Config Files

Where your Counter-Strike 1.6 Pro server keeps its config, which file to edit, and when your changes take effect.

Pro Server Only

Config files are edited over FTP, which is only available on Pro servers. Free servers are configured with RCON commands.

How the Config Works

Your server does not use server.cfg. It loads its own config from the cfg/pro folder, and the Pro Panel builds that file for you.

Over FTP, the folder is cstrike/cfg/pro. It holds two files for your server, where 1234 stands for your server number (the number in P1234):

File	What it is
fshost_template_1234.cfg	Your template. Edit this one.
<random>_1234.cfg	The file the server loads. It starts with 12 random letters and digits. Do not edit it

Each time you click Save changes in Game settings, the panel copies your template over the loaded file and fills in your hostname. Anything you changed in the loaded file is lost.

Edit the Template

Changes made to <random>_1234.cfg are overwritten the next time anyone saves Game settings. Always edit fshost_template_1234.cfg.

Settings the Panel Controls

Some settings come from Game settings in the Pro Panel. Change them there, not in the template.

Setting	Where to change it
hostname	Hostname. The template has a REPLACE_SERVER_NAME placeholder that the panel fills in. Keep that line, or the panel hostname stops working
sv_password	Join password. Leave it out of the template, or the template value replaces the panel's
rcon_password	RCON password. Leave it out of the template, or the template value replaces the panel's
maxplayers	Slots
Start map	Map
PODBot	Bots
VAC	VAC

Step 1: Connect With FTP

FTP is set up on request. See FTP Access for how to ask for it and how to log in with FileZilla or WinSCP.

Step 2: Download a Backup

Open cstrike/cfg/pro, download fshost_template_1234.cfg and keep the copy on your computer. If a change breaks something, upload the copy again. A server reinstall resets the template, so keep your copy after every change. See Before You Modify Files.

Step 3: Edit the Template

Open the template in a text editor, such as Notepad++ or VS Code, and change the values you want. For example:

mp_timelimit 30
mp_roundtime 2.5
mp_freezetime 3
mp_friendlyfire 0
sv_alltalk 0

Upload the file back to the same folder with the same name.

Step 4: Save Game Settings

1. Go to the Pro Panel
2. Click on your server name
3. Open the Settings tab
4. Click Save changes in Game settings

The panel says Saving pushes the config to your server. Restart it for changes to take effect. This copies your template into the file the server loads. You do not have to change any field first.

Restart Alone Is Not Enough

A restart does not rebuild the config. It only loads the file that is already there. Save Game settings first, then restart.

Step 5: Restart the Server

Restart the server from the Pro Panel. Then check a value with RCON, for example:

rcon mp_roundtime

Other Config Files

Everything else in cstrike works like on any CS 1.6 server. Common files:

File	Purpose
cstrike/mapcycle.txt	Map rotation, one map name per line
cstrike/motd.txt	Message of the day shown when players join
cstrike/addons/amxmodx/configs/	AMX Mod X settings, admins and plugin list. See Plugins
cstrike/addons/metamod/plugins.ini	Metamod plugin list

Do Not Edit the PODBot Line

The panel turns PODBot on and off by commenting the podbot_mm line in addons/metamod/plugins.ini. Use Bots in Game settings instead of editing that line.

Troubleshooting

My changes are gone

You edited <random>_1234.cfg instead of the template, and someone saved Game settings afterwards. Make the change again in fshost_template_1234.cfg.

My template change has no effect

• Click Save changes in Game settings, then restart. A restart on its own does not copy the template
• Check that the setting is not in the panel-controlled list
• Check the Console tab for errors such as Unknown command when the server starts. A typo makes the server skip that line

The server name is wrong

The REPLACE_SERVER_NAME placeholder is missing from your template. Put back the hostname line from your backup, or add it again:

hostname "REPLACE_SERVER_NAME"

Then save Game settings and restart.

I broke the config

Upload your backup copy of the template, save Game settings and restart. If you have no backup, open a ticket on Pro Support.