---
title: How to Activate and use rescue mode on a VPS
description: "Rescue mode is a tool provided by Truehost Cloud for you to boot your VPS into a temporary operating system. You can then access your system in order to run diagnostic tasks and resolve various issues such as: 1. Resetting…"
url: "https://truehost.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-activate-and-use-rescue-mode-on-a-vps/"
updated: "2024-08-28"
category: Servers
---

# How to Activate and use rescue mode on a VPS

Rescue mode is a tool provided by Truehost Cloud for you to boot your VPS into a temporary operating system. You can then access your system in order to run diagnostic tasks and resolve various issues such as:

1. Resetting your user password to regain access
2. Diagnosing network problems
3. Repairing a broken operating system or kernel related issues.
4. Fixing a misconfigured software firewall
5. Testing disk performance
6. Perform data backup.

Access your Truehost Client Area Portal

1 Go to Services -> Click on Your VPS server ->

2. Click on the Rescue mode Icon

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/image-18.png)

3. Enter your desired root password and click enable rescue.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/image-19.png)

Login to the server using the set details

`root@11.22.33.44`

Once you are connected, you will notice you are now logged in to the server in rescue mode as below.

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/image-20.png)

`root@rescue`

Next, verify the attached disks with this command:

`lsblk`

The result will look similar to the following example output:

`root@rescue:~# lsblk`
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
`vda 254:0 0 2G 0 disk└─vda1 254:1 0 2G 0 part /vdb 254:16 0 30G 0 disk├─vdb1 254:17 0 29G 0 part└─vdb2 254:18 0 999M 0 part`

In rescue mode above, **vda** is the rescue mode disk and **vda1** is the primary rescue partition mounted on / partition.

In this example, the primary disk of the VPS is **vdb** and the system partition is**vdb1** (indicated by the size).

Mount this partition with the following command:

**`mount /dev/vdb1 /mnt/`**

Your files are now accessible from the mount point /mnt:

**`cd /mnt`**

`ls`

You should then see your file system displayed:

`bin boot dev etc home lib lib32 lib64 libx32 lost+found media mnt opt proc root run sbin snap srv sys tmp usr var`

Navigate to home folder for your files

Navigate to /var/lib/yourdatabases

![](https://truehost.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/image-21-1024x193.png)

Before you can manipulate this partition however, you need to open it for write access which you can do with the following command:

**`chroot /mnt`**

In our case, I'll generate a backup of lint_whmcs database.

`tar -cvzf lint_whmcs_backup.tar.gz lint_whmcs/`

Move it to home or a remote server.

`mv lint_whmcs_backup.tar.gz /mnt/home/`

Once you have completed your actions in rescue mode, reboot the VPS again in the regular mode

***NOTE: For most changes you make to your server via SSH while in rescue mode, you will need to mount the system partition.***

**IMPORTANT :**

|  | Do not confuse the `/` directory with the `/root` directory. The `/root` directory is the home directory of the root user. The `/root` directory is sometimes referred to as *slash root* to distinguish it from the root directory. |
| --- | --- |