getting reports that when a rare case, players die and server restarts they lose their backpacks completely 

For affected players, do you have backpack drop on death enabled? If so, what may be happening here is that the Backpack despawn time resets to vanilla despawn time after a server restart, which is determined by the rarity of the items inside, then the player doesn't reach it in time.

Please try to reproduce the issue on a test server.

I can confirm this is an issue. I f1 killed then ran a server restart command with smooth restarter 5 seconds after dying and once the server was back up, instantly connected and the dropped backpack was gone.

wsad920NW

I can confirm this is an issue. I f1 killed then ran a server restart command with smooth restarter 5 seconds after dying and once the server was back up, instantly connected and the dropped backpack was gone.

I just tested using the reproduction steps you provided, but in my case the backpack was on the ground after the restart, no issue.

Can you paste the logs of your server shutting down? I want to confirm that Rust saved, and at the correct time (after all plugins unloaded) because the symptoms you described could be caused by a save descync, where the plugin saved (that the backpack was empty) but the server did not save the dropped backpack. I suspect this because there was a recent Carbon user who saw this type of behavior when using standard restart functionality here, where the plugin saved backpack data, but the server did not save, which I could not reproduce using Oxide.

Here you go, the entire shutdown sequence from the command initiation up to the first few lines of the start backup.

