Reinstall a virtual server

A reinstall wipes the disk and lays down a fresh operating system. Use it to switch systems, or to start over on a server you have made a mess of.

Open your server and click Reinstall.

What happens to your data#

Read this before you do anything else.

Destroyed and not recoverable:

• Everything on the disk. Files, databases, uploads, configuration, certificates, installed software.
• Every snapshot attached to the server.

Carried over to the new install:

• The IPv4 address.
• The hostname.
• The resource allocation.
• The SSH keys stored on the Access tab.

So the one thing a snapshot cannot save you from is a reinstall. If anything on the server matters, copy it off the server first.

Do it#

1. Open the Reinstall tab. Read the red warning at the top.
2. Click the operating system you want. The tile shows the name, the release and how long it is supported for.
3. Click Continue to reinstall.
4. Type the hostname to confirm. The panel tells you which hostname it wants.
5. Click Erase and reinstall.

A new password is generated and shown to you once as the reinstall starts. Copy it. It is also stored on your account afterwards, so you can reveal it again from the How to connect card on Overview.

While it runs#

The page shows you where it is up to: erasing the old volume, copying the fresh system image, applying the hostname and credentials, growing the volume to your plan size, powering on. A Windows install adds a final step while Windows finishes its own first boot.

A Linux reinstall is usually done in under a minute. Windows takes longer, up to about fifteen minutes, because of that first boot.

Nothing else on the server can be changed while it runs. You can close the page. The install carries on.

The operating systems#

Reinstalling is free and there is no limit on how often you do it.

Both Windows images are Microsoft evaluation media. They stop working 180 days after installation unless you supply your own Windows licence.

If you need to install from your own ISO file, email [email protected]. That is not something the panel does.

After it finishes#

• Sign in with the new password, or with your SSH key.
• Change the generated password if you want one you chose yourself. See Root password and SSH keys.
• Check the Security tab. The firewall rules you had before the reinstall are still in place, so the ports you opened are still open.
• Take a snapshot once you have the server set up the way you want it.

If it does not finish#

You get the error on screen, and the service goes back to a state where you can simply run the reinstall again. Nothing is charged for a failed attempt. If it keeps failing, our team is notified, and you can email [email protected] with the server name.

A suspended service cannot be reinstalled. Settle the invoice first.