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Players download custom content much faster when it is compressed. This guide shows you how to create a .bz2 copy of each custom file on your Windows PC, then upload the copies next to the originals on your Counter-Strike 1.6 server.

Difficulty

Intermediate

Platform

Windows PC

Before You Start


Compress Your Files

1

Install 7-Zip

Install 7-Zip to the default path: C:\Program Files\7-Zip.
2

Connect via SFTP

Connect to your game server with your SFTP client.
3

Download your custom folders

Download these folders from cstrike into C:\fastdl\cstrike\ on your PC. Keep the folder structure exactly as it is on the server:
  • maps, models, sound, sprites, gfx, overviews
  • any .wad files in cstrike
4

Save the script

Open Notepad, paste the script below, and save it as C:\fastdl\bz2.ps1. Choose All files as the file type so Notepad does not add .txt.
5

Run the script

Open PowerShell and run:
6

Wait for it to finish

Wait until the script prints Finished. The compressed files appear in C:\fastdl\cstrike_bz2\, in the same folders as the originals, with .bz2 added. For example: maps\de_dust2.bsp.bz2.
7

Upload the compressed files

Upload the contents of C:\fastdl\cstrike_bz2\ into your server’s cstrike folder via SFTP. Merge folders when your SFTP client asks.
8

Check the result

On the server, maps/de_dust2.bsp.bz2 should sit next to maps/de_dust2.bsp.

Important Rules

Never delete or replace the original files on the server. The game server needs the uncompressed files. The .bz2 copies are extra.
  • Do not compress .dll, .so or .cfg files, or plugins. Only use the folders listed in the steps above.
  • Filenames must be lowercase and unchanged. The name must be the original plus .bz2 (for example de_dust2.bsp.bz2).
  • Do not zip a whole folder into one .bz2. Each file needs its own .bz2. The script does this for you.

Troubleshooting

Check that your files are inside C:\fastdl\cstrike\ and that the folder structure matches the server. The script only reads from that folder.
Check that each .bz2 file name is exactly the original name plus .bz2, in lowercase, in the same folder as the original. Linux is case-sensitive, so a mismatch returns a 404 and the client falls back to the slow download. Also confirm FastDL is configured as described in How to Configure FastDL (HTTP Download) in CS 1.6.


Need Extra Help?

If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist:

Last Updated: October 2026 | CS 1.6: Content delivery optimized.