19/02 06:27:43 | [SmoothRestarter] Server restart initiated in 0.99985 seconds, reason: Command, initiator: Covalence.RustPlayer[76561198013930015, wsad 920NW]
19/02 06:27:44 | [SmoothRestarter] Server restart in progress, 0 seconds left
19/02 06:27:44 | Unloaded plugin ATMSystem v2.0.3 by David
19/02 06:27:44 | Unloaded plugin Admin Radar v5.3.4 by nivex
19/02 06:27:45 | [AlphaLoot] Repopulating loot for 5430 containers
19/02 06:27:45 | Calling 'Unload' on 'AlphaLoot v3.1.25' took 697ms
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin AlphaLoot v3.1.25 by k1lly0u
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Ammo HUD v1.1.16 by beee
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Anti Ladder and Twig v1.3.1 by kaucsenta
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Automated Events v1.0.12 by k1lly0u/mspeedie/Arainrr
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Automatic Authorization v1.3.3 by k1lly0u/Arainrr
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Backpack Button v1.1.1 by WhiteThunder
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Backpacks v3.13.3 by WhiteThunder
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Better Chat v5.2.14 by LaserHydra
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Better Chat Mute v1.2.1 by LaserHydra
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Better Chinook Patrol v0.2.0 by WhiteThunder
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Better Chat Mute Voice v1.0.4 by collect_vood
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Better Researching v1.1.5 by Arainrr
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Boombox Durability v2.0.1 by WhiteThunder
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin BotReSpawn v1.2.5 by Steenamaroo
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin BradleyOptions v2.3.1 by Krungh Crow
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin ChaosExtensionDownloader v0.1.1 by k1lly0u
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Building Workbench v1.4.0 by MJSU
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin ChaosNPCDownloader v0.1.1 by k1lly0u
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Component Blocker v0.1.9 by Calytic
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Cooking 2.0 v2.0.8 by imthenewguy
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin CraftMenu v1.1.31 by David
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Copy Paste v4.1.37 by misticos
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Custom Icon v1.0.4 by collect_vood
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Crafting Controller v3.2.9 by Whispers88
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Custom Vending Setup v2.10.3 by WhiteThunder
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Debug Missing Parent Entity v1.0.1 by WhiteThunder
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Customizable Magazines v1.1.4 by Razor
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Dung Protector v1.3.0 by KajWithAJ
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Economics v3.9.1 by Wulf
19/02 06:27:45 | [Economics] Saving balances for players...
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Eternal Plants v1.0.1 by 0x89A
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin EventHelper v1.0.11 by imthenewguy
19/02 06:27:45 | [EventHelper] Removed Event: SurvivalArena
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Extra Gather Bonuses v1.0.5 by Orange
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Furnace Splitter v2.5.2 by FastBurst
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin GUIShop v2.4.47 by Khan
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin General Item Modifier v1.0.1 by Rick
19/02 06:27:45 | [Heli Signals] INFO: Vanilla patrol Helicopter server event has been re-enabled
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Headshot v0.0.3 by Wrecks
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Hud v3.1.3 by ahigao
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Heli Signals v1.2.4 by ZEODE
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Instant Mixing Table v1.0.0 by MJSU
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Image Library v2.0.62 by Absolut & K1lly0u
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Longshot v0.0.3 by Wrecks
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Lock Master v1.1.8 by FastBurst
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Kits v4.4.0 by k1lly0u
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Loot Bouncer v1.0.10 by Sorrow/Arainrr
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Loot Defender v2.1.5 by Author Egor Blagov, Maintainer nivex
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Monument Addons v0.15.0 by WhiteThunder
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Monument Lock v1.6.5 by Rustonauts
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Monument Finder v3.1.2 by WhiteThunder
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Puzzle Points v1.4.0 by Rustonauts
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin No Give Notices v0.3.0 by Wulf
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin No Compound v1.0.1 by Orange
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin NpcRaiders v1.6.5 by Razor
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin No Weapon Drop v1.2.0 by Fujikura
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin NpcSpawn v2.6.1 by KpucTaJl
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin OilRigDoorsFix v1.0.2 by MON@H
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin PlaceAnything v1.0.5 by David
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin PermissionsManager v2.0.9 by Steenamaroo
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin PlayerRanks v2.2.6 by Steenamaroo
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Playtime Tracker v0.2.2 by k1lly0u
19/02 06:27:45 | Unloaded plugin Prefab Sniffer v2.0.2 by Wulf
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Quick Smelt v5.1.5 by misticos
19/02 06:27:46 | Calling 'Unload' on 'QuickSmelt v5.1.5' took 347ms
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Raidable Bases v2.8.5 by nivex
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Recycle Manager v2.0.4 by WhiteThunder
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin RustRewards v3.1.4 by Steenamaroo
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Remover Tool v4.3.41 by Reneb/Fuji/Arainrr/Tryhard
19/02 06:27:46 | Client Vars have multiple entries for sr
19/02 06:27:46 | Server Vars have multiple entries for sr
19/02 06:27:46 | Server Vars have multiple entries for smoothrestart
19/02 06:27:46 | Client Vars have multiple entries for srestart
19/02 06:27:46 | Server Vars have multiple entries for srestart
19/02 06:27:46 | Client Vars have multiple entries for smoothrestarter
19/02 06:27:46 | Server Vars have multiple entries for smoothrestarter
19/02 06:27:46 | Client Vars have multiple entries for smoothrestart
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Rustadmin Online v1.2.0 by misticos
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Sign Artist v1.4.1 by Whispers88
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Rustcord v3.3.2 by Kirollos & OuTSMoKE
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Signal Cooldown v1.0.32 by Vliek
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Simple Kill Feed v2.2.8 by Krungh Crow
19/02 06:27:46 | Calling 'Unload' on 'SkinBox v2.2.3' took 693ms
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin SkinBox v2.2.3 by k1lly0u
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Skull Crusher v1.1.1 by Krungh Crow
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Sleeper Animal Protection v1.0.5 by Lorenzo
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Sleeper Guard v1.1.2 by Wulf/lukespragg/Arainrr
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin SmoothRestarter v3.2.0 by 2CHEVSKII
19/02 06:27:46 | Failed to call hook 'Unload' on plugin 'StackModifier v2.0.0' (NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object)
at Oxide.Plugins.StackModifier.ResetStacks () [0x00069] in <6daedd647740436180f5f9a483fecd88>:0
at Oxide.Plugins.StackModifier.Unload () [0x0000d] in <6daedd647740436180f5f9a483fecd88>:0
at Oxide.Plugins.StackModifier.DirectCallHook (System.String name, System.Object& ret, System.Object[] args) [0x00582] in <6daedd647740436180f5f9a483fecd88>:0
at
Line too long, truncated. Click to show the full text.
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Stack Modifier v2.0.0 by Khan
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin StaticLootables v2.9.1 by Raul-Sorin Sorban
19/02 06:27:46 | [Survival Arena] Starting despawn process.
19/02 06:27:46 | [Survival Arena] Finished despawn process.
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Survival Arena v1.0.15 by imthenewguy
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Terrain Violation Fix v1.0.3 by Tryhard
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin TalkingNpc v1.3.3 by Razor/S0N_0F_BISCUIT
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin Timed Permissions v1.6.0 by LaserHydra
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin TimeOfDay v2.3.4 by FuJiCuRa
19/02 06:27:46 | Unloaded plugin TruePVE v2.1.6 by nivex
19/02 06:27:47 | Calling 'Unload' on 'UberTool v1.4.35' took 349ms
19/02 06:27:47 | Unloaded plugin UberTool v1.4.35 by FuJiCuRa
19/02 06:27:47 | Unloaded plugin Vehicle Licence v1.8.2 by Sorrow/TheDoc/Arainrr
19/02 06:27:47 | Unloaded plugin Vanish v1.8.0 by Whispers88
19/02 06:27:47 | Unloaded plugin WBResearchBlock v1.0.1 by Krungh Crow
19/02 06:27:47 | Unloaded plugin Welcomer v2.1.0 by Dana
19/02 06:27:47 | Unloaded plugin Wipe Info v1.2.6 by dFxPhoeniX
19/02 06:27:47 | Unloaded plugin XPerience v1.8.200 by MACHIN3
19/02 06:27:47 | Calling 'Unload' on 'ZombieHorde v0.6.16' took 420ms
19/02 06:27:47 | Unloaded plugin ZombieHorde v0.6.16 by k1lly0u
19/02 06:27:47 | Unloaded plugin SAM Site Map v1.4.0 by Arainrr
19/02 06:27:47 | Unloaded plugin AbsolutSorter v2.0.24 by k1lly0u
19/02 06:27:47 | Invalidate Network Cache took 0.04 seconds
19/02 06:27:49 | Saved 204,514 ents, cache(1.36), write(0.06), disk(0.04).
19/02 06:27:49 | Saving complete
19/02 06:27:49 | Config Saved
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:01 | []
19/02 06:32:02 | []
19/02 06:32:02 | []
19/02 06:32:12 | Spawning 204514 entities

