Rescue mode and VNC
Reach a server that will not boot or accept SSH, using the browser VNC console or rescue mode, and reset the root password.
Recover a cloud server you cannot reach over SSH. Applies to all VPS and dedicated servers.
These tools live under Options in the Cloud Console, in four sub-tabs: VNC, Rescue, Password and Settings.
Which one to use
| Symptom | Use |
|---|---|
| SSH refuses your password or key | Password — reset the root password |
| Server boots but SSH does not respond | VNC — get a console and investigate |
| Server does not boot at all | Rescue — boot a recovery environment |
| Installing an OS from your own media | VNC plus boot media |
VNC
VNC gives you the server's screen and keyboard, exactly as if you were standing in front of it. It works when the network stack or SSH is broken, because it does not depend on either.
- Open Options → VNC.
- Select Enable VNC Access if it is not already active.
- Select Browser VNC to open the console in a popup window.
VNC is unencrypted. Anyone positioned to observe the network between you and the server could record the session, including anything you type — such as a root password. Use it to diagnose, then use SSH for real work, and select Disable VNC Access when finished.
Allow popups for the console if the window does not open.
Rescue mode
Rescue mode boots the server into a small recovery environment instead of your
installed system, with your disk available to mount. Use it when the server will
not boot at all — a broken fstab, a failed kernel update, a full disk.
-
Open Options → Rescue.
-
Start rescue mode.
-
Connect over SSH or VNC using the rescue credentials shown.
-
Mount your disk, for example:
mount /dev/vda1 /mnt -
Repair what is wrong, then unmount and reboot back into your system.
Rescue mode does not change your disk. Nothing is modified unless you modify it.
Reset the root password
Under Options → Password. The server must be powered off for the change to apply — see Reset the root password from the Cloud Console.
Settings
Server-level options such as the boot loader. Change these only when you have a specific reason; the defaults suit almost every installation.
Related
Networking and reverse DNS
Find your server's IP addresses and gateway, set reverse DNS so mail is deliverable, and change the DNS resolvers it uses.
Boot media and boot order
Attach a CD/DVD image to install an operating system manually or boot a rescue disk, and control which device the server boots first.