Rust EAC errors and how to fix them, per Facepunch support

Most Rust launch errors are tied to Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC), the Epic Games anti-cheat that protects the game on PC. Here is what the most common messages mean (EAC Authentication Timeout, EAC: Disconnected, Client Integrity Violation, Steam not open, Start Service Failed) and how to fix them. All steps come from official Facepunch support and are accurate as of 20 October 2026 for Rust on Steam. Rust Console Edition has different support, see the end of the article.

Why Rust shows EAC errors

Rust uses Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC / Epic Online Services). Facepunch does not disclose exactly what the anti-cheat does. For players, one rule matters: always launch the game from your Steam library. If you start it any other way, EAC won’t load, and errors such as EAC Authentication Timeout or EAC: Disconnected follow.

Before you start fixing things, check your system too. Since moving to Unity 6 in May 2026, Facepunch supports Windows 10 version 21H1 at minimum, and no longer Windows 7 or 8. Details are in our overview of system requirements.

EAC errors and how to fix them

Error	What it means	What to do
EAC Authentication Timeout	EAC could not authenticate your connection	close Rust and wait up to 10 minutes, then follow the steps below
EAC: Disconnected	the connection to EAC is not working	allow client.easyanticheat.net on ports 80 and 443 in your antivirus and firewall
Client Integrity Violation	corrupted EAC files	delete the EasyAntiCheat folder in your Rust install, run Steam as administrator and verify files
Steam not open?	a startup error	restart and update Steam, opt out of the Steam beta, verify files, then a fresh install if needed
Network DNS Error	download.eac-cdn.com cannot be resolved	run ipconfig /flushdns and launch again
Untrusted System File	a corrupted system file	sfc /scannow as administrator, an antivirus scan, Windows updates
Start Service Failed	the EAC service did not start	the fix depends on the number in brackets, see below

EAC Authentication Timeout step by step

Facepunch support recommends going through these steps in order and trying the game after each one:

1. Close Rust and wait up to 10 minutes.
2. Verify the game files in Steam (steps in the next section).
3. Repair EAC: open the EasyAntiCheat folder in your Rust install, type EasyAntiCheat_EOS_Setup.exe repair into the File Explorer address bar and press Enter.
4. Restart your PC and your router.
5. Update Windows and check that your antivirus is not blocking the game.
6. Delete the RustClient.exe.eac file.
7. Check output_log.txt for applications marked as “forbidden” and close them.
8. If nothing helps, do a fresh install.

Start Service Failed by error number

• (5), (1053), (1058), (1450) – update Windows. It can also be a false positive from your antivirus.
• (1056) – another instance is already running. Close the game and the EasyAntiCheat.exe process, or restart your PC.
• (31) – a corrupted system.

Verifying files and a fresh install

Verifying the files is the first step for almost every error. It also fixes the “Unknown file version” message. In Steam, right-click Rust and choose Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.

If that doesn’t help, do a fresh install. A regular uninstall through Steam does not delete everything. Delete the whole Rust folder (the default path is C:Program Files (x86)SteamsteamappscommonRust) and install Rust again.

No servers showing

An empty server browser is usually not an EAC error. Facepunch support recommends setting “Server browser pings / minute” in Steam to at least 5000, launching regular Rust (not Staging), turning off your VPN, opting out of betas and restarting your router. You can reach a specific server through the F1 console with connect followed by the IP address and port. More on picking a server is in our Rust servers guide, and more on the console in our list of F1 commands.

TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot for secure servers

Since March 2026, you can only join secure servers (Secure tag) with TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot enabled. Here is how to check:

• Run tpm.msc. If you see “The TPM is ready for use”, TPM is on.
• Run msinfo32 and look for “Secure Boot State: On”.

Both are enabled in the BIOS / UEFI. On AMD processors TPM is called fTPM, on Intel it is PTT. On Windows 10 you may need to convert your disk from MBR to GPT. PCs from before roughly 2016 often don’t have these features.

EAC Banned

The EAC Banned message means the account has a game ban for cheating. EAC bans are permanent unless they are overturned by an appeal directly with EAC. Facepunch support cannot lift them. A ban can also arrive with a delay. Playing on another account counts as ban evasion and leads to another ban.

When nothing helps

Contact Facepunch support. While troubleshooting, they may ask you for two things:

• to launch RustClient.exe without EAC (you can then only join insecure servers),
• to send .dmp crash files from AppDataLocalTempFacepunch Studios LTDRustcrashes.

Since October 2026, the game sends crash reports to Facepunch automatically.

Rust Console Edition

Rust Console Edition on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S is developed and supported by Double Eleven. Facepunch declines tickets about the console version, so contact Double Eleven support (support.double11.com) instead.

Join our Discord and ask other players whether they have run into the same error: GamersTogether Discord.

FAQ

Information verified on 20 October 2026. More guides are in our Rust guides section.