[Diggingwolf2605]

I am having an issue with a L4D2 server which I cannot figure out what is causing it. I have tried installing the dedicated server on both Windows/Linux and they instantly crash on startup. I have tried installing the server 3 times and verifying all files and not using sourcemod or any other add-ons installed.

Is this some sort of permission issue? or the .vpk files are not fully loading for some reason when the server tries to start. I have tried different launch options which none seem to work.

Server launch parameters: e:\L4D2Server\srcds.exe -game left4dead2 -secure +port 27015 -console -condebug +maxplayers 8 +exec server.cfg +exec banned_user.cfg +map c1m1_hotel

Engine Error: Model models/props_unique/hospital/hospital_bed.mdl not found and models/error.mdl couldn't be loaded

CMatchExtL4D:  Unabled to load game modes from "scripts/gamemodes.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\update\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\l4d1coop.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\update\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\l4d1survival.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\update\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\l4d1vs.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\update\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\rocketdude.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\update\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\tankrun.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\dash.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\gunbrain.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\holdout.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\l4d1coop.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\l4d1vs.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\shootzones.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\update\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\l4d1coop.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\update\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\l4d1survival.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\update\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\l4d1vs.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\update\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\rocketdude.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\update\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\tankrun.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\dash.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\gunbrain.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\holdout.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\l4d1coop.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\l4d1vs.txt".
CMatchExtL4D:  Unable to load game mode from "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\pak01_dir.vpk\modes\shootzones.txt".
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign1.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign2.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign3.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign4.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign5.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign6.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign7.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign8.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign9.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign10.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign11.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign12.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign13.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/campaign14.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/credits.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/holdoutchallenge.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/holdouttraining.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/parishdash.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.
MissionManager:  Mission file "missions/shootzones.txt" is malformed, failed to parse.

[Marttt]

Did you check if you have these files inside "e:\l4d2server"?
Also check if you don't have .vpk files inside "e:\l4d2server\left4dead2\addons"

[Diggingwolf2605]

I ended up installing the server onto a different drive letter such as my main C: drive under the SteamCMD folder and it stopped crashing. I'm assuming it was on my end. I never really had any problems running L4D1 servers on different drive letters but maybe it has something to do with permission rights if the server can't read the necessary files.. I will try again on my Ubuntu 22.04 server and see if the problem remains.

[gothickitty93]

If your having issues with running it on Ubuntu, I would look into LinuxGSM, which will automatically deploy and fix permission issues the server files may have. I use the Docker Compose variants of LinuxGSM for both my L4D2 and TF2 servers, and it does verify permissions are correct when I edit the files outside of the game.