# Reinstall & Terminate

This guide covers how to reinstall your server's operating system or permanently terminate the service.

### Reinstall Operating System

Reinstalling the OS wipes the server and installs a fresh operating system while keeping the same hardware allocation.

#### When to Reinstall

* Fresh start with clean OS
* Switching to a different Linux distribution
* Recovering from corrupted system
* Testing different configurations

#### Reinstall Process

1. Navigate to **Metal** > **Services**
2. Click on the server you want to reinstall
3. Go to the **Settings** tab
4. Find the **Reinstall Operating System (OS)** section
5. Click **Reinstall OS**

#### Reinstall Options

When reinstalling, you can configure:

* **Operating System**: Choose from available distributions
* **RAID Configuration**: Reconfigure drive arrays
* **Authentication**: Set new SSH keys or password
* **Cloud-Init**: Add new first-boot scripts

#### Important Warnings

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Data Loss Warning**: Reinstalling the OS erases ALL data on the server. This includes:

* All files and directories
* All installed software
* All user accounts and configurations
* Any data on attached storage
  {% endhint %}

#### Before Reinstalling

1. **Backup Important Data**
   * Copy files to external storage
   * Export database dumps
   * Save configuration files
2. **Document Your Setup**
   * Installed packages
   * Network configuration
   * Cron jobs and services
3. **Notify Stakeholders**
   * Inform team members
   * Plan for downtime

#### Reinstall Timeline

Reinstallation follows the same process as initial deployment:

1. Machine Allocated (immediate, already assigned)
2. Deployment Started
3. Installing OS
4. Configuring System
5. Deployment Complete

Typical time: 5-15 minutes

### Terminate Service

Terminating a service permanently deletes the metal server and stops all billing.

#### When to Terminate

* Server no longer needed
* Migrating to different hardware
* Reducing costs
* Decommissioning environment

#### Terminate Process

1. Navigate to **Metal** > **Services**
2. Click on the server you want to terminate
3. Go to the **Settings** tab
4. Find the **Terminate Instance** section
5. Click **Terminate**
6. Confirm the termination in the dialog

#### What Happens When You Terminate

* **Immediately**: Server is marked for termination
* **Within Minutes**: Server is powered off
* **Hardware Released**: Hardware returned to pool
* **Billing Stops**: Charges stop accruing
* **Data Destroyed**: All data is permanently erased

#### Important Warnings

{% hint style="danger" %}
**This action cannot be undone**. Once you terminate a service:

* All data is permanently lost
* IP addresses are released
* The server cannot be recovered
* You must deploy a new server if needed again
  {% endhint %}

\### Before Terminating

1. **Backup Everything**
   * Download all important files
   * Export databases
   * Save configuration for recreation
2. **Update DNS**
   * Point domain records elsewhere
   * Update any hardcoded IPs
3. **Notify Dependencies**
   * Update services that connect to this server
   * Inform team members
4. **Check IP Block Attachments**
   * IP blocks attached to this server will be detached
   * Decide whether to keep or release IP blocks

#### After Termination

* Server appears as "Terminated" in the list (briefly)
* Then removed from your services list
* Final invoice reflects usage up to termination
* IP addresses become available for reassignment

### Orders and Work Orders

When you initiate a reinstall or terminate action, it creates an order:

* View pending orders at **Orders** page
* Track work order progress
* See status (Open, Completed, Cancelled)

#### Order Actions

From the Orders page, you can:

* **View Work Orders**: See detailed progress
* **Go to Service**: Navigate to the affected server
* **Cancel Order**: Cancel pending orders (if not yet started)

### Best Practices

#### Before Any Destructive Action

1. Double-check you have the right server selected
2. Verify backups are complete and accessible
3. Communicate with your team
4. Choose appropriate timing (maintenance window)

#### Maintaining Service Continuity

For production workloads:

1. Deploy replacement server first
2. Migrate data and services
3. Update DNS/load balancers
4. Test thoroughly
5. Then terminate old server

#### Cost Optimization

* Terminate unused servers promptly
* Consider Reserved pricing for long-running servers
* Monitor the Orders page for stuck provisioning


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