Hetzner Rescue System Not Working

How to fix it

// try these in order, the most common fix is first

1. FIX 1Enable rescue with power cycle

   Copy steps
   1. 01Open the server in the Hetzner Console
   2. 02Click Rescue in the top menu
   3. 03Choose Enable rescue & power cycle
   4. 04Select linux64 and your SSH key
   Did this fix it? Yes No

2. FIX 2Save the root password

   1. 01If you did not pick a key, copy the password shown after enabling rescue
   Did this fix it? Yes No

3. FIX 3Fix the host key warning

   Copy steps
   1. 01Run ssh-keygen -R <server-IP>
   2. 02Reconnect and accept the new fingerprint
   Did this fix it? Yes No

4. FIX 4Dedicated servers: enable rescue in Robot

   Copy steps
   1. 01Open the server in Robot, Rescue tab
   2. 02Activate rescue, then use the Reset tab to reboot
   Did this fix it? Yes No

5. FIX 5Exit rescue

   Copy steps
   1. 01Run reboot from the rescue shell
   2. 02The server boots from its local disk again
   Did this fix it? Yes No

Symptoms

You enabled rescue but still land in your normal OS, SSH refuses with 'REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED', or you keep landing in rescue.

Why it happens

• C-01Server was not restarted within the 60-minute rescue window
• C-02Old host key in known_hosts
• C-03No SSH key selected and the root password was not saved
• C-04Closing SSH does not exit rescue

// this guide also covers

• hetzner rescue system
• hetzner rescue mode
• hetzner rescue not working
• hetzner reset root password

Other Hetzner errors

• Hetzner Account Verification Rejected
• Hetzner Cloud Server Currently Unavailable
• Hetzner Server Limit Reached
• Hetzner Server Unreachable (SSH Timeout)
• Hetzner Server Locked (Netscan / Abuse)
• Hetzner Port 25 Blocked (Can't Send Email)
• Hetzner Price Increase After Rescale
• Hetzner Charging for a Powered-Off Server