This guide deals with the installation of one of the OS prepared by us on a VPS ON virtual machine. To mount a custom ISO file and install from that, follow the VPS ON – Custom ISO OS Installation tutorial.

This tutorial is for the VPS ON service. For VPS SSD, follow the tutorial VPS SSD – OS Image Installation.

In this article, you will learn:

• How to uninstall the existing OS
• How to install the new OS
• How to set the root password in ON SunStone
• Common issues
• Frequently asked questions

Before installing a new OS, first remove the original one. If you are installing the OS on a new VPS ON virtual machine, continue to the Install New OS chapter.

Follow these steps to uninstall an existing operating system:

1. Log in to the Open Nebula SunStone interface.
2. Go to Instances >> VMs.
3. Choose the virtual machine you want to reinstall.
4. Turn off the machine using the  Poweroff hard button. 
5. Open the  Storage tab.
6. Next to the OS disk, click the × icon in the Actions column.
7. Confirm this action in the popup.

To mount a custom ISO file and install from that, follow the VPS ON – Custom ISO OS Installation tutorial. To add a pre-installed OS image from our list, follow these steps:

1. Log in to the Open Nebula SunStone interface.
2. Go to Instances >> VMs.
3. Choose the virtual machine you want to install the OS on.
4. Make sure the VM has no OS and that it is in the POWEROFF state.
5. Open the  Storage tab.
6. Click the Attach disk button.
7. Choose the OS you want to install from the list.
8. Open the Advanced options tab. 
9. Set the Size on instantiate value to your current VPS ON disk size. 
10. Click the Attach button. 

If you need to set or change the root password on the operating system installed according to this guide, follow these steps:

1. Log in to the Open Nebula SunStone interface.
2. Go to Instances >> VMs.
3. Choose the virtual machine you want to set the password on.
4. In the  Info tab, find the Attributes table and the PASSWORD item.
5. Click the pencil icon or add a new item.
6. Enter the new úassword and save it by pressing Enter.
7. Use the  Power Off button to turn off the server.
8. Turn the machine on again using  Resume.

Common problems with installing a pre-installed OS on VPS ON include:

• Required OS missing from the list
• Stuck virtual machine during restart or attaching/removing disks
• Unavailable root password

Issue: The operating system I need to run on my server is not among the offered images.

Cause: We only provide selected distributions and versions of the Linux operating system. We are adding new ones to the list as needed.

Solution: Install your own operating system by following the VPS ON – Custom ISO OS Installation tutorial.

Issue: The VM got stuck and shows an unusual state.

Cause: In some cases, it may take longer than usual (up to several minutes) to turn the VM on or off. Other times, however, it may be a system error that needs to be addressed by us.

Solution: Wait a few minutes. If the problem persists for ten minutes or more, or the VM is stuck in an unusual state that cannot be resolved by restarting, contact support. Include the number or name of the service and the activity that immediately preceded the freeze (e.g. attaching a disk).

Issue: The root password from the service creation email notification does not work, or there was none.

Solution: Follow the instructions in the chapter Set Root Password in ON SunStone.

Question: Why isn’t it in the Windows menu?
Answer: We do not offer Windows operating systems for servers. If you want to run the system with Windows, obtain your own license and install the system according to the instructions VPS ON – Install Windows with VirtIO.