OS reinstall on dedicated via IPMI

An OS reinstall on a dedicated server means you mount an installer ISO in IPMI, boot from it, and install a fresh operating system on the chassis. You keep the same MAC address and usually the same public IP, but the disks are wiped unless you copied your data off first. This is not a one-click VPS rebuild. You work through the BMC and iKVM on physical hardware.

Before you start

Copy anything you still need to another location that is not this server. That includes databases, configuration under /etc, SSH keys, TLS certificates, and application files. Confirm that IPMI and iKVM already work while the machine is still healthy. Do not wait until the bootloader is gone to discover a console problem. If you need Windows or Linux, say so before you mount an ISO so the image matches the license we have on file for the chassis.

1. Log into IPMI and open the iKVM console.
2. Mount the vendor ISO through the BMC virtual media tools.
3. Set the next boot device to the virtual CD and reboot the server.
4. Watch the installer on iKVM, partition the disks, and complete the install.
5. Set a strong root or administrator password you will not paste into a support ticket.
6. Boot into the new OS, then restore SSH keys, firewall rules, and your applications.

After the new system is up, fix reverse DNS and mail HELO if this IP sends mail. PTR records do not update themselves just because you installed a new OS. SSH clients will warn about a changed host key, and that warning is expected on a fresh install.

What stays the same after reinstall

The MAC address on the public NIC stays the same. The IP address is usually the same as well. ARP caches on nearby gear may still hold the old hostname for a short time. Mail receivers still see the existing PTR until you change it. A leftover localhost.localdomain HELO after reinstall is a common way outbound mail lands in junk folders, so set hostname and reverse DNS carefully before you send production mail again.

What a reinstall does not fix

Reinstalling does not recover data you never copied off the chassis. An empty disk looks clean, but the old files are gone once the installer formats the array. It also does not undo leaked secrets. If malware or spam came from stolen credentials, rotate registrar access, Git tokens, WordPress admins, and any exposed .env values. The IP can still carry reputation history from earlier abuse. Shared hosting is handled by ticket and is not something you reinstall yourself. A VPS rebuild button is the wrong model for bare metal.

Treat the first hour on the new OS like a brand-new machine. Set the firewall, correct the time, install your keys, then bring the application back. The IPMI network is separate from the public NIC, so do not point your site at the BMC address when the install is finished.