Restarting from Windows
The simplest route, if the system still responds: from the Start menu, Power > Restart, exactly as on an ordinary computer. The system closes active sessions and services cleanly before starting up again.
Restarting from the panel
If the VPS no longer responds over RDP, the management panel offers a Restart button that acts directly on the virtual machine, bypassing the operating system — useful when Windows itself is stuck.
How long a restart takes
A Windows VPS generally takes longer to restart fully than a Linux VPS — the operating system is heavier to initialise. Wait a few minutes before attempting an RDP connection again after a restart.
When to reinstall from scratch
A reinstall returns the VPS to its initial state with a fresh system, deleting all existing data. It is justified in specific cases:
- changing Windows Server version;
- starting from a clean base after a confirmed security compromise;
- a system too degraded to be repaired reliably, despite several troubleshooting attempts.
Before reinstalling
Always back up every piece of data you want to keep before launching a reinstall from the panel — deletion is immediate and final as soon as you confirm, with no way to recover afterwards.