Rebuild a server
Rebuilding gives you the same server, the same address and the same plan, with a fresh operating system on it. You can also switch to another system this way, for instance from Debian to Ubuntu.
Everything on the disk is gone afterwards. There is no undo and we keep no copy. Copy off what you need first.
Rebuild
A new server is protected against removing and rebuilding. The rebuild dialog says so and lets you switch that off with Switch protection off; you can also do it under All server settings.
- Open the server in the console, go to the Settings tab and choose Rebuild server.
- Pick the operating system you want on it.
- Pick the SSH keys that go on it. This is the moment to put a new key on a server that never had one. With E-mail me the root password ticked, the rebuilt server gets a new root password, sent as a one-time link once it runs; then a key is optional.
- Type the name of the server to confirm. We ask for it because this cannot be undone.
What stays and what goes
| Stays | Goes |
|---|---|
| The IPv4 and IPv6 addresses | Everything on the disk |
| The plan and what it costs | Anything installed on it |
| The name in your console | The host keys, so SSH warns you once |
The first time you connect after a rebuild, SSH says the host key changed. That is expected here. Remove the old line it names from your known_hosts and connect again.
Billing
A rebuild costs nothing extra. The server keeps counting by the hour as it did, because it keeps its plan the whole time.