can't generate world with cave

Hello @DM3, I'd like to confirm a few things first. Are you starting the server in-client or through other means (steamcmd OR steam tools)? Are you running mods with your server? If yes, what are they. Sometimes mod crashes the server, and since the caves couldn't work then it means one of the mods is causing the cave portion to crash and thus can not generate.

Can you attach the server_log.txt files to your next reply?

If you're running an in-client server, the Server Slot # you are using would comply with the Cluster_# folder in Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether. So if you were attempting to generate the world on the 3rd Server Slot in the Host Game Screen, the server_log.txt files you should attach would be in Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether\Cluster_3\Master AND Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether\Cluster_3\Caves. The server_log.txt in the Caves folder would be really important cause the issue doesn't happen if the caves aren't enabled for the server.

If you're running it through other means (steamcmd OR steam tools), then you should find the server_log.txt in which ever folder you made as your dedicated server folder in Documents\Klei\DoNotStarveTogether\.