Reboot and Restart are two power options available in the VPS control panel that achieve similar end results through very different methods. Reboot attempts a clean shutdown of the operating system first, making it the recommended choice. Restart performs an immediate hard reset of the virtual hardware.

Selecting the proper option protects against file system errors, data corruption in databases, and unexpected application behavior. The distinction becomes critical when running production workloads, especially .NET applications with open database connections or in-memory state. Clean shutdowns allow services to flush caches, close handles, and commit transactions before the machine halts.

This option signals the guest OS to shut down gracefully before cycling power. It follows these steps and prioritizes system integrity over speed:

  • Shuts down the OS cleanly (if possible)
  • Turns off the VPS
  • Turns on the VPS
  • Boots into the OS

The control panel monitors the shutdown process and will force a Restart if the VPS becomes unresponsive during the clean shutdown attempt. This fallback prevents machines from remaining in a hung state indefinitely.

#Restart Option

This performs an abrupt power cycle equivalent to disconnecting the power supply on physical hardware. The operating system does not have an opportunity to close files or services, which can lead to journal replays or consistency checks on the subsequent boot.

  • VPS is immediately turned off (power removed)
  • VPS is turned on
  • Boots into the OS

#Best Practices for Using Power Options

We do not recommend using the Restart option unless the VPS is not responding. Regular use of hard restarts increases the chance of corrupted NTFS structures, incomplete SQL transactions, or lost application session data. Instead, perform maintenance and restarts from within the guest OS when you have access via RDP or remote PowerShell. This approach lets the OS handle service dependencies and write buffers correctly.

powershell 
# Graceful restart from an elevated PowerShell session
Restart-Computer -Force

Following a Restart, always review system logs and Event Viewer for errors. Default to the Reboot option for daily operations to ensure stability of your hosted services and applications. When the VPS is responsive, internal OS commands remain the safest method for planned maintenance.