MCBDS Windows Installer
One-click installation for Windows Server and Desktop
Fastest Way to Get Started! The Windows installer is the simplest way to set up MCBDS Manager on Windows systems.
System Requirements
Windows Installer Requirements
Minimum Requirements
- Windows 10 or later (or Windows Server 2016+)
- 4GB RAM minimum
- 2 CPU cores minimum
- 10GB free disk space
- .NET Runtime 10.0 (auto-installed if missing)
Recommended Specification
- Windows 11 or Windows Server 2022+
- 8GB+ RAM
- 4+ CPU cores
- 20GB+ free disk space (SSD preferred)
- Static IP address (for server stability)
Administrator Rights Required: The installer must be run with administrator privileges to install the Windows Service.
Download the Installer
MCBDS API Service Installer
The MCBDS API Service Installer is available in the root directory of the MCBDSHost repository.
File Information
- Filename:
MCBDS.API.Service.Installer.exe - Version: 1.0.1
- Platform: Windows 64-bit
- Size: ~50MB (including .NET runtime)
Download
From GitHub Releases
Security Note: The installer is signed and verified. Always download from official releases on GitHub.
Installation Steps
1Run the Installer
- Download
MCBDS.API.Service.Installer.exefrom the GitHub releases page - Right-click the installer file
- Select "Run as administrator" (required)
- Click Yes when prompted by User Account Control (UAC)
Administrator rights are required to install the Windows Service.
2Configure Storage Paths
The installer will ask you to specify three directory paths:
| Path Type | Purpose | Default Location |
|---|---|---|
| Binaries Location | Where the Minecraft Bedrock server executable is stored | C:\Program Files\MCBDS API Service\Binaries |
| Log Directory | Where API and server logs are saved | C:\Program Files\MCBDS API Service\logs |
| Backups Location | Where automatic world backups are stored | C:\Program Files\MCBDS API Service\backups |
Note: You can customize these paths to use different drives (e.g., a separate D:\ drive for backups). The installer will create these directories if they don't exist.
3Service Configuration
Configure the service settings:
HTTP Port
The port the API will listen on (default: 8080)
Example: 8080Backup Frequency
How often to backup the server (in minutes, default: 30)
Example: 30Maximum Backups to Keep
How many backup versions to retain (default: 30)
Example: 30
Default settings are suitable for most installations. You can change these later via configuration files.
4Download Bedrock Server
The installer will guide you through downloading the Minecraft Bedrock Dedicated Server:
- Click "Download Bedrock Server" button to open the official download page
- Download the latest Bedrock Server for your platform (usually labeled as
bedrock-server-*.zip) - Extract all files to the Binaries Location configured earlier
- Important: Make sure
bedrock_server.exeis directly in the folder (not in a subfolder) - Check the box in the installer to confirm you've completed this step
Critical: The installer will verify that
bedrock_server.exe exists in the configured Binaries location before proceeding.
5Complete Installation
The installer will now:
- Extract application files
- Create configuration files (
appsettings.json) - Install the Windows Service
- Configure Windows Firewall rules
- Start the service automatically
Once complete, the MCBDS API Service will start automatically and run in the background.
Verify Installation
Access the Management Interface
After installation completes, access the MCBDS Manager at:
http://localhost:8080Or on a different machine (replace with your server IP):
http://<your-server-ip>:8080From here you can manage your Minecraft server, view logs, configure backups, and more.
Check Service Status
Verify the service is running by opening Services:
- Press Win + R, type
services.msc, and press Enter - Look for "MCBDS API Service"
- Status should show Running
- Startup Type should be Automatic
The service will restart automatically if your system reboots.
Troubleshooting
Solution: Change the port during installation or edit the configuration file:
C:\Program Files\MCBDS API Service\appsettings.json
Update the "Urls" line to use a different port (e.g., 8090)
Then restart the service from Services.msc
Check:
- Verify
bedrock_server.exeexists in the Binaries directory - Check the log file at:
C:\Program Files\MCBDS API Service\logs\api.log - Check Windows Event Viewer for .NET Runtime errors
- Ensure .NET 10 Runtime is installed (run
dotnet --versionin PowerShell)
Check:
- Verify your server's IP address
- Check Windows Firewall allows port 8080 (installer does this automatically)
- Try accessing from the same machine first:
http://localhost:8080 - Ensure both computers are on the same network
Next Steps
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Windows Installer | Docker |
|---|---|---|
| Setup Time | 5-10 minutes | 15-20 minutes |
| Complexity | Very Simple - Just click | Moderate - Requires CLI knowledge |
| Requirements | Windows only | Requires Docker installation |
| Auto-Start | Yes (Windows Service) | Yes (with docker-compose) |
| Performance | Native - Minimal overhead | Container overhead |
| Best Use Case | Windows Servers & Home Servers | Linux, Cloud, Enterprise |
| Support Level | Primary | Community |
Why Choose the Windows Installer? It's purpose-built for Windows environments. No Docker knowledge needed, faster startup, and officially supported with regular updates.