Startup Issue with Project Zomboid - Project Zomboid stalled at "Starting Project Zomboid"

System Information

Field Value
Operating System Linux - Debian GNU/Linux 13 on x86_64
Product AMP ‘Proteus’ v2.8.0.4 (Mainline)
Virtualization Podman
Application Project Zomboid
Module GenericModule
Running in Container Yes
Current State Starting

Problem Description

Issue

New Project Zomboid instances seem to hang on the “Starting Project Zomboid” process. Reinstalling, restarting, etc. have not helped the issue.

Reproduction Steps

  • Install new Project Zomboid instance
  • Left it running to start
  • Uninstalled and removed the instance
  • Restarted the system
  • Second attempt at installing new Project Zomboid instance

Update (solved):

The server status was hanging because no admin password was set by default. This caused an error and prompted the user to set one. AMP should probably include a default password on setup.

LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,961,299> version=42.20.0 a2947723ca demo=false
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,961,300> revision=a2947723ca
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,961,303> map_t.bin does not exist, cannot determine the server's WorldVersion.  This is ok the first time a server is started.
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,961,304> Loading networking libraries...
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,961,304> Loading steam_api...
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,961,304> Loading RakNet64...
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,961,305> Loading ZNetJNI64...
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,961,307> SteamUtils initialised successfully
[S_API] SteamAPI_Init(): Loaded local 'steamclient.so' OK.
Setting breakpad minidump AppID = 108600
SteamInternal_SetMinidumpSteamID:  Caching Steam ID:  76561197960265728 [API loaded no]
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,961,995> Waiting for response from Steam servers

LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,962,736> compressionElapsed=25ms, mergingElapsed=13ms
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,962,737> Backup made in 40 ms
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,962,808> User 'admin' not found, creating it
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,962,808> Command line admin password: null
LOG  : General      f:0 st:192,962,808> Enter new administrator password:

You can define an admin password inside the Project Zomboid settings or you can enter one in realtime in the console as the game starts.