Ubuntu

Rebooting Ubuntu server

Asked by Onno

I'm running 12.04.1 LTS (GNU/Linux 3.2.0-51-generic x86_64) for around a year now. It has been running fine but one aspect of Ubuntu Server has puzzled me from the start. Rebooting.

From time to time I log on to the server I see message that the system requires restart. Fine. Also, from time to time, I want to reboot myself if a service is not functioning as expected. Now for example Jenkins is not starting on my server after I installed a plugin, in the log is the message that java is deleted. I checked it is still there. A reboot looks like a good idea.

But how to reboot? I have never been able to successfully reboot Ubuntu Server. The process is always the same. Issue shutdown/reboot or whatever command and the system hangs. It just won't reboot or shutdown.

The only seems to be to pull the plug. For a server that is something I rather avoid but when using Ubuntu Server, it is the only way? Is that correct? Is it really the only way?

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

sudo reboot

Will reboot the system, as will:

sudo init 0

and:

sudo shutdown -r now

Your system will only 'require' a shutdown if an update has pulled in a new kernel. You need to reboot only to load the newer kernel but it is not mandatory. Despite what users say rebooting Linux servers one in a while is a good thing. Its just not nearly as often as Windows.

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