Rescue mode: repair a Cloud VPS that will not boot

Start your Cloud VPS in a temporary Linux rescue environment to fix boot problems, recover files or undo an SSH lockout — and how to return to normal afterwards.

What rescue mode is

Rescue mode starts your server in a minimal, network-based Linux environment instead of from its own disk. Your disk is not changed, so you can use the rescue system to:

• fix a broken boot loader or system configuration;
• recover files from the disk;
• undo a change that locked you out of SSH.

Turn on rescue mode

1. Sign in to the client area, open Services and select your Cloud VPS.
2. Open Management → Rescue Mode.
3. Click Enable Rescue Mode & Reboot and confirm.

Your server reboots straight into the rescue environment, and a new, temporary root password appears on the Overview tab. Connect with SSH (ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP) or use the browser console.

Work with your disk

Your server's own disk is not mounted automatically. A typical first step:

lsblk                      # list disks and partitions
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt       # mount the main partition (check the name in lsblk)
ls /mnt                    # your files are now under /mnt

Make your repair, then unmount before restarting:

umount /mnt

Warning: Be careful with commands that write to the disk. If you are unsure, open a support ticket before changing anything.

Return to normal — important

When you have finished, restart the server so it boots from its own disk again: click Disable Rescue Mode on the Rescue Mode page, or use Restart Server on the Overview tab.

Note: The rescue option switches itself off after 60 minutes if you do not use it. But once your server has started in rescue mode, it keeps running the rescue system until it is restarted. If your website or application is not responding and you used rescue mode recently, a restart is usually all that is needed.

After the restart, log in with your normal root password. The temporary rescue password no longer works.