Reinstall a VM

_{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.

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Before you start

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What’s preserved vs reset

The VM is unavailable during the rebuild. Typical duration is a few minutes; the actual time depends on:

• 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

There’s no published SLA for reinstall duration. For reference: a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 on a 25 GiB disk typically completes in 1–3 minutes; a Windows Server 2022 on a 50 GiB disk typically takes longer due to sysprep. Plan for up to 10 minutes in worst-case scenarios so you don’t get nervous mid-rebuild. See Storage model for the survival matrix across reinstall, factory reset, and delete.

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Two ways to start

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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.

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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.

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Step 1 — Select OS

Pick the new OS template (or stay on the same one for a clean reinstall) and the version. Same OS lineup as VM creation. Switch between Linux distros, jump from Linux to Windows, or stay put for a clean reinstall. The Marketplace tab is also available for pre-built application images.

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Step 2 — Authentication

Pick how you’ll log in to the rebuilt VM.

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Step 3 — Confirm

Review what’s preserved and reset, tick the acknowledgement box, and click Reinstall OS.

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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.

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Reinstall vs other options

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Next steps