If your server reports No space left on device, the storage space has been used up. This is more than a startup problem: As long as there is no free space, the server can no longer save the world either — game progress will then be lost, even if the server appears to keep running. So the order is: back up first, clean up next, then start.

First: Why this is dangerous

A full disk shows up in two messages that belong together:

java.io.IOException: No space left on device
Could not save data to /home/container/world/data/raids.dat

The second one is the more serious one. It means the server wanted to write a world file and could not. If this happens during automatic saving, the affected changes are gone — built structures, inventories, progress since the last successful save.

That is why you should follow this process, in this order:

  1. Stop the server. A running server keeps writing and can leave behind an inconsistent world while you are cleaning up.
  2. Create a backup. Download a backup or at least the world folder — while there is still space. On a completely full disk, creating a new backup may no longer be possible.
  3. Only then delete files.

If you reverse this order and clean up while the server is running, you may solve the storage problem but trade it for world damage.

How much space do you really have?

In the panel, the “Storage” display shows usage in relation to your plan limit in GB. These two numbers decide what to do next:

  • Usage just below the limit, cause visible (an old modpack archive, a world folder from the previous season) → cleaning up is enough.
  • Usage permanently at the limit, nothing obviously disposable → the plan is too small for what you are running.

You can also set up a disk usage warning that triggers before the storage is full. That is the much more comfortable option, because an alert at 85 percent costs you five minutes of cleanup, while a full file system turns into an emergency.

The usual space hogs

Across all games

Candidate Where Safe to delete?
Log files logs/ Yes — reproducible, no game progress
Crash reports crash-reports/ Yes, after reading them
Uploaded archives Server directory, .zip / .tar.gz Yes, if you still have the source
Old world folders Server directory Download first, then delete
Your own backups in the server directory backups/ First check which ones you still need

Log files are the underestimated item. A server with a chatty plugin writes gigabytes of logs over weeks without anyone noticing — until nothing works anymore.

Minecraft

By far the largest part of a Minecraft world is in the region/ folder. That is where the .mca files with the actual chunk data are stored; a single file can range from around 100 KB to several MB. Then there are the dimensions: in current versions, the Nether and End are under dimensions/minecraft/the_nether and dimensions/minecraft/the_end (in older worlds, DIM-1 and DIM1).

Important: Do not delete individual .mca files to free up space. You would remove parts of your world, often exactly the areas where someone has built something. If the world itself has become too large, a world border (worldborder) and a fresh start are the better route — or a larger plan.

Smaller than expected are level.dat, playerdata/, and data/. Cleaning up there is not worth it, but the risk is.

Large Steam games

With ARK, CS2, or Palworld, the world is often not the problem; the game installation itself is. CS2 takes up around 66.5 GB before any player has even connected. If a reinstall or larger update is added on top, the process needs extra space for the new files before the old ones are gone. If the plan is tight, the update fails — not because of an error, but simply because there is no space.

What happens if you do nothing

  • The server will no longer start. If there is not enough space, the server management system refuses startup with a note about insufficient storage. This is not a defect, but a protection measure: A server that starts without write access creates exactly the world damage described above.
  • Saving fails. If the server is still running, changes are silently lost.
  • A downgrade is blocked. If the used amount does not fit into the smaller plan, we prevent the downgrade and show you the exact numbers — used versus available. This is intentional: A downgrade that cuts off data would be the most expensive way to save storage.

Clean up safely: the order

  1. Stop the server.
  2. Secure a backup or download the world folder.
  3. Delete logs and crash reports. Biggest effect with zero risk.
  4. Delete your own uploaded archives if you still have the source.
  5. Download old world folders, then remove them.
  6. Start the server and check the storage display again.

If there is still little free space after that, it was not a cleanup problem. Then the next larger plan is the honest answer — storage space cannot be optimized away when the content simply needs it.

Prevention

  • Set a warning threshold so you know before things get serious.
  • Clear logs regularly, especially on servers with many plugins.
  • Download old worlds after a season ends and remove them from the server instead of leaving them there “just in case”.
  • Check space before large updates. An update temporarily needs more space than the final result.
  • Remove modpack archives after unpacking. The .zip is no longer needed after installation.

Troubleshooting

Symptom Check Solution
No space left on device on startup Storage display in the panel Clean up using the order above
Could not save data to … Is the server still running? Stop immediately, back up, clean up — risk of data loss
Startup is refused with a storage warning Usage versus plan Free up space or upgrade the plan
Update or reinstall aborts How much is free before the update? Plan space for twice the amount
Storage keeps filling up again Is logs/ growing quickly? Identify the plugin writing logs
Plan downgrade rejected Message lists used/available Clean up first, then downgrade

FAQ

Can I simply delete the world to free up space?

That frees up space and costs you all game progress. Download it first. If this is only about size, a world border is the gentler solution: It limits how far the world can grow in the future without removing anything that already exists.

Why does the server report no space even though the panel shows free storage?

The value is collected at intervals, so it is only a snapshot. A process that writes a lot at once — an update, a backup, unpacking a modpack — can use up the rest within seconds. If the numbers do not match, stop the server and check in the file manager what is actually there.

Do my backups count against storage?

Backups stored in the server directory take up space there like any other file. Check the backups/ folder to see what has accumulated, and keep the ones you really need.

Does a larger RAM plan help?

Only if it also includes more storage space — these are two different things. RAM is working memory for live operation, storage is where the world, mods, and logs are kept. When switching plans, pay attention to the storage amount, not just the RAM.

Is my server broken if it does not start because of storage space?

No. Startup is deliberately refused because a server without write access can damage world data. After freeing up space, it starts normally.

If the issue remains

If storage is still tight after cleaning up, note the following for a support request: used amount, plan limit, what you have already removed, and which file or folder is the largest item. That makes it possible to decide specifically whether a plan change, a world border, or moving data elsewhere is the right path.

You can find suitable plans with enough storage at Rent a Game Server. SFTP Access to Game Server Files shows how to download and upload files again; Create a Minecraft Server Backup explains how to set up regular backups.

Sources and test environment

Test environment: August 24, 2026. The storage requirements of individual games change with their updates; the CS2 figure matches the measured state of our fleet.