Check a server before changing its operating system

A

Use reinstallthe replacesCloudExa yourVPS panel to replace a VPS operating system

 with an available template. Reinstalling canis erasea existingdestructive action: it is not a repair step for a forgotten password, a full disk or an application error.

Back up before you continue

Reinstalling erases and replaces the machine operating system and its current data. Treat the VPS as a new installation. Download files and configuration.application Aconfiguration, restartexport ordatabases, passwordand changestore isrecovery acopies different operation. Confirmoutside the actionVPS. Check that you arecan selectingopen those copies before proceeding.confirming anything.

Before a

Write reinstall

• Back updown the dataservice name, IP addresses, current operating system and applications you need to retainrebuild. Note DNS entries, scheduled tasks, firewall rules and software licences. A backup sitting on the disk you are about to replace will not protect you. If you need to keep the current installation, stop here and contact support.

  Choose and confirm the reinstall

  1. Sign in to the VPS panel and select the intended service. Check its name and IP against your records.
  2. Open Settings → General and find Reinstall Server.
  3. Select an operating system from the available templates. A template listed for another service or location may not be available on this VPS.
  4. Enter a new System OS Password. The panel requires 8–191 US-keyboard characters, including uppercase and lowercase letters, a number and a symbol.
  5. Select Start server after reinstall if you want the panel to start the VPS when installation finishes.
  6. Choose Reinstall. Read the final warning and choose Confirm only after you have checked the service and secured your backups.

  Wait for installation to finish

  The panel shows an installing state while it rebuilds the VPS. Leave the job to finish. Do not submit a second reinstall, change templates again or force a power action to clear a loading screen. If the state does not progress, contact support with the service ID and the time you confirmed the job.

  Check the new system

  1. When installation completes, check the power status. Start the VPS if you did not select the start-after-reinstall option.
  2. Use the console to check that the operating system boots and accepts the expected account credentials.
  3. Test SSH using the credentials and username appropriate for the selected template.
  4. Install security updates, restore applications and data, and verify their permissions before reopening access to users.

  A reinstall can change the SSH host key. If your SSH client warns about a changed key, confirm that the reinstall completed and verify the copynew isfingerprint usable.

• Recordthrough applicationa settings,trusted networkchannel configurationbefore andupdating requiredyour credentialssaved securely.
• Confirmkey. youDo selectednot disable host-key checking to suppress the correctwarning. server and operating system.
• Plan downtime and ensure you have console access.

If you only want to preservechange files,credentials, resizeuse resourcesthe orpassword-change resolveguide. For an in-place operating system upgrade that preserves applications, ask support about a loginseparate problem, contact support to discuss the appropriate actionplan rather than startingchoosing a reinstall.Reinstall.