If you have ordered a Virtual Private Server (VPS) or a Virtual Dedicated Server (VDS), you must install the operating system via the Customer Panel after your order has been processed.

Contabo provides two Customer Panel interfaces:

• New interface (recommended): new.contabo.com
• Original interface: my.contabo.com

The installation steps differ slightly depending on which interface you are using.

Table of contents

Installing a server using the new Customer Panel (recommended)

1. Log in to the Customer Panel
   Log in at new.contabo.com using your Customer Panel credentials.
2. Open ‘Servers & Hosting’
   In the left-hand menu, click ‘Servers & Hosting’ and select ‘VPS’ or ‘VDS’, depending on your server type.
3. Open the server action menu
   Find the server you want to install, click the three dots under ‘More’, and select ‘Install‘. If the server is already installed, select ‘Reinstall’.
   
   Important: Installing or reinstalling a server will permanently delete all existing data on that server.
4. Choose the installation type
   In the installation window, choose one of the available options:
   • Standard installation – clean operating system installation
   • Application installation – operating system with a preinstalled application (if available)
   • Advanced/Custom Image Installation – custom images (requires the Custom Images add-on)
5. Select the operating system
   Choose your preferred operating system from the ‘Standard Image’ list (for example, Ubuntu).
6. Set a system password
   Enter a secure password for the server.
   
   

   Important: This password is not sent by email. Please store it securely, as you will need it to access your server after installation.

7. Start the installation
   Click ‘Install’ to begin the installation process. The installation may take several minutes to complete.

Installing a server using the original Customer Panel

Note: Use this method only if you are still working in the original interface at my.contabo.com.

1. Log in to the Customer Panel
   Log in at my.contabo.com.
2. Open the server control section
   Depending on your server type, open ‘VPS control’ or ‘VDS control’.
3. Start the installation
   Click ‘Install Instance’ next to the server you want to install.
   
   If the server is already installed, you will see ‘Reinstall’ instead.
4. Choose an image
   Select ‘Standard Image’, or choose the image that matches the license you ordered (for example, Windows, Plesk, or cPanel).
5. Configure access
   Depending on the operating system, you may need to set a password (Linux/Windows) and/or store an SSH public key (Linux only).
   
   

   Important: The password will not be sent by email. Please store it securely.

6. Optional advanced options
   If available, you can also:
   • Install a Custom Image (requires the Custom Images add-on)
   • Use Cloud-Init templates for advanced configuration (Linux only)

After the installation

Once the installation is complete:

• The server status will update in the Customer Panel
• You can connect using the server’s IP address and the credentials you set during installation

See: How do I connect to my Contabo server?

Video content

We also have video content on how to install your server:

  

If you’re having trouble accessing the video above, you can also watch it directly on YouTube here.