Updated May 8, 2026 Reinstall replaces the VM’s OS disk with a fresh OS template. The VM keeps its ID, public IPv4, attached volumes, and CPU/RAM/disk specs — everything else on the OS disk is destroyed.Documentation Index
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Before you start
What’s preserved vs reset
| Preserved | Reset |
|---|---|
| Attached volumes and their data | OS disk (everything on it) |
| Network configuration and IP addresses | Installed software and configurations |
| VM specifications (CPU, RAM, base disk size) | Root / Administrator password (regenerated) |
| Existing snapshots and backups of this VM |
- Template size — bigger images (Windows Server, Marketplace apps with bundled software) take longer to copy than minimal Linux base images
- Hypervisor I/O — busier hosts copy slower; quieter ones copy faster
- Disk size — base disk being wiped and reprovisioned scales with size (a 25 GiB disk is faster than a 480 GiB one)
- First boot work — cloud-init / sysprep / OS first-boot configuration runs after the disk lands; some templates do more work on first boot than others
Two ways to start
a. VM detail page → Actions tab → Change OS
Open the Actions tab on the VM detail page. Under System Operations find the OS Reinstallation card and click Change OS.
b. Instance list row → Actions menu → Reinstall OS
In the Instances list, open the row’s ⋮ menu and pick Reinstall OS. Both paths open the same 3-step dialog.
Step 1 — Select OS
Pick the new OS template (or stay on the same one for a clean reinstall) and the version.
Step 2 — Authentication
Pick how you’ll log in to the rebuilt VM.
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| SSH Key | Pick an existing key from your saved list (same keys used at VM creation) |
| Set Password | Type your own root / Administrator password |
| Email Me Password | Platform generates a secure password and emails it to your account address |
Step 3 — Confirm
Review what’s preserved and reset, tick the acknowledgement box, and click Reinstall OS.
After reinstall
- The VM transitions
provisioning→booting→active— typically a few minutes; up to ~10 for larger templates / Windows / large disks. - Public IPv4 is unchanged — DNS records still point at the right place.
- Connect with the new credentials (your SSH key, the password you set, or the emailed password).
- Attached volumes are still attached but may need re-mounting; the new OS won’t have your old
/etc/fstab.
Reinstall vs other options
| Goal | Use |
|---|---|
| Clean OS reset, keep IP and specs | Reinstall |
| Same OS, just a clean state | Reinstall with the same template |
| Switch between Linux and Windows | Reinstall with the new family |
| Recover from misconfiguration without wiping the OS | Reset password + VNC console |
| Fully start over with a new VM | Delete and Create |
Next steps
Create a snapshot
Capture state before reinstalling.
Connect via SSH
Reconnect after the rebuild.