If rebooting an AWS EC2 instance is not working, you can try several troubleshooting steps:
- Instance Status Check: First, check the instance status in the AWS EC2 dashboard. Look for any status check failures or system status check issues. These checks can give you an idea of what might be going wrong.
- Force Stop and Restart: If a regular reboot isn’t working, try forcing the instance to stop and then restart it. You can do this from the AWS Management Console. Choose the instance, then go to Actions > Instance State > Stop, and check the option to force stop. After the instance stops, try starting it again.
- View Logs: Check the instance’s system logs. AWS provides a way to view these logs through the console. Go to Actions > Instance Settings > Get System Log. The logs might provide clues as to why the instance isn’t rebooting properly.
- Check Security Groups and Network ACLs: Ensure that the instance’s security groups and network ACLs are configured correctly. Misconfigured network settings can sometimes cause issues with instance connectivity and operation.
- EC2 Rescue: In cases where the instance is unresponsive, you can use the EC2 Rescue feature. This feature allows you to troubleshoot and potentially fix issues on an unreachable instance.
- Consult AWS Support: If you’re unable to resolve the issue using the above steps and if the instance is critical, consider contacting AWS Support for assistance. They can provide more detailed insights and help.
- Snapshot and Restore: If you have recent snapshots of the instance, you might consider creating a new instance from the snapshot to see if this resolves the issue.