional: Allocate Additional RAM

🛑 Modpacks are incredibly resource intensive on both servers and your local machine. With a lot of modpacks, you may need to allocate more RAM to your game than the default amount. 

In the Minecraft launcher, select "Installations" at the top. Then, find the installation you just added with the name of your new modpack. Hover over it and hit the three dots. From this point, hit "Edit." 

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Scroll down to the bottom and hit "More Options." Now, find the "JVM Arguments" text box. 

At the beginning of the line of text, you will see “-Xmx2G” or “-Xmx4000M." The numbers may change depending on how much RAM is already dedicated to the game. Change these numbers to increase the RAM. The amount you need will depend on the modpack you choose. 

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With the changes added, hit "Save." 

Step 7: Play Your New Modpack

Once you launch the new modpack on your computer, you can hit the "Multiplayer" button to see the list of servers. Hit "Add Server," and paste the IP Address of your server here. 

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You can find the IP address of your server on the Panel. Hit the two squares next to the IP address to copy it.

Hit "Done" to return to the Multiplayer screen. Now, select your server and hit 'Join Server.'

Modpack servers can take a few minutes to join sometimes, depending on the size of the pack. 

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😃 If you have any questions about adding a new modpack to your server or need help with anything else, reach out to us in the bottom corner of the screen to chat with one of our Support Agents! 

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