Controlling Your Server’s Power State
The FREAKHOSTING VPS Control Panel provides full power management for your virtual servers. Whether you need to restart a service, perform maintenance, or recover from an issue, you have complete control over your server’s power state directly from the web interface.Difficulty
Beginner
Time
1 Minute
Accessing Power Controls
Power controls are available from the Overview tab of your server’s management page:Navigate to Your Server
Click on Servers in the top navigation bar, then click Manage next to the server you want to control.
Understanding Each Power Action
Boot
Starts your server when it is currently powered off. This is equivalent to pressing the power button on a physical computer. Use this when your server has been shut down and you need to bring it back online.
Shutdown
Sends a graceful shutdown signal to the operating system. The OS will cleanly close all running services and processes before powering down. This is the safest way to stop your server as it allows the system to save its state properly.
Restart
Performs a graceful reboot — the operating system will shut down cleanly and then automatically boot back up. Use this when you need to apply system updates, clear temporary issues, or restart services that require a reboot.
Power Off
Performs an immediate forced power off — equivalent to pulling the power cord on a physical machine. The server is stopped instantly without giving the operating system time to shut down gracefully. Use this only when the server is unresponsive and a normal shutdown is not working.
Quick Restart from the Overview
In addition to the main power buttons, you can also quickly restart your server using the restart icon (circular arrow) located below the server name on the Overview page. Clicking this icon opens a confirmation dialog:- Cancel — Closes the dialog without taking action.
- Restart — Confirms and initiates the restart.
Confirmation Dialogs
For your protection, all power actions display a confirmation dialog before executing. You will always be asked “Are you sure?” before any power state change is applied. This prevents accidental shutdowns or restarts.Understanding Server Status
After performing a power action, the server’s status indicator in the top right corner of the management page will update:| Status | Color | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Running | Green | The server is powered on and operating normally |
| Stopped | Red | The server is powered off |
| Busy | Orange | A power action is in progress (booting, shutting down, etc.) |
What is the difference between Shutdown and Power Off?
What is the difference between Shutdown and Power Off?
Shutdown sends a graceful signal to the operating system, allowing it to close processes and save data before powering down — similar to clicking “Shut Down” in Windows or running
shutdown in Linux. Power Off immediately cuts power without warning — like pulling the plug. Always use Shutdown unless the server is unresponsive.How long does a restart take?
How long does a restart take?
A typical restart completes within 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the operating system and any services that need to start. If your server has not come back online after 5 minutes, try using Power Off followed by Boot.
My server is not responding to Shutdown — what should I do?
My server is not responding to Shutdown — what should I do?
If a graceful shutdown does not work after a few minutes, the operating system may be frozen. In this case, use Power Off to force the server to stop, then use Boot to start it again. If the issue persists, consider using Rescue Mode to investigate.
What about the Rebuild button?
What about the Rebuild button?
Need Extra Help?
If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist:- Live Chat: Quick assistance via our website.
- Support Ticket: Open a Ticket
- Discord: Join our Community
- Email: support@freakhosting.com
Last Updated: March 2026 | VPS Support: Power management simplified.