DayZ errors and BattlEye: kicks, bans and fixes

When DayZ will not let you onto a server, the cause is almost always the BattlEye anti-cheat, your connection or scheduled maintenance. This guide lists the most common BattlEye messages in DayZ on PC, what they mean and how to fix them according to the official BattlEye FAQ and Bohemia Interactive support. You will also learn what to do about bans, an empty server list and a lost character. Everything here is accurate as of 20 October 2026.

BattlEye in DayZ

DayZ uses the BattlEye anti-cheat, and Steam also lists Valve Anti-Cheat for the game. On Windows, BattlEye installs as a system service called BEService, and without it you cannot join BattlEye-protected servers. Most of the errors below come down to the service failing to install, failing to start, or something on your system getting in its way.

Common errors and how to fix them

Error	What it means	What to do
Failed to install BattlEye Service / Failed to start BattlEye Service	Something on your system blocks the BattlEye service from installing or starting.	Allow the service in your antivirus, or delete the service folder and launch the game again (details below).
Failed to initialize BattlEye Service: Driver Load Error (1275)	Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection is enabled in Windows 11.	Turn it off under Core isolation and reboot.
Client not responding	The connection to the server timed out for a while or dropped.	Update your router or modem firmware and check your connection.
Query Timeout	The game is not answering the server’s queries.	Check your connection and close unnecessary applications.
Bad Client Version	The BattlEye files in your game folder are outdated.	Verify the integrity of the game files in Steam.
Corrupted Data	Your game installation is not as it should be.	Do a clean reinstall of the game.
Corrupted Memory #0	Low-level software on your system performs a disallowed memory operation.	Close unnecessary programs. BattlEye mentions MSI Dragon Center and MSI SDK: uninstall them and reboot.
Corrupted Memory #X	Game or system memory is not what BattlEye expects.	Close programs, run a virus scan and test your RAM.
Kick asking you to restart the game	You previously declined the BattlEye installation with “Do not ask me again”.	Run Install_BattlEye.bat in the battleye folder inside the game folder.
Windows Kernel modification detected	A modified or cracked Windows kernel.	BattlEye does not support such systems.
Kernel Debugging enabled / Windows Test-Signing Mode not supported	A kernel debugging or test mode is active in Windows.	Turn off Kernel Debugging and Test-Signing Mode.

Failed to install / start BattlEye Service

According to BattlEye, security software is the most common culprit. Work through these steps:

1. Make sure your antivirus does not block the BattlEye service: the BEService files in the BattlEye folder of your game and the whole C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesBattlEye folder. Add them to the exception list if needed.
2. If that does not help, delete C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesBattlEye and launch the game again. The service will reinstall.
3. If the error persists, set the launcher in your game folder (the executable with _BE at the end of its name) to run as administrator: right-click, Properties, Compatibility tab.

Driver Load Error (1275) on Windows 11

The error is caused by the Windows 11 security feature Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection, which currently stops Windows from loading the BattlEye driver. BattlEye’s fix: search for Core isolation in the Start menu, switch the Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection option off and reboot your PC.

BattlEye bans

A BattlEye global ban is handled by BattlEye itself. Bohemia Interactive has no involvement in detecting cheats or issuing bans, so contact BattlEye support about it. Even with a ban, you can still play on servers without BattlEye: open the filters in the server browser and switch “Battleye required” from “Default” to “No”. Our guide to DayZ servers explains how the server types work.

BattlEye generally does not ban for overlays or tools like ReShade. Bans are for cheats. Some programs, such as macro tools, can get you kicked from a server, but that is not a ban.

Empty server list

If it is Wednesday, you are most likely seeing the scheduled maintenance of the official servers, which starts at 08:00 (GMT+1). If the problem continues after maintenance, contact Bohemia support. You can report bugs in the game on Bohemia’s Feedback Tracker.

Character lost after a server restart

Bohemia support lists losing your character after a server restart as a known issue. The recommendation is to wait a couple of minutes, according to the time on the restarted server, before you reconnect. A planned wipe is something else entirely: that is when Bohemia deletes characters on purpose. See our DayZ wipe guide.

Experimental version and uninstalling BattlEye

If you are on the experimental version and want to go back to stable, right-click DayZ in Steam, open Properties, go to the Betas tab and select Stable (or Experimental to switch the other way).

To remove BattlEye completely, run Uninstall_BattlEye.bat in the BattlEye folder of your game. If it is not there, open a command prompt as administrator and enter sc delete BEService. If performance is your concern rather than errors, check the system requirements.

Contacting support

DayZ support is on the Bohemia Interactive website, with a contact form under each FAQ question. The Microsoft Store also lists support@bohemia.net for the game.

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

FAQ

Information verified on 20 October 2026. Find more guides in our DayZ guides section.