How to set up SQL Server for MU Online

SQL Server is the foundation every MU Online server is built on. Before any game component starts, the databases must be restored, the user must be created, and the ODBC connections must be validated.

Databases in a MU Online server

THE 4 MU DATABASES:

MuOnline (MAIN):
→ Contains: MEMB_INFO (accounts), Character, Inventory, Guild, GuildMember
→ All daily gameplay reads and writes go through this database
→ Most critical — lose this and lose all player data

EventMU:
→ Contains: Blood Castle, Devil Square, Chaos Castle, Castle Siege records
→ Event scheduling data, event rankings
→ If this is missing: events may fail to start or restart incorrectly

RankingMU:
→ Contains: PK ranking, duel ranking, overall rankings
→ Updated by the GameServer periodically
→ Website ranking page reads from here

LogServer:
→ Contains: connection logs, action logs, error logs
→ Used for debugging and player dispute investigations
→ Optional for initial testing, but important for production

BACKUP FORMAT:
→ Distributions usually come as .bak (SQL Server backup) or .sql (T-SQL scripts)
→ .bak: restored via SSMS Restore Database dialog
→ .sql: executed via SSMS query window or sqlcmd

Restoring the databases in SSMS

RESTORATION PROCEDURE:

OPEN SSMS AND CONNECT:
1. Start Menu → SQL Server Management Studio
2. Server name: localhost (or . or SERVERNAME\MSSQLSERVER)
3. Authentication: SQL Server Authentication
4. Login: sa | Password: [the password from installation]
5. Click Connect

RESTORE FROM .BAK FILE:
1. In Object Explorer: right-click "Databases" → "Restore Database..."
2. Source: "Device" → click the [...] button
3. Click "Add" → navigate to the .bak file → OK
4. The database name auto-fills from the backup
5. Options tab: tick "Overwrite the existing database" (if re-restoring)
6. OK → "Restore of database 'MuOnline' completed successfully"

REPEAT FOR: EventMU, RankingMU, LogServer

RESTORE FROM .SQL FILE:
1. File → Open → File → select the .sql file
2. Verify you're connected to the correct database at the top
3. F5 or the Execute button to run the script

VERIFY ALL 4 DATABASES EXIST:
→ Refresh the Databases folder in Object Explorer
→ Should show: MuOnline, EventMU, RankingMU, LogServer

Setting the correct collation

COLLATION MATTERS FOR CHARACTER ENCODING:

WHY COLLATION IS IMPORTANT:
→ Collation defines how SQL Server sorts and compares text
→ Wrong collation = broken special characters in player names and chat
→ S6 distributions are written for: SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS

SET COLLATION ON EACH DATABASE:
-- Check current collation:
SELECT name, collation_name FROM sys.databases WHERE name = 'MuOnline';

-- If not SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS, change it:
ALTER DATABASE MuOnline COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS;
ALTER DATABASE EventMU  COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS;
ALTER DATABASE RankingMU COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS;
ALTER DATABASE LogServer COLLATE SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS;
-- Note: changing collation requires no active connections to the database

INSTANCE COLLATION:
→ Set during SQL Server installation (can't be changed after easily)
→ Recommendation during install: SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
→ CI = Case Insensitive (player names work in any case)
→ AS = Accent Sensitive

Creating the dedicated SQL login

CREATE A DEDICATED USER (do not use sa in MuServer configs):

IN SSMS, OPEN A NEW QUERY (CTRL+N) AND RUN:

-- Step 1: Create the login at the server level
CREATE LOGIN mu_server
WITH PASSWORD = 'MuServerPass2024!',
     DEFAULT_DATABASE = MuOnline,
     CHECK_EXPIRATION = OFF,
     CHECK_POLICY = OFF;

-- Step 2: Grant to MuOnline
USE MuOnline;
CREATE USER mu_server FOR LOGIN mu_server;
EXEC sp_addrolemember 'db_owner', 'mu_server';

-- Step 3: Grant to EventMU
USE EventMU;
CREATE USER mu_server FOR LOGIN mu_server;
EXEC sp_addrolemember 'db_owner', 'mu_server';

