OS Reinstall

Reinstalling the operating system gives you a fresh start with a clean server.

Before You Begin

Warning

Reinstalling will permanently delete all data on your server, including:

• All files and directories
• Databases and configurations
• Installed software
• User accounts

Backup Checklist

• Configuration files
• Database dumps
• Website files
• SSL certificates
• Cron jobs
• SSH keys

Available Templates

Linux Distributions

Distribution	Versions
Ubuntu	20.04 LTS, 22.04 LTS, 24.04 LTS
Debian	11 (Bullseye), 12 (Bookworm)
CentOS	Stream 8, Stream 9
AlmaLinux	8, 9
Rocky Linux	8, 9
Fedora	39, 40

Windows Server

Edition	Versions
Standard	2019, 2022
Datacenter	2019, 2022

Note

Windows licenses are included with Windows plans. Linux plans cannot be reinstalled with Windows.

Reinstall Process

1. Access Dashboard

   • Log in to hostcore.cloud
   • Go to Dashboard → Instances
   • Select your VPS

2. Open Reinstall Dialog

   • Click Settings → Reinstall OS
   • Or use quick action button

3. Select Template

   • Choose your desired operating system
   • Select specific version

4. Set Root Password

   • Enter a strong password
   • Minimum 12 characters recommended
   • Mix of letters, numbers, symbols

5. Confirm Reinstall

   • Type server hostname to confirm
   • Click Reinstall

6. Wait for Completion

   • Takes 2-5 minutes
   • Server will show as “Reinstalling”
   • Email notification when complete

Post-Reinstall Setup

Linux Servers

# Update system
apt update && apt upgrade -y  # Debian/Ubuntu
dnf update -y                  # RHEL-based

# Set timezone
timedatectl set-timezone Asia/Kolkata

# Set hostname
hostnamectl set-hostname your-hostname

# Create user (recommended)
adduser yourusername
usermod -aG sudo yourusername  # Debian/Ubuntu

# Set up SSH keys
# Copy your public key to ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

# Configure firewall
ufw allow ssh
ufw enable

Windows Servers

1. Change Administrator password
2. Enable Windows Update
3. Install required roles/features
4. Configure Windows Firewall
5. Install necessary software

Switching Operating Systems

You can reinstall with a different OS:

• Linux to different Linux: Always allowed
• Windows to Windows: Always allowed
• Linux to Windows: Requires Windows plan
• Windows to Linux: Contact support

Custom ISO Installation

Need a specific OS not in our templates?

1. Contact support
2. Provide ISO download URL
3. We’ll mount it for installation

Available for:

• Enterprise Linux distributions
• BSD variants
• Custom Linux builds

Troubleshooting

Reinstall stuck

• Wait at least 15 minutes
• Check server status in control panel
• Contact support if still stuck

Can’t connect after reinstall

• Verify IP address hasn’t changed
• Check firewall allows SSH/RDP
• Use VNC console to troubleshoot

Wrong OS installed

• Simply reinstall with correct template
• No additional cost

Automation