Instance Recovery Using Rescue Image

Upload Rescue Image

Upload the SystemRescue .iso image (example uses systemrescue-13.00 you can download any other version on its website.):

openstack image create --disk-format iso \
    --container-format bare \
    --property hw_rescue_device=disk \
    --property hw_rescue_bus=virtio \
    --file systemrescue-13.00-amd64.iso \
    --public rescuecd13

Note

For volume-backed instances, additional image properties are required:

  • hw_rescue_device=disk ensures the rescue image is attached as a disk instead of a CD-ROM during rescue mode

  • hw_rescue_bus=virtio ensures the rescue disk uses the VirtIO bus, which is required for proper device detection in many environments

  • This allows proper access to the instance root volume for recovery

Enter Rescue Mode

  1. Put the instance into rescue mode:

    openstack server rescue --image rescuecd13 <server_id>

    Note

    This action can also be performed via the Horizon dashboard.

  2. After the command completes, the instance will boot into the rescue environment, allowing recovery actions to be performed.

Exit Rescue Mode

Return the instance to normal operation:

openstack server unrescue <server_id>