Testing an EA on a fresh VPS: my 20-minute checklist
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2026 11:25 am
I moved my EAs to a new VPS last week. Before letting them trade, I go through the same list every time:
What's on your list that's missing from mine?
- Check the system clock is synced, and note the offset from broker server time.
- Run a ping test to the broker's trade server from MT5, not just the Windows ping.
- Confirm "Allow algo trading" is enabled and DLL imports are off unless needed.
- Load each EA on demo first with the same settings and wait for one signal.
- Check the logs folder is writing and that the disk has space.
- Disable Windows automatic restarts for updates during trading hours.
- Set up a heartbeat message to my phone, so I know if the terminal stops.
What's on your list that's missing from mine?