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On your Instances page, the three-dot menu (⋮) next to each instance offers Stop and Terminate. Stop preserves the instance temporarily so you can start it again. Terminate permanently deletes the instance and its local data. This guide explains what each action keeps or deletes and how to ask about recovering files from an available backup.

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Where to find these actions

Download important files before terminating an instance. You cannot restart it after termination. Support may be able to recover files from a backup, but recovery is not guaranteed and does not replace your own backups.
  1. Go to Compute → Instances
  2. Find the instance you want to manage
  3. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) on the right
  4. Choose Stop or Terminate
  5. Confirm your choice in the pop-up dialog
You’ll need to tick some boxes before confirming Terminate, just to be sure you know what you’re doing.

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Stop vs. Terminate

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⚠️ Stopped instances are not forever

Stopping an instance preserves it temporarily. If you don’t restart it within 10 days, it is automatically terminated. The instance and its local data are deleted, and you cannot start it again. Keep your own backups of anything you need from the system disk. If the instance has already been terminated, ask Support about disk recovery.

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When to use Stop

Use Stop when you:
  • Need to temporarily pause an instance
  • Want to save on Compute charges for a bit
  • Plan to restart it soon
Once stopped, the instance will show as Stopped in your list. To avoid losing it, make sure you start it again within 10 days.

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When to use Terminate

Terminate is for when you’re done with the instance for good. Choose it when:
  • You’ve completed a job and want to clean up
  • You no longer need the instance or its data
  • You want to completely stop all charges
Before the instance is deleted, you’ll be asked to confirm that:
  • All tasks will stop
  • All data will be wiped
  • This cannot be undone
Once terminated, the instance disappears from your dashboard and cannot be restarted.

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Ask about disk recovery

If you need files from a terminated instance, contact Support promptly through Chat with us in the console or email support@hivenet.com. Include the instance ID and approximate termination time. Support can check whether a completed disk backup is available. If it is, the operations team may be able to recover files from that backup. Files changed after the backup will not be included. This process does not restart the terminated instance, and it is not a self-service restore. A usable backup may not be available. Keep your own backups and do not rely on recovery when deciding to terminate an instance.

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Manage instances through the API

To check the status of an existing instance or stop or terminate it programmatically, see Work with instances through the Compute API. The API does not create new instances.