A graceful shutdown asks the guest to stop its services and flush pending writes. A forced power-off removes virtual power immediately and can leave databases or filesystems inconsistent. Choose the graceful route whenever the system can respond.
IN THIS ARTICLE
What you need before you begin
Confirm the correct server and arrange the interruption with its users. Pause application jobs when appropriate and avoid cutting power during an update or backup. Keep a recovery method available before changing the power state.
01 Choose and perform the appropriate shutdown
- If you can administer the operating system, use its normal shutdown action. On a systemd-based Linux guest,
sudo systemctl poweroffrequests an orderly shutdown; it is not equivalent to a forced hypervisor power cut. - In Virtualizor, open the VPS management view and use Stop for the normal shutdown request.
- Allow the guest time to finish. Use the console to distinguish a busy shutdown from a frozen system.
- Only if the guest will not stop and an immediate shutdown is necessary, choose the separate Power Off action and confirm the risk.
- Wait for the final stopped state before maintenance or a subsequent Start. Record when a forced shutdown was necessary so checks can be performed after the next boot.
How do I verify the VPS has stopped?
Confirm the VPS is stopped in the refreshed panel. After restarting a forcibly stopped server, inspect filesystem and database recovery messages and verify application data, not just network connectivity.
Troubleshoot unexpected results
If Stop has no effect, the guest may not support or respond to the configured shutdown mechanism. Ask support to investigate repeated failures. Do not repeatedly alternate Stop and Start during an active task, and do not mistake a suspended service for a normally powered-off VPS.