Server and service diagnostics
This guide helps you check and troubleshoot the most common server problems on your own, even if you are not a system administrator. You will learn how to check your server status, read logs, test connectivity, and recognise when it is time to contact support.
Before you start
Most issues fall into a few categories.
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Server not responding | Network, firewall, or OS service issue |
| Slow performance | High CPU, RAM, or storage usage |
| Connection issues | SSH or RDP disabled, wrong credentials, network blocking |
| Website down | Web server failure, DNS issue, expired SSL, database problem |
| Storage errors | Low disk space or drive failure |
If your server hosts critical applications and becomes fully unavailable, contact our support right away. Our ticket support is available around the clock.
Check your service status in the client panel
Open the Orders section and find the affected service. Each order shows its status, the paid-until date, the number of days left in the paid period, and the main IP address.
Check the status:
- Processed means the service is active and fully operational
- Suspended (for non-payment) means access is blocked because of an unpaid invoice. Pay the invoice to reactivate the service
- Suspended (for violation) means access is blocked for a policy or ToS issue. Contact support to resolve it
- Cancelled means the service was terminated. Restoration is only possible through support, for a limited time
If the paid period has ended, renew the service before troubleshooting further.
Open Manage order and go to the Details tab. The Control section shows the Power status and, depending on the platform, actions such as Reboot, Power on, and Power off. If the server is unresponsive, a Reboot here is often the quickest first action. On some servers this section is empty, which means power actions are handled by support on request.
Use the remote console when SSH or RDP is down
If you cannot connect the usual way, open the remote console (IP-KVM or IPMI) from Manage order. It may appear as a button, as a link with a login and password, or be requested through the REQUEST button. Rescue Mode may also be available for recovery.
From the console you can:
- Log in to the OS directly
- See system errors on screen
- Restart network services
- Adjust firewall rules, only if you know which ports and rules are required
If you see a kernel panic, boot errors, or a blank display, go to the boot and system errors section below.
Test connectivity to your server
Run a ping test from your own computer.
ping YOUR.SERVER.IP
| What you see | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Replies received | The server responds to ICMP requests |
| Packet loss | Possible network congestion or filtering |
| No reply | ICMP may be blocked, or the server or network may be unavailable |
f your office network blocks ping, try from another connection. A mobile hotspot usually works.
Try SSH or RDP
For Linux, connect over SSH:
For Windows, open the Remote Desktop app and enter the server IP and credentials.
| Message | Possible cause |
|---|---|
| Connection timeout | Network filtering, firewall, or service unreachable |
| Connection refused | The service may not be running, or the port is closed |
| Access denied | Wrong credentials or login restrictions |
| No route to host | Routing or network connectivity problem |
| Protocol error | Client, protocol, or service configuration problem |
If login fails, go back to the remote console to reset credentials or firewall rules.
Check system resource usage
Once you are logged in, check what is loading the server.
CPU and RAM usage:
top
Disk space:
df -h
Network usage. Interface counters are available on any system:
ip -s link
For a live per-connection view, iftop is handy (install it if the command is not found):
iftop
On Windows, open Task Manager and check the Performance tab, then review the System and Application logs in Event Viewer.
If CPU or RAM is maxed out, identify the processes using the most resources first. Restart or stop them only if you know what they do.
Check boot and system errors
From the console or terminal on Linux, review the log for the current boot:
journalctl -b
For the previous boot, which is useful after an unexpected reboot:
journalctl -b -1
For kernel and hardware messages:
dmesg | less
On Windows, if the server reaches the recovery screen, try Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, then Startup Repair.
If you see disk or hardware errors, stop here and contact support.
Check network configuration and firewall
The network service and firewall tools depend on your OS. To see your current addresses and routes on any Linux system:
ip addr
ip route
Depending on the system, networking may be managed by NetworkManager, systemd-networkd, or netplan.
Firewall on Ubuntu and Debian:
ufw status
iptables -L
Firewall on AlmaLinux and Rocky, usually managed with firewalld:
firewall-cmd --list-all
On Windows, check Windows Firewall settings and the network adapter status in Control Panel.
Restart services or reboot safely
Restart only what you need. The service name depends on your distribution and installed software.
Web server on Ubuntu and Debian:
systemctl restart nginx
systemctl restart apache2
Web server on AlmaLinux and Rocky, where Apache is named httpd:
systemctl restart httpd
Database, depending on your database software:
systemctl restart mysql
systemctl restart mariadb
Full reboot, only if nothing else helped. Before you reboot, make sure no important updates, backups, or database operations are running:
reboot
A controlled restart often clears software-level issues.
Avoid forced shutdowns. They can leave the file system in an inconsistent state and cause disk errors.
When to contact support
Contact us if:
- The server fails to boot
- You suspect a hardware failure
- The network is unreachable after all checks
- Console access is not possible
- You see data loss or RAID errors
Include in your ticket:
- Server IP and hostname
- What happened and the symptoms you see
- The steps you already tried
- Screenshots or error messages
The more detail you provide, the faster we can resolve the issue.
If you cannot resolve the issue yourself, our support can perform the diagnostics and intervention for you. For the access and confirmations to include in your request, see the Server Intervention and OS Intervention guides.
Summary
By following this guide you can quickly diagnose network connectivity issues, OS crashes and service failures, resource overload, login problems, and boot or file-system errors. You stay in control, and our team is here for anything you cannot fix yourself.
