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How do I access the rescue system?

Using the Rescue System, you can examine and repair your system even when a normal boot is no longer possible. This can be helpful, for example, if you’ve forgotten your password, have incorrect network settings, or after a failed update or upgrade.

Please note that the Rescue System can take up to 15 minutes to start fully and that the disks are not mounted automatically.

To activate the Rescue System, follow these steps:

  • Log in to the Cockpit with your personal credentials.
  • In the right-hand sidebar, click Root Servers.
  • Select your server.

CloudVM​

An SSH key pair is required for the SSH connection. You can either use an existing one or generate a new one.

  • Click the Rescue tab.
  • Click the Enable Rescue Mode button.
  • Under Rescue public key, enter the public key for Rescue Mode if you have created one.
  • Click Activate Rescue Mode.
  • Restart the server.

The login can be done via:

ssh -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null servername

Root-Server and Legacy CloudVM​

  • Click the Rescue System tab.
  • In the “Root password for Rescue System” field, set the password for the root user of the Rescue System.
  • Change Boot Type to Rescue System (grml.org64-bit).
    • For machines with limited RAM, a lightweight version is available: Rescue System (grml-small, for 1GB RAM machines).
  • Restart the server.

The login can be done via:

ssh -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null root@servername