Reinstalling the operating system gives your VPS a clean start: a fresh Linux install and none of the old files, settings or problems. It is the right move after a serious compromise, a configuration you can't untangle, or when you want a different Linux distribution. It also erases everything on the server, so the backup you take first matters more than the reinstall itself.
An OS reinstall wipes the whole VPS disk and installs a fresh operating system. On a Domain India VPS you do it yourself: back up everything you need, then open the Rebuild tab of your VPS page, choose the OS, type the VPS name to confirm and click Erase and reinstall. Your IP address stays the same. Then log in, secure the server and restore your data.
1. What a reinstall does
A reinstall replaces the operating system on your VPS's disk with a fresh copy from a template.
| Goes | Stays |
|---|---|
| Every file, website, database, mailbox and log on the VPS | Your VPS plan, its CPU, memory and storage |
| Installed software, control panel data and settings | Your billing, renewal date and client-area record |
| Users, SSH keys, cron jobs and firewall rules | Nothing on the old disk that you didn't copy off first |
Your IP address, VPS name and plan stay the same, and your panel firewall rules carry over. Snapshots of the VPS are deleted with the old disk. Afterwards, log in with an SSH key or set a new root password on the Rebuild tab; see first login.
2. Reinstall or repair?
A reinstall is a blunt tool. Use it when:
- The server was compromised. Once an attacker has had root, you can't be sure you found every backdoor. Rebuilding on a clean OS and restoring only your data and code, never old system files or binaries, is the safe path.
- You want a different distribution, for example moving from AlmaLinux to Ubuntu.
- The OS is end of life. CentOS 7 and 8 and Ubuntu 20.04 no longer get standard security updates. Move to a current release rather than upgrading across several versions in place.
- The system is broken beyond a reasonable fix, such as a failed major upgrade.
If one service is misbehaving, fix that service instead. A reinstall costs hours of setup and restore time.
3. Back up everything first
Nothing on the disk survives, so copy what you need to your own computer or to storage outside the VPS, and check that the copies open.
- Website files.Archive each site:
tar -czf /root/sites.tar.gz /var/www(adjust the path to where your sites live). - Databases.Dump each one:
mysqldump --single-transaction dbname > dbname.sqlfor MySQL or MariaDB, orpg_dump dbname > dbname.sqlfor PostgreSQL. - Configuration.Copy
/etc(web server, PHP, firewall and SSH settings), your crontabs (crontab -l > crontab.txtfor each user) and any.envfiles. - Certificates and keys.Save any paid SSL certificates and their private keys, and the public keys in
~/.ssh/authorized_keys. - A software list.Record what you installed:
apt list --installedon Ubuntu or Debian,dnf list installedon AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux. - Copy it off the server.Download everything with
scporrsync, for examplersync -avz root@your-vps-ip:/root/backup/ ./vps-backup/, and open a few files to make sure they are complete.
Anything left on the VPS disk, including an archive you made there, is erased by the reinstall. Only copies stored somewhere else survive.
4. Reinstall from your VPS page
- Open your VPS page.In the client area, click VPS & Servers, then your VPS, then the Rebuild tab.
- Choose the operating systemunder Reinstall operating system: Ubuntu 24.04, Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 12, Debian 13, AlmaLinux 9 or Rocky Linux 9.
- Click Reinstall…and type your VPS name exactly as shown. Optional: paste an SSH public key so you can log in over SSH straight away.
- Click Erase and reinstalland keep the page open. It takes a few minutes; if it fails, the VPS is started again as it was.
- Log in.Use your SSH key, or set a root password on the Rebuild tab for the Console. Step-by-step with screenshots: reinstall your VPS operating system. Older VPS without a VPS page in your client area: open a ticket with the VPS IP address and our team will do this for you.
5. Choosing an operating system in 2026
Pick a release with years of security updates left:
Avoid CentOS, which has reached end of life, and any release whose standard support has ended. If you plan to install a panel, choose an OS that the panel currently supports. The six systems on the Rebuild tab are all current releases.
6. After the reinstall
The server is brand new, so secure it before you restore anything.
- Clear the old host key.Your computer remembers the old server's fingerprint and will warn you. Remove it with
ssh-keygen -R your-vps-ip, then connect withssh root@your-vps-ip. - Change the root passwordwith
passwdif you want one for the console. - Update everything.
apt update && apt full-upgrade -yon Ubuntu or Debian, ordnf upgrade -yon AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux. - Lock down SSH and the firewall.Add your SSH key, create a sudo user, turn off password and root login, and allow only the ports you use.
- Restore your data.Upload the files, import the databases, recreate cron jobs, and reinstall the software from your list.
- Test, then update DNSif the IP address changed.
The first-hour checklist is in VPS account setup and activation, and SSH hardening in the SSH security hardening checklist.
7. Troubleshooting
- "REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED". Expected after a reinstall. Run
ssh-keygen -R your-vps-ipand connect again. - Connection refused or timing out. Check that you are using the IP address shown on your VPS page and port 22. If you changed the SSH port or firewall on the new server and locked yourself out, see use your VPS browser console.
- Your application won't start after restoring. Compare the new OS's versions of PHP, Node.js or your database with the old ones; a new release often ships newer major versions.
8. Domain India VPS
Domain India VPS plans run on KVM with full root access and NVMe storage. They are self-managed: you install, secure and back up your own software, and you reinstall the OS yourself from your VPS page. Prices on the card are live and exclude 18% GST.
- 1 vCPU
- 2 GB DDR4 RAM
- 64 GB NVMe SSD Storage
- 2 TB Monthly Bandwidth
How do I reinstall the operating system on my Domain India VPS?
Back up everything you need to storage outside the VPS. Then open the Rebuild tab of your VPS page, choose the OS under Reinstall operating system, click Reinstall…, type the VPS name and click Erase and reinstall. Your IP address stays the same.
Will reinstalling the OS delete my data?
Yes. A reinstall erases the entire VPS disk, including websites, databases, email, settings and any backups stored on the server. Copy everything you need somewhere else first.
Which Linux should I choose for a new VPS?
A current long-term-support release such as Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, the current Debian stable, or AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux for Red Hat compatible software. Avoid CentOS and any release whose standard support has ended.
Why does SSH warn that the host identification has changed?
The reinstall created new host keys, so your computer no longer recognises the server. Remove the old entry with ssh-keygen -R followed by the VPS IP address, then connect again.
Should I reinstall after my VPS was hacked?
Usually yes. Once an attacker has had root access you cannot be sure every backdoor is gone. Back up your data and code, reinstall, secure the new server, and restore only data and code you have checked, never old system files.
Can I install a control panel?
A VPS comes without a panel. You can install one yourself on top of the OS, with your own licence where the panel needs one. cPanel is not offered on Domain India VPS plans.
Ready for a clean start? Take your backup, then open the Rebuild tab of your VPS page, or compare VPS plans if you need a bigger server.
Choose the OS on the Rebuild tab, type the VPS name to confirm, and keep your own backup safe.
Open your VPS page