Direct answer

Minecraft region files store chunk data. Slow region-file reads or writes can contribute to stutter, but changing their compression or deleting files is not a safe generic lag fix.

How to check it

  1. Check disk space and inode availability (df -h and df -i on Linux) and review console messages for I/O errors or save failures.
  2. Use a spark profile during chunk-heavy activity to distinguish chunk loading, chunk generation and world saves.
  3. Compare storage latency with the host’s dashboard; also look for overlapping backups or scans that compete for disk access.
  4. Preserve the entire world and dimension folders before testing a storage or compression change.
df -h
df -i
/spark profiler start --timeout 120

What to change

Address full disks, failing storage or excessive concurrent backup workloads first. If your Paper build exposes region-file compression options, verify the exact version and trade-offs before adjusting them. Never remove individual .mca files to “fix” lag unless you deliberately intend to delete the chunks they contain.

Software and version notes

On some servers, dimension directories and region formats differ. Copying a world between implementations can require migration; testing on staging is safer than editing production saves in place.

Verify the result

Repeat comparable exploration and saving tests, then confirm worlds load correctly, no chunks are missing and disk errors no longer appear.

References