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Reboots, Reinstalls & Console

Reinstalling Your VPS Operating System

By the StarDomain teamPublished 3 min read
Knowledge base article
Contents (4 sections)

Reinstalling gives your VPS a fresh operating system. Use it to start again, switch Linux distribution, or recover from a broken or compromised server.

Key takeaways

In the client area, open your VPS and choose Reinstall. Pick an OS, type the VPS name to confirm, and optionally add an SSH key. Everything on the server is erased, including its snapshots. Your IP address, VPS name and plan stay the same.

This erases the whole server

Websites, databases, files, settings and snapshots are all removed. Copy everything you need off the server first.

1. Before you reinstall

  • Copy your data off the server: website files, database dumps (mysqldump or pg_dump), and config files you will need again.
  • Note your settings: firewall rules, cron jobs, services you installed.
  • Keep your SSH public key handy, so you can log in straight after.

2. Reinstall

  1. Open your VPS.
    In the client area, open your VPS service and find the Reinstall card. If you don't see it, ask support.
  2. Choose an operating system.
    The list shows what is available, for example Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux.
  3. Add an SSH key (optional).
    Paste your public key to log in with it straight after.
  4. Type the VPS name to confirm.
    This protects against reinstalling the wrong server.
  5. Wait for it to finish,
    then set a root password or log in with your SSH key.

3. After the reinstall

  1. Remove the old host key
    on your computer: ssh-keygen -R your-server-ip. The server has a new identity, so your SSH client will warn you otherwise.
  2. Log in
    as root: ssh root@your-server-ip.
  3. Update the system:
    apt update && apt upgrade -y (Ubuntu/Debian) or dnf update -y (AlmaLinux/Rocky).
  4. Secure it:
    follow the VPS security checklist and set up the firewall.
  5. Restore your data
    and services.

4. Troubleshooting

  • No reinstall option shown: the VPS must be active. If it still isn't there, open a ticket.
  • Can't connect afterwards: wait a few minutes, check the IP address, and remove the old host key as in step 1 above. See VPS Not Responding.
Does reinstalling change my IP address?

No. The IP address, VPS name and plan stay the same.

Are my snapshots kept?

No. Reinstalling deletes the VPS's snapshots, so download or copy anything you need first.

Can I install a control panel such as cPanel?

StarDomain does not sell or support control panel licences. A VPS is a clean Linux server that you manage yourself.

Ready when you are

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Reinstalling Your VPS Operating System