Thanks for posting that. It looks good to me. The plugins unloaded and then the server saved, as expected.

As for where the dropped backpack went, one possibility is that the entity had saving disabled, but that shouldn't be the case since then I would be able to reproduce it. The plugin doesn't explicitly enable saving for the entity, but it's enabled by default for the prefab.

Another possibility is that the container was saved but despawned some time after the server restarted. The main plugin I know of which accelerates despawn time is Despawn Config, but I don't see that in your list.

Third possibility is that the dropped backpack fell through the terrain after restart. There used to be an issue like this where the corpse would collide with the backpack and push it through sometimes, but I resolved it by disabling collision between the dropped backpack and all corpses. The issue is, when the server is restarted, collision is effectively re-enabled. This seems like the most likely explanation. If this is the case, you will see inconsistent behavior, meaning sometimes the backpack is gone, and other times it's there. You should also see a message in the server logs about a dropped item container entity being killed for being out of bounds of the map, shortly after the server restarted. If this is the issue, I can try to mitigate it by rediscovering dropped backpacks on plugin load, in order to re-enable the collision avoidance behavior.

I will do some more extensive testing on scenarios 2 and 3 tomorrow on my day off from work. Hopefully we can find and answer as other than this testing instance, it has happened to one of my beta testers on one occasion.
I'll hopefully be able to narrow down whether this is a one off or could be a regular thing. 
I did have some items in the backpack but next time I'll make sure they're high despawn items. 

Merged post

Well, I hate to say it but happened once again and it was neither of those scenarios. I put 1 rocket, 1 c4 and 1 ak in both my body inventory and backpack inventory. F1 killed, spawned again to double check it was all there, body loot and backpack loot we both there and procedded with /sr restart 5 command. server shut down just as before correctly unloading all plugins then saving as the very last entry before running initiating its boot sequence. 

upon the server booting up i waited and as soon as the server was joinable, spawned in right on top of my body, to only find my body and no backpack (plugin). i turned on radar and the loot option and went below the terrain to the water surface and it was not floating on the water. so the proceeded to check the console from the startup initiation and right upto the last entry as i joined and the last Invalid Position item_drop_backpack was at 02:46 early this morning which was four hours ago.

20/02/2024 02:46:16 | Invalid Position: item_drop_backpack[40667747] (-4000.00, 65.99, 2051.60) (destroying)