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Two install paths: a one-line automated setup (recommended) or manual step-by-step if you’d rather see what’s happening.

Table of contents

Already playing on an older client? v0.5.0 is the cutover to the new nz client, and its new mods mean you must upgrade to keep playing. Re-run the Path A one-liner once — it preserves your worlds, waypoints, and tuned settings while moving you onto nz. Full details: Upgrading to v0.5.0.

What you’ll need

  • A Windows 10/11 PC
  • A paid Minecraft Java Edition account (Bedrock from Xbox / Microsoft Store / mobile does not work)

Don’t have Minecraft Java yet? Get it from minecraft.net/store/minecraft-java-edition.

System requirements

C2E2’s official recommendation is 4–8 GB allocated to Minecraft. Don’t over-allocate — on systems with only 8 GB total, giving Minecraft 8 GB will starve Windows and crash the game.

Component Minimum Recommended
RAM (total system) 8 GB 16+ GB
RAM allocated to Minecraft 4 GB 8 GB
CPU 4 cores 4+ cores, 3 GHz+
Storage 10 GB free 20+ GB on SSD

The published modpack instance ships pinned to an 8 GB allocation with automatic Java detection, so you normally don’t need to touch Prism’s Java or memory settings. On a PC with only 8 GB total RAM, lower it to 4096 (4 GB) in Prism → Settings → Java → Memory so Windows isn’t starved.

Path A — Automated setup (recommended)

A single PowerShell command installs Java 17, Prism Launcher, and the Craft to Exile 2 modpack (pulled directly from our Azure storage — much faster than CurseForge), then wires Prism’s launch-time version check and auto-backup hooks and drops an Update Craft to Exile 2 launcher on your Desktop. ~3 minutes.

Run it

  1. Press the Windows key, type powershell, press Enter

  2. Copy-paste this command and press Enter:

    irm https://github.com/camcast3/MinecraftInfra/releases/download/nz-latest/install.ps1 | iex
  3. Approve any winget prompts (press Y + Enter if asked)
  4. Wait ~2–3 minutes while it installs Java, Prism, and the modpack

Cautious? Verify before running. The installer and nz.exe are published as assets on the nz-latest release, which lists the nz.exe SHA-256. nz setup also verifies the SHA-256 of the modpack zip pulled from our storage before installing it — if anything tampers with it, the install aborts.

After the script finishes

  1. DM the admin your Minecraft Java username so they can allowlist you. Wait for confirmation. (If they ask for your UUID too, look it up at minecraftuuid.com.)
  2. Open Prism Launcher from the Start menu
  3. Sign in with your Microsoft account (the one that owns Minecraft Java)
  4. Launch the Craft to Exile 2 instance (already installed by the script)
  5. Multiplayer → Add Server, server address: mc.negativezone.cc
  6. Join — you’ll be auto-connected straight into Craft to Exile 2.

That’s it. The remaining sections below are only needed if the automated script didn’t work or you want manual control.

Next: see Updates for how first install uses the zip and later updates use packwiz delta-sync, and Backups for how your personal state is protected.

Path B — Manual setup

Follow these if Path A errored out, or if you’d rather do every step yourself.

Step 1 — Get your username and UUID

The server is allowlist-only. The admin needs your Minecraft Java username and UUID before you can join.

Use minecraftuuid.com:

  1. Open minecraftuuid.com
  2. Type your Minecraft Java username in the search box, press Enter
  3. Copy your username and the Full UUID (the one with dashes, e.g. a30918db-b4fe-4659-9575-ebc8c19640b8)

DM the admin:

Username: <your-username>
UUID: <your-uuid>

Wait for confirmation that you’ve been added.

Step 2 — Install Java 17

Minecraft 1.20.1 requires Java 17 specifically (not 8, not 21).

Check if it’s already there:

  1. Press the Windows key, type powershell, press Enter
  2. Run: 
    java -version
  3. If it says version "17.x.x", skip to Step 3.

Install via winget (Windows’ built-in package manager):

winget install --id EclipseAdoptium.Temurin.17.JDK -e --source winget

Approve any prompts (press Y if asked). winget auto-configures JAVA_HOME and PATH. Close and reopen PowerShell, then verify with java -version.

winget not found? You’re on an older Windows build. Install App Installer from the Microsoft Store, which includes winget.

Step 3 — Install Prism Launcher

Prism Launcher is a free, open-source Minecraft launcher that handles modpacks in one click. Install via winget:

winget install --id PrismLauncher.PrismLauncher -e --source winget

Or download the installer from prismlauncher.org/download/windows.

Step 4 — Set up Prism

  1. Open Prism Launcher from your Start menu

  2. Sign in with your Microsoft account — click Microsoft, then Open the page and copy the code, paste it in your browser, and sign in with the same Microsoft account that owns Minecraft Java

  3. Click Settings (top-right) → Java tab:
    • Click Auto-detect… → select the Java 17 entry → OK
    • Under Memory, set Maximum memory allocation to 8192 (= 8 GB)
      • If your PC has only 8 GB RAM total, use 4096 instead
      • Per C2E2’s docs, don’t go above 8 GB — allocating 12+ GB causes garbage-collection stalls and crashes.

    Click OK to save.

Step 5 — Install the Craft to Exile 2 modpack

  1. Back at Prism’s main window, click Add Instance (top-left)
  2. Click CurseForge in the left sidebar
  3. Search Craft to Exile 2 and press Enter
  4. Click the result (icon is a brown leather book) → leave Version at latest → OK

Prism downloads Forge + all the mods (5–15 min depending on your internet).

⚠️ Do NOT install extra mods. The server checks that your mod list matches the modpack exactly. Adding random mods gets you kicked.

Step 6 — Connect to the server

  1. Select the Craft to Exile 2 instance in Prism → click Launch
  2. Once Minecraft loads, click Multiplayer → Add Server
  3. Fill in:
    • Server Name: NegativeZone
    • Server Address: mc.negativezone.cc
  4. Click Done, then double-click the server to join

You’ll be automatically forwarded straight into Craft to Exile 2. If C2E2 is restarting, you’ll get a “Server unavailable” message — wait a minute and try again.

Heads up — manual installs don’t get the launch-time version check. Path B leaves you on a vanilla Prism instance with no nz check (version gate) or nz backup (auto-snapshot) hooks installed. You’ll still see the server’s MOTD update in your server list when a new version ships (that’s your cue to upgrade), but you won’t get the hard launch-time block or the automatic 3-day snapshots. To enable those, re-run the Path A one-liner once after Path B — it preserves your existing instance and just bolts the hooks on.