Where Does UnrealIRCd Store Config?
Where UnrealIRCd keeps its main config, what the conf and data folders hold, and how distro packages differ.
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UnrealIRCd installs as a self-contained tree with conf, data, logs, and modules folders inside. Source installs default to ~/unrealircd on Unix and Program Files on Windows. The main file is conf/unrealircd.conf, grown from the shipped example config.
Distro packages break the pattern by moving configuration to /etc/unrealircd, so Arch and Debian admins look in a different place. Either way the conf folder also holds MOTD texts and module defaults. Back up the tree plus any /etc overrides and a migration is just a copy.
Where UnrealIRCd stores this, by platform
~/unrealircd/conf/unrealircd.conf
Source install root with conf/unrealircd.conf as the main file, plus data, logs, tmp, and modules beside it. Start from conf/examples/example.conf on first setup. Distro packages instead use /etc/unrealircd, so check which install type you run.
C:\Program Files\UnrealIRCd 6\conf\unrealircd.conf
Same self-contained tree under Program Files, with conf holding the main file and MOTD texts. Copy example.conf into place on versions that need the manual step. Keep the whole install folder together when migrating between machines.
Frequently asked questions
how do I create my first UnrealIRCd config
Copy conf/examples/example.conf to conf/unrealircd.conf and walk through it block by block before starting. Recent versions generate the file on first run through ./Config, older ones need the manual copy. Never rush this step: the server refuses to start with placeholder values.
why does UnrealIRCd refuse to start
Watch the server startup output and the logs folder when it fails, since UnrealIRCd names the offending block. Most failures are unedited example blocks or bad include paths. The conf directory also holds MOTD files worth customizing early.
how do I migrate UnrealIRCd to a new server
Treat the install root as portable: conf, data, logs, and tmp travel together. Distro package installs instead split config to /etc and state elsewhere, so check your install type before archiving. Keep TLS material in the tls folder inside the tree.
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