How to Set Up a SA-MP Server from Scratch on Ubuntu Linux

Update the package index and install basic utilities:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y wget tar curl ufw

wget and tar are used to download and extract the server. ufw will be the edge firewall.

Enable the i386 architecture and install the 32-bit libs:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y lib32gcc-s1 lib32stdc++6

The dpkg --add-architecture command tells the system to accept packages from another architecture — without it, apt install lib32gcc-s1 returns Unable to locate package.

Create a dedicated user for the SA-MP server:

sudo useradd --system --create-home --home-dir /opt/samp --shell /usr/sbin/nologin samp

--system creates an account without password expiration. --shell /usr/sbin/nologin blocks interactive login — the user exists only to isolate the server process.

Switch to the samp user’s home directory and download the server:

cd /opt/samp
sudo -u samp wget https://files.sa-mp.com/samp037svr_R2-2-1.tar.gz

Running wget as sudo -u samp ensures the file is created with the correct ownership, avoiding a manual chown later.

Extract the archive and remove the tarball:

sudo -u samp tar -xzf samp037svr_R2-2-1.tar.gz --strip-components=1
sudo -u samp rm samp037svr_R2-2-1.tar.gz

The --strip-components=1 flag avoids the extra samp03/ subdirectory — the files land directly in /opt/samp/.

Open the config file:

sudo -u samp nano /opt/samp/server.cfg

Replace the contents with a minimal working configuration:

echo Executing Server Config...
lanmode 0
rcon_password CHANGE_THIS_LONG_PASSWORD
maxplayers 50
port 7777
hostname Hostini SA-MP Server
gamemode0 grandlarc 1
filterscripts gl_actions
announce 1
query 1
chatlogging 0
weburl www.sa-mp.com
onfoot_rate 40
incar_rate 40
weapon_rate 40
stream_distance 300.0
stream_rate 1000
maxnpc 0
logtimeformat [%H:%M:%S]
language English

grandlarc is the default gamemode shipped in the tarball. When you install your own gamemode, replace the name in gamemode0. You must change rcon_password before bringing the server online.

Allow SSH and the SA-MP UDP port:

sudo ufw allow 22/tcp
sudo ufw allow 7777/udp
sudo ufw enable

When ufw warns about disconnection, answer y. The SSH rule was added before enable, so the current connection stays alive.

Confirm the active rules:

sudo ufw status numbered

You should see both rules listed with status ALLOW IN. If your provider has a separate edge firewall (security group, cloud panel), allow 7777/UDP there as well.

Create the service file:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/samp.service

Paste the content below:

[Unit]
Description=SA-MP Server
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=samp
Group=samp
WorkingDirectory=/opt/samp
ExecStart=/opt/samp/samp03svr
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10
StandardOutput=journal
StandardError=journal
LimitNOFILE=4096

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Restart=on-failure restarts the process if it exits with a non-zero status — useful for plugin crashes. WorkingDirectory=/opt/samp ensures the binary finds server.cfg, gamemodes/, and plugins/.

Enable and start the service:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable samp.service
sudo systemctl start samp.service

enable configures automatic start at boot. start brings the server up immediately.

Check the service status:

sudo systemctl status samp.service

You should see Active: active (running) and the last lines of the server log showing Server Plugins, Filterscripts, and Number of vehicle models.

Confirm UDP port 7777 is open:

sudo ss -ulnp | grep 7777

The output should include a line like UNCONN 0 0 *:7777 *:* users:(("samp03svr",pid=...)). If nothing appears, the server did not bind the port — inspect the log with journalctl -u samp.service -n 50.

Test from the SA-MP client on another computer: add your VPS IP to the favorites list (port 7777) and try to connect. If you reach the spawn screen, the server is fully functional.