Factorio Forums

--TLDR--
Advice / opinion asked, regarding possible fix :
- Replace ancient server OS for new-ish OS? Like Windows Server 2022 (it's recent, keys are cheap)
or
- Replace ancient server hardware AND ancient server OS


--The errors--
The headless server I'm running no longer appears to be online. It used to work fine, I didn't change anything.

When starting up the headless server, the following error message appears :

37.114 Error HttpSharedState.cpp:177: CURL failed: code:35, 23; schannel: next InitializeSecurityContext failed: SEC_E_ILLEGAL_MESSAGE (0x80090326) - This error usually occurs when a fatal SSL/TLS alert is received (e.g. handshake failed). More detail may be available in the Windows System event log.

The headless server then proceeds to retry at an interval, and produces the same error message again at each retry.
The server does not appear, and cannot be found, amongst the listed multiplayer servers.
I was not able to find anything meaningful in the Windows System event log. (Ignorance : I don't know what exactly I should be looking for in the logs)

When starting up the game, and opening the "Browse public games" screen, no multiplayer games are found. Instead, the "Browse games" box shows the following error message :

Download failed (status code 520): failed to parse JSON response: Unexpected character(s) at ?:1

Conclusions : Something prevents the server to be listed. Something prevents the game to download the list of multiplayer servers


--The system--
Is old.
More than 10 years ago, my Nephew and I pooled together the unused computer parts we had laying around, and bought a Xeon CPU for it, to build a dedicated Minecraft and Feed the Beast server. This server has been cobbled together from these old parts.
It has always functioned, and has been the posterchild for stability. It has had an SSD and HDD upgrade since. The fans have been replaced. And we've moved on to Factorio. It has hosted a Factorio game since ... 2019 version [0.17.0]-ish, I think ...
MOBO : LGA1150 socket, B85 chipset.
CPU : Xeon E3-1245 v3 @ 3.40 GHz
RAM : 16GB of DDR3. GSKILL. 1600Mhz. NO ECC.
SSD : SATA. OCZ Vector 480GB, MLC NAND. Both the OS and Factorio are on this SSD.
HDD : Enterprise grade 14TB HGST, irrelevant for Factorio
OS : Windows 7 Professional SP1
Last Windows security update : 17-01-2020, no updates since.
Last known functional state : Febuary this year, when version [2.0.72] was the latest stable build. (we took a break from online multiplayer)
The system has proved to be plenty capable, dispite her age. The headless server with 3 players logged in on a 92MB map, only loads the CPU by a few percent. It might as well be idling. This old girl could easily host a dozen of similar Factorio multiplayer servers, maybe 2 dozen. Credit is due to the devs!
It would be a shame if this old faithful girl would have to be retired.
Location : Behind the TV
Function : Game server, network attached storage.

--Failed attempts to fix--
- Searching for the above error messages, I found multiple refernces to this being a DNS related problem.
I have tried with the default DNS server. I have tried with both Google DNS server 8.8.8.4 and 8.8.8.8 and I have tried with both Cloudflare DNS servers 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
It makes NO difference. In addition, both auth.factorio.com and multiplayer.factorio.com can succesfully be resolved, and pinged.
I am convinced there is NOT a DNS issue.

- The router Port forwarding rules have NOT been changed from when they did work. Tried multiple different rules anyway, including a new rule opening port 443 for TLS.
This had no effect. Returned them to original state (forwarding UDP port 34197)

- Tried all possible combinations of turning OFF and ON SSL 2.0, SSL 3.0, TLS 1.0, TLS 1.1, TLS 1.2
This did not fix the problem. Returned settings to original : SSL 2.0 OFF, SSL 3.0 OFF, TLS 1.0 ON, TLS 1.1 ON, TLS 1.2 ON
There is no TLS 1.3, never has been.

- Found a reference (on this forum) to a Windows security update MS14-066, Schannel security update. This Windows security update was already installed.
Found 2 references to Microsoft quick fixes for TLS 1.1 and TLS 1.2. Installed both. This did not fix the problem.

- Updated Factorio from version [2.0.72] to [2.0.77]. This did not fix the problem.


--Succesful "fix"--
- Moved over to my daily PC. AM4 Ryzen 9, Windows 11. In the exact same LAN environment, attached to the exact same router, 1 port over.
Downloaded and installed a fresh version [2.0.77]. Added the exact same port forwarding rules to my router. Added a copy of the save game from the server, added a copy of the server config file. So running an identical server on the exact same network, with the only difference being, modern hardware and OS.
The headless server started right up. No error messages. Messaged my nephew, the server was listed for him, he could log right in.


--Conclusions--
Somewhere between Febuary and now, something has changed regarding the old server.
I am capable of hosting a Factorio headless server from home, just not on the old machine, anymore.
No updates were installed on the old machine between Febuary and now, until attempting to fix the problem. No OS updates, no Factorio updates. No network settings, connections or hardware were changed. Yet somehow, the error messages suggest the SSL/TLS handshake now fails, ONLY on the old machine.
Running the headless server on my daily PC succesfully, suggests that retiring and replacing the old machine should fix my problem.
Retiring the old girl would be a shame though.


--The question--
The retirement of the old server is ofcourse long overdue. Who uses Windows 7 these days? (it wasn't broken, didn't need fixing until now)
Should I attempt to -only- put a modern OS on it, and hope the problem was due to Windows 7 being old?
Or should I also replace the hardware, because a new OS alone would maybe not fix the problem? There is no TPM, or any other modern requirements on the old machine.
Which OS should I use?
I'm simply not familiar enough with anything Linux/Ubuntu, and am not looking to add a new learning curve into the mix at this time. Therefor, I would prefer some form of Windows.
I would prefer a reasonably modern form of Windows, but as light as possible. No AI or other bloat. Of course this can all be removed after installing, but I prefer a clean version of Windows, and not having to deal with that in the first place.
Windows Server 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025 Standard Edition are available. They are recommended for home or small business use. And keys are cheap for all except the current one. Yet I have no experience with modern Windows Server versions.

Opinions and suggestions on saving or replacing the old server, and it's OS, are welcome.

The issue is Windows 7 and that it long since stopped getting updates. The rest of the internet has moved on security wise and is using newer logic that the older windows 7 operating system doesn't support.

It's the same issue as here 132747

Thank you for the clear response.
You saved me a lot of guess and search work.

The server is back up, now running a new OS.
With still the old hardware.

- Added the [SOLVED] tag to the thread title.