Install a dedicated server, rescue system and restart

In short

After provisioning, your dedicated server starts in the rescue system. From there, in the customer account, you install Debian, Ubuntu, AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux with one click, get the root password and log in via SSH. You handle soft and hard restart, rescue system, reinstallation, rDNS and SSH keys yourself, without a ticket. The rescue system is only active until the next restart; after that your normal system runs again.

The process at a glance

From purchase to login

1. ▶OrderPay for a server from the catalog
3. 2Rescue systemServer starts in the emergency Linux
5. 3InstallationChoose the operating system in the customer account
7. 4Get the root password
9. ✓Log in via SSHssh root@IP

You find all functions in your customer account under the dedicated server: Dienste (services) → Deine Produkte (your products) → Ansehen (view), there in the Server verwalten (manage server) section. It shows the operating system, root password (user name root, with “anzeigen” and “kopieren”, i.e. show and copy) and IP addresses. The exact button labels may differ until they have been checked on a real server.

What is the rescue system?

The rescue system is a small Linux that starts over the network rather than from your drive. You need it

• when a newly delivered server has no operating system yet,
• when you want to reinstall the operating system,
• when your system no longer starts and you need to get at the files on the drives.

In the rescue system you can check the drives, back up data and repair things without your actual system running.

Install the operating system

1. Open the server in the customer account. Log in to your customer account and select your dedicated server.

2. Store an SSH key (optional). If you already have a key, enter its public part under Deine SSH-Schlüssel (your SSH keys) with Schlüssel hinzufügen (add key). How to generate one is explained in VPS: first steps with SSH. Important: the key only applies to logins in the rescue system. On an installed system you put your own key there yourself, as described in the SSH guide. After an installation you always get a root password.

3. Choose the operating system and click “Jetzt installieren” (install now). You can choose between Debian 13 and 12, Ubuntu 26.04, 24.04 and 22.04 LTS, AlmaLinux 10 and 9, and Rocky Linux 10 and 9. Pick the distribution you know. Debian and Ubuntu are widely used; AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux are successors of CentOS. “Alle verfügbaren Systeme ansehen” (view all available systems) takes you to the Neuinstallieren (reinstall) tab.

4. Confirm the installation. Everything on the drives is erased in the process.

5. Wait until the installation is finished. It takes a few minutes. During that time, the server restarts several times.

6. Get the root password. You can display it in the customer account with a click. Copy it and change it after your first login.

7. Log in via SSH.

   ssh root@203.0.113.10

   Replace the example IP with the IP address of your server. Then continue with VPS: first steps with SSH and Secure your VPS. The guides apply to dedicated servers just the same.

Reinstallation erases all data

When installing, the server is reset to its initial state. All files, databases and settings are gone afterwards. Back up everything you want to keep beforehand, for example in the rescue system.

Use the rescue system

1. Store an SSH key in the customer account if you have not already. You use it to log in to the rescue system.

2. Click Rescue-System starten (start rescue system). Tick “Server jetzt hart neu starten, damit das Rescue-System startet” (restart the server hard now so the rescue system starts) if the server should restart straight away. Without the tick, the rescue system is only scheduled and starts at the next restart. With Vormerkung aufheben (cancel scheduling) you take it back.

3. If you did not restart straight away, restart the server now. It boots into the rescue system.

4. Log in via SSH:

   ssh root@203.0.113.10

5. Mount the drives and back up or repair what you need. You find the drives with lsblk.

6. When you are done, restart the server. The rescue system does not stay permanently: after the next restart your installed system runs again. To use rescue again, start it again.

After a reinstallation the server has a new fingerprint. If SSH warns about it, delete the old entry on your computer:

ssh-keygen -R 203.0.113.10

Restart without a ticket

If your server hangs, you restart it in the customer account. There are two kinds:

• Sanft neu starten (soft restart) sends Ctrl+Alt+Del to the server. The system shuts down in an orderly way.
• Hart neu starten (hard restart) is like the reset button. Unsaved data in memory is lost.

Try the soft restart first, or shut the server down yourself with shutdown -r now or reboot. Use the hard restart if the server no longer responds.

Set up rDNS

Reverse DNS (rDNS) assigns a name to an IP address, so it is the reverse of normal DNS. You mainly need it for mail servers, because other mail servers often reject senders with missing rDNS.

1. At your domain, create an A record pointing to the IP address, for example mail.beispiel.de. How to do that is explained under Manage DNS records.
2. In the customer account, under the server in Rückwärtsauflösung (rDNS) (reverse resolution), enter the same name in the field “Name für die Rückwärtsauflösung”.

Both sides should match: the name points to the IP, and the IP points back to the name.

If something does not work

What happened?

The server is not reachable via SSH after installationWait a few minutes, check the IP address and the password. If that does not help, send a ticket.→

My SSH key is rejectedThe key stored in the customer account only applies in the rescue system. After an installation you log in with the root password and put your key there yourself.→

The server no longer startsStart the rescue system and check the drives. Otherwise contact support.→

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to write a ticket to reinstall?

No. You handle soft and hard restart, rescue system, reinstallation, rDNS and SSH keys yourself in the customer account.

Can I install a different distribution from the ones offered?

The customer account offers Debian, Ubuntu, AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux. If you need a different system, ask support beforehand.

How long until the server is there after purchase?

Provisioning can take up to 24 hours. You receive the access details by email and in your customer account.

Further reading

• Dedicated server
• VPS: first steps with SSH
• Secure your VPS
• DNS basics
• Support