Point at at your Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead folder.
Steam
Go to Steam and right click Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead, go to 'Properties', 'Set Launch Options', add "-mod=@dayz -nosplash" without quotes in the target line.
Retail
Go to the Arma2:OA main directory and right-click on "Arma2OA.exe" and add "-mod=@dayz -nosplash" without quotes to the target line.
Make a folder named "@DayZ" in your Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead directory.
Inside "@DayZ" folder create another folder named "Addons". It should look like this: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\@DayZ\Addons
Unpack all DayZ Mod files in the "Addons" folder.
Go to Steam and right click Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead, go to 'Properties', 'Set Launch Options', add "-mod=@dayz -nosplash" without quotes in the target line and click OK. You can find other launch options, like windowed mode here: http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Arma2:_Startup_Parameters
Run Operation Arrowhead and select "Launch ARMA 2: Combined Operations" to play the game.
If everything is installed correctly you should see "@dayz" line under "ArmA 2" on the right side of the menu screen.
Inside "@DayZ" folder create another folder named "Addons".
Unpack all DayZ Mod files in the "Addons" folder.
Make a shortcut to your ARMA2 exe file and add "-nosplash -mod=@dayz" without quotes in the target line so it looks like this "C:\Program Files\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2\arma2OA.exe" -noSplash -mod=@dayz
Click the shortcut to start ARMA2 with Dayz enabled
Go to options and make sure the target path for Operation Arrowhead main folder and mod folder is correct.
It should say at the bottom that you have A2 Operation Arrowhead (Combined Operations) installed.
Create a 'New Preset' from the 'Preset' tab in the top menu. You can name it 'DayZ'
Click the 'Mods' tab in the main window. In the searchbox type in '@DayZ'.
Right click the DayZ mod in the browser window and 'add to preset'.
Click on 'Home' tab and 'Install or Update mods'. It will automacitally download the latest version of the mod for you.
To run the game click on 'Launch the game' through Six-Updater.
If everything is installed correctly you should see "@dayz" line under "ArmA 2" on the right side of the menu screen.
Use the filter to find DayZ servers.
ARMA2:FREE + ARMA2:OA
It is possible to use the free version (not the demo) of ARMA2 and combine it with ARMA2: Operation Arrowhead to create ARMA2: Combined Operations Lite and use it to play DayZ.
# Download both ARMA 2: Free and ARMA 2: Operation Arrowhead through Steam.
Make a folder named "@DayZ" in your Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead directory.
Inside "@DayZ" folder create another folder named "Addons". It should look like this: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\@DayZ\Addons
Unpack all DayZ Mod files in the "Addons" folder.
Create a new shortcut to arma2oa.exe. It should look like this: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\arma2oa.exe
Add behind the target: "-mod=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 free;Expansion;@DayZ -nosplash"
Make a folder named "@DayZ" in your Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead directory.
Inside "@DayZ" folder create another folder named "Addons". It should look like this: C:\Program Files (x86)\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead\@DayZ\Addons
Unpack all DayZ Mod files in the "Addons" folder.
Create a new shortcut to arma2oa.exe. It should look like this: C:\Program Files (x86)\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead\arma2oa.exe
If everything is installed correctly you should see "ArmA 2 Free" (or "ArmA 2 Demo"), "ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead" and "@dayz" on the right side of the menu screen.
Beta patch is not instantly BattleEye enabled after release. You may have to wait a couple of hours to be able to play with it online. To be sure, check the corresponding thread.
Beta patch is backwards compatible, so you can still play on non-beta servers.
If you have previous beta patches it's suggested to uninstall them before installing a newer version. You can also try deleting beta subdirectory inside ARMA 2 folder manually.
Go to the Arma2:OA main directory and right-click on shortcut "Launch Arma2 OA Beta Patch". Add "-mod=@dayz" without quotes to the target line.
Run "Launch Arma2 OA Beta Patch" and enjoy playing!
ARMA2 Beta patch Steam (optional)
Beta patch is not instantly BattleEye enabled after release. You may have to wait a couple of hours to be able to play with it online. To be sure, check the corresponding thread.
Beta patch is backwards compatible, so you can still play on non-beta servers.
If you have previous beta patches it's suggested to uninstall them before installing a newer version. You can also try deleting beta subdirectory inside arma 2 operation arrowhead\Expansion\ folder manually.
Go to the Arma 2: Operation Arrowhead directory (for example C:\Program Files (x86)\Bohemia Interactive\ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead) and right-click -> edit on .cmd file "_runA2CO_beta.cmd". Search for ":run" near the end of the file. Add ";@dayz" without quotes to "-mod=%_ARMA2PATH%;EXPANSION;ca".
Run "_runA2CO_beta.cmd" and enjoy playing!
You may create a new shortcut to "_runA2CO_beta.cmd"
Having truble with the BETA Patch? then this forum post might help.
Make a shortcut to launch with Steam Overlay (Optional)
# Make a new non-steam shortcut, choose Browse then browse to your operation arrowhead directory, go into expansion then go into beta. Click on ArmA2OA.exe in that folder and choose Open. The box will close so then choose Add Selected Programs button in the steam add programs box.
Find the shortcut you just made in your Steam library, right click and choose properties.
Delete the target line.
Rename the steam shortcut whatever you want.
Now edit the following text in notepad or something similar to include your paths. If you have both Arrowhead and both ArmA2 on Steam you won't need to do this assuming you have kept the default installation location for Steam and run a 64bit OS.
I get 'You cannot play/edit this mission, it is dependent on downloadable content that has been deleted.dayz_code, dayz_weapons, dayz_equip etc.'upon joining any DayZ server
You installed the mod or the shortcut incorrectly. Make sure you add "-mod=@dayz" without quotes in the launch options and DayZ mod files are installed in the proper folder. By default: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\arma 2 operation arrowhead\@DayZ\Addons"
I am stuck at "Waiting for server response" or "Waiting for character to create" or "Receiving Data"
Servers are simply being overloaded, wait a litte or try another server. If nothing works try below.
Launch Operation Arrowhead from steam and select the option to re-install BattlEye Anti-Cheat client. If you are using retail download the latest version form http://www.battleye.com/download.html and put it in a folder named "BattlEye" in the "Expansion" folder of your Arma2:OA main directory.
If nothing works try reinstalling both Arma2 and OA.
Note: Frequent connections and disconnections on a server compound this problem. Please try to be patient before switching to another server.
I get a constant "Retrying to authenticate" message
Updating Arma2 Client to the latest beta version may resolve this issue. Latest versions are available at http://www.arma2.com/beta-patch.php
I get "You can not play/edit this mission; it is dependent on downloadable content that has been deleted.cherarus" when trying to join any server
Make sure you launch the game as 'Combined Operations' and NOT 'Operation Arrowhead' when launching from STEAM.
Invisible objects, missing textures etc.
Right click ARMA 2 in STEAM - 'Properties' - 'Local Files' - 'Verify integrity of game cache'.
Try changing your ingame video settings.
I get other weird graphic artifacts ingame that block my screen
Known bug, it occurs on the barbed wire fences that players can build and should be fixed in the next patch. You can try changing your ingame video settings as a temporary fix.
