To run your EA (Expert Advisor) stably, setting up the environment on your VPS (Virtual Private Server) is crucial. If your VPS slows down or stops, you could miss trading opportunities or face unexpected losses. This guide focuses on “preventing stops and slowdowns,” explaining the fundamental knowledge you need for VPS operation.
Benefits of Using a VPS
While you can run an EA on your home PC, using a VPS offers the following advantages:
- It can run 24/7, so you don’t need to leave your PC on all the time.
- It reduces the risk of power outages and internet connection issues.
- Choosing a region close to your broker’s server minimizes order delay (latency). The region where MT5 runs is especially important for scalping EAs.
- It’s easier to run multiple EAs and accounts simultaneously and stably.
Related articles:
Choosing the “Cheapest VPS”: In-Depth Comparison of Low Latency, Stability, and Cost-Effectiveness for EA Operation
EA Operation: “VPS” vs. “Home PC (On-Premise)”? A Thorough Comparison
Recommended Specifications
When selecting a VPS, determine the specifications based on how many EAs you’ll run simultaneously. These are just guidelines, and the actual needs are influenced by the EA’s operational logic. Use the Task Manager to check how much PC resource is being used and how much capacity is left.
- 1-2 EAs: CPU 2 cores, Memory 2GB approx.
- 3-5 EAs: CPU 3-4 cores, Memory 4GB or more
- Multiple accounts or many EAs: CPU 6 cores or more, Memory 8GB or more
Choosing an SSD will ensure smoother performance. We strongly recommend an SSD.
Monitor Load with Task Manager
Too many EAs can strain the VPS’s CPU and memory, causing delays or freezes. Open the Task Manager and check the following points:
- Is the CPU usage constantly exceeding 80%?
- Is the memory being heavily utilized?
- Is the disk or network load unusually high?
If resources are low, you need to reduce the number of MT5 instances or EAs, or upgrade the VPS’s specifications.
Windows Settings (Sleep, etc.)
It’s vital to disable sleep and automatic restart settings in the VPS’s Windows environment.
- Set the Power Settings to “Never” sleep. EAs won’t run if the PC is sleeping.
- Turn off automatic restart for Windows Update. A restart will revert MT5 to an unopened state.
- Disable screen savers and unnecessary background applications.
These basic settings prevent the risk of your VPS stopping unexpectedly.
Monitoring
If you leave your VPS completely unattended, you might not notice freezes or stops. Monitoring is an effective solution. By using an external monitoring service, you can receive rapid notifications when the server goes down. This allows for early intervention, minimizing risks during a trouble.
Related article: EA VPS Monitoring and Automatic Notification Setup
Settings to Lighten MT5 Load
To reduce the VPS load, optimize your MT5 settings. Here are the specific steps:
1. Reduce the number of historical bars on charts
Go to “Tools” → “Options” → “Charts” tab → check “Max bars in chart.”
The default value is usually large, but reducing it will lighten the load and improve performance.
For example, setting it to the minimum of “1000” is recommended. However, this assumes your EA doesn’t rely on bar data older than 1000 bars.
2. Turn off unnecessary services
Go to “Tools” → “Options” → “Community” tab → “Specify services” and uncheck unnecessary services.
Turning off “Calendar,” “Market,” “Signals,” “Articles,” and “Code Base” can reduce resource consumption.
It’s usually safe to turn them all off.
3. Hide unnecessary currency pairs
In the “Market Watch” window, right-click → select “Hide All” to remove unused currency pairs.
Keeping only the necessary symbols will lighten the load.
4. Minimize the number of open charts
Opening many charts simultaneously consumes memory.
Limit the number to only the required currency pairs and timeframes, and close charts you aren’t using.
5. Remove unnecessary indicators and EAs
Right-click on the chart → delete from “Indicators List” or “Expert Advisors.”
Keeping only the bare minimum will help with optimization.
6. Turn off notifications
Go to “Tools” → “Options” → “Notifications” tab → uncheck “Enable” to stop the push notification feature.
7. Disable news feed
Go to “Tools” → “Options” → “Server” tab → uncheck “Enable news” to stop receiving unnecessary news feeds.
7. Periodically delete old logs
As you use MT5, “Journal,” “Experts,” and “Tester” logs accumulate in their respective folders.
Not deleting logs for a long time can lead to issues like disk space consumption. Regularly deleting old logs is recommended.
Related articles:
MT5 Log Bloat Countermeasures: How to Delete Operation, Expert, and Backtest Logs for Optimization
How to Automatically Delete MT5 Logs (Batch/PowerShell): Regular Cleanup of Logs, MQL5\Logs, and Tester
Risk Management if VPS or MT5 Stops
The risk of a VPS or MT5 stop varies significantly depending on the EA’s order type.
Pending orders and SL/TP (Stop Loss/Take Profit) registered on the broker’s server will execute autonomously on the broker’s side, even if the VPS or EA stops.
This is a major advantage for risk management, as orders and positions are protected even if the VPS or MT5 stops.
For details, please refer to EA Order Types and Risk Comparison: Market, Stop, SL/TP, and Safety during VPS Failure. It’s recommended to choose an EA while considering the risk of a VPS stop.
Summary
“Preventing VPS stops and slowdowns” is a mandatory condition for EA operation. You can create a stable environment by combining appropriate specification selection, Windows settings, daily load monitoring, and MT5 optimization. Practicing these steps will allow even beginners to continue automated trading with confidence.
FAQ
- Q. What is the difference between VPS and home PC operation?
- A. The main difference is that a VPS runs 24/7, making it less susceptible to power outages and internet disconnections. You don’t need to leave your home PC running constantly.
- Q. What VPS specifications should I choose?
- A. It depends on the number of EAs you run. 2GB of memory is enough for 1-2 EAs, but 4GB or more is recommended for running multiple accounts or multiple EAs simultaneously.
- Q. Which country’s server should I choose for my VPS?
- A. It’s generally recommended to choose a region that is geographically close to your broker’s server. This reduces order processing delay and is advantageous for strategies like scalping.