I can't access my server, what do I do?

There are a few things to try if your server is down and inaccessible which you can find below:

Check the Server Status Page:

You can check the Contabo Server Status page here. Any issues with Contabo data centers will be posted here, so if you're having issues accessing your server it is best to first check this page to see if there are any ongoing issues. If there aren't any larger issues please follow the steps below.

Try restarting your server:

It is always recommended to try restarting your server when your having issues accessing it. You can find a guide on how to do this here.

Try connecting to your server via VNC:

If you have a VPS or VDS with Contabo you can try connecting to your server via VNC. There is a guide on how to connect to your server via VNC here.

If your server is reachable via VNC but unreachable via other methods it is likely due to a misconfiguration of the firewall or that the port was changed.

Use the "can't connect to server" interactive guide:

You can use the"can't connect to server" interactive guide to give you immediate help when you're unable to connect to your server. The guide will help you diagnose the issue with your server and provide you with a variety of solutions. From there, you will be also able to create a support ticket if necessary. 

You can access the interactive guide with the following steps:

1. Open the Customer Control Panel.
2. From the blue "control panel" section on the left hand side of the page click "Your services".
3. Click the "Manage" button next to the server you're having issues connecting to.
4. Click the option "I can't connect to this server" from the dropdown. 

The form should then open up and you can navigate through the form to find a solution to your issue. 

If this is your first time trying to connect to your server we also have a guide here that give you the basic steps to connecting to your server.

Boot a rescue system:

Try to boot a rescue system (like a live CD) into the RAM of your server. This option is available for Virtual Private Servers (VPS) and Virtual Dedicated Servers (VDS).

Through it you will be able to access the system, make changes, correct any errors, and boot the system again normally. This option is free of charge and you can do it on your own immediately using the Customer Control Panel.

You can find a guide on how to boot a rescue system here.

KVMoIP:

A KVMoIP can be added to dedicated server. KVMoIP means Keyboard Video Mouse over Internet Protocol. It will enable you to operate as if you were sitting in front of the machine. You can use this option to access your server and make the required changes to get it back up and running. 

To get a KVMoIP setup on your server you will need to reach out the customer support team.

You can raise a ticket with the customer support team via the Customer Control Panel here.

This option is best to use if you know the cause of your servers issue and need to regain access to fix the issue.

I'm getting a specific error when trying to connect to my server, can you help?

We have some guides on more specific errors that you may see when trying to connect to your server which you can find below:

• If you're getting the error message "Remote Desktop can't connect to the remote computer for one of these reasons" check our article here.
• If you're getting the error message "The remote session was disconnected because there are no Remote Desktop Licence Servers available to provide a licence. Please contact the server administrator." check our article here.

How do I run diagnostics on my Server?

If you're still having issues with your server you can run diagnostic reports on your server to help narrow down the cause of the issue. 

You can read our article here which provides more information on how to run diagnostic reports on your server.