-- Step 4: Grant to RankingMU
USE RankingMU;
CREATE USER mu_server FOR LOGIN mu_server;
EXEC sp_addrolemember 'db_owner', 'mu_server';

-- Step 5: Grant to LogServer
USE LogServer;
CREATE USER mu_server FOR LOGIN mu_server;
EXEC sp_addrolemember 'db_owner', 'mu_server';

WHY NOT USE sa:
→ sa has maximum server privileges — a compromised sa = full server compromise
→ mu_server has db_owner on the 4 MU databases only (still appropriate, minimal blast radius)
→ Write the mu_server password down — you'll need it in every .ini config file

Configuring ODBC DSNs (critical step)

ODBC CONFIGURATION — USE THE 32-BIT ADMIN:

OPEN THE CORRECT ODBC ADMINISTRATOR:
→ WRONG: Control Panel → Administrative Tools → ODBC Data Sources (64-bit)
→ CORRECT: Press Win+R → type: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe → OK
           (32-bit ODBC admin, needed because MuServer is 32-bit)

CREATING THE MUONLINE DSN:
1. In odbcad32.exe → "System DSN" tab
2. Click "Add" → select "SQL Server" → click "Finish"
3. Name: MuOnline (exact name — MuServer .ini files reference this name)
4. Description: MuOnline Game Database (optional)
5. Server: (local) or localhost
6. Click Next → select "SQL Server authentication with login id and password"
7. Login ID: mu_server | Password: [the password you created]
8. Click Next → check "Change the default database to:" → select: MuOnline
9. Click Next → click "Finish" → click "Test Data Source"

RESULT: "Tests completed successfully" → click OK

REPEAT FOR THE OTHER DATABASES:
→ Name: EventMU   → database: EventMU
→ Name: RankingMU → database: RankingMU
→ Name: LogServer → database: LogServer

DSN NAMES MUST MATCH EXACTLY:
→ Open each MuServer .ini config file and look for: DSN= or DataSourceName=
→ The name you typed in ODBC must match exactly (case-sensitive)
→ If your distribution uses "muonline" (lowercase), type "muonline" — not "MuOnline"

Configure SQL Server for automatic startup

AUTOMATIC STARTUP WITH WINDOWS:

WHY IT MATTERS:
→ After a server reboot (VPS maintenance, power failure), SQL Server must start automatically
→ If it doesn't: every MuServer component that depends on the DB will fail
→ Manual restart requires VPS access and delays recovery

CONFIGURE IN WINDOWS SERVICES:
1. Win+R → services.msc → OK
2. Find: "SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)"
3. Right-click → Properties
4. "Startup type" → "Automatic" (not "Automatic (Delayed Start)" — the delay can cause MuServer to start before SQL is ready)
5. Click Apply → OK

CREATE A STARTUP ORDER (optional, recommended):
→ SQL Server starts automatically
→ MuServer components should start after SQL is ready
→ Simplest method: create a .bat file that starts MuServer components
   and add it to Windows Task Scheduler (triggered at startup with a 30-second delay)
→ More advanced: install MuServer components as Windows Services

Validating the connection before starting the game server

PRE-LAUNCH CHECKLIST:

BEFORE STARTING ANY MUSERVER COMPONENT, VERIFY:

☐ SQL Server service is RUNNING:
   → services.msc → "SQL Server (MSSQLSERVER)" → Running

☐ SSMS can connect with sa or mu_server credentials:
   → Test from SSMS: connect, expand Databases, see all 4 databases

☐ TCP/IP is enabled on port 1433:
   → SQL Server Configuration Manager → Protocols → TCP/IP → Enabled
   → Port in IPAll: 1433

☐ All 4 ODBC DSNs pass "Test Data Source":
   → C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe → System DSN → test each one

☐ Firewall: port 1433 is NOT open to the internet:
   → Only localhost access needed — the game server and SQL run on the same machine

Continue with the MuServer configuration tutorial (connecting the game components to these databases using the DSN names), the common errors tutorial (diagnosing SQL connection failures when the game server won't start), and the backup tutorial (automating backups of the MuOnline, EventMU, RankingMU, and LogServer databases).

Frequently asked questions