Fix common issues with Scaleway Instances

This page lists the most common issues you may encounter with your Scaleway Instance and provides useful tips for troubleshooting them.

I experience HTTP errors on InstancesLink to this anchor

SymptomsLink to this anchor

• You receive 4xx or 5xx errors when trying to reach your Instance via HTTP.
• The website or service running on your Instance is slow or unavailable.
• You cannot perform basic HTTP operations like GET or POST on your Instance endpoint.

Possible causesLink to this anchor

• Incorrect firewall rules: The Instance or security groups might be blocking HTTP/HTTPS ports (80, 443).
• Configuration errors in the web server: Nginx, Apache, or another web server might be misconfigured.
• Application-level errors: Your application code may be crashing or returning incorrect responses.
• DNS misconfiguration: The domain’s DNS settings might be pointing to the wrong IP or not updated.

SolutionLink to this anchor

• Check security group and firewall rules:
  • In the Scaleway console, confirm that ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS) are allowed inbound for the security group used by your Instance.
  • If you manage your own firewall (e.g., iptables, ufw), verify that HTTP and HTTPS traffic is permitted.
• Verify the web server configuration:
  • SSH into your Instance and inspect your web server’s config (for example /etc/nginx/nginx.conf or /etc/apache2/apache2.conf).
  • Look for syntax errors or missing directives (e.g., missing server_name).
  • Restart the web server to apply changes (sudo systemctl restart nginx or sudo systemctl restart apache2).
• Check application logs:
  • Check logs in /var/log/ or wherever your application outputs logs to identify potential errors.
  • Look for stack traces or misconfiguration messages.
• Validate DNS records:
  • Use dig <your-domain> or nslookup <your-domain> to confirm the IP address matches your Instance’s public IP.
  • If necessary, update the DNS records and wait for propagation.

Additional resourcesLink to this anchor

• Scaleway Documentation: How to use security groups
• Nginx Official Documentation
• Apache HTTP Server Documentation

I can’t connect to my InstanceLink to this anchor

SymptomsLink to this anchor

• Your SSH or RDP connection is timing out.
• You see “Connection refused” or “Host unreachable” errors in your terminal.
• Ping (ICMP) requests are dropped.

Possible causesLink to this anchor

• Security group settings: SSH (port 22) or RDP (port 3389) might not be open.
• Incorrect IP address: You might be connecting to the wrong public IP.
• User-side firewall or network: Your local network may block outbound SSH or RDP connections.
• Instance not running: The Instance may be shut down or stuck in an error state.

SolutionLink to this anchor

• Check your Instance status:
  • In the Scaleway console, confirm the Instance is in a running state.
  • Restart the Instance if it’s not responding.
• Verify the Instance’s public IP address:
  • Confirm that the IP in the Scaleway console matches the IP you are using for the connection.
• Review security groups and local firewalls:
  • Make sure the default security groups allow SSH or RDP inbound traffic.
  • Check your local firewall to ensure outbound SSH (port 22) or RDP (port 3389) is allowed.
• Use the Scaleway console to connect to your Instance:
  • Try using Scaleway’s web-based terminal in the console to rule out local network issues.

Additional resourcesLink to this anchor

• Scaleway Documentation: How to connect to your Instance
• Scaleway Documentation: Troubleshooting SSH connection issues to Instances

I can’t connect to my Instance using an SSH keyLink to this anchor

SymptomsLink to this anchor

• You see an “Invalid SSH key” or “Permission denied (publickey)” error.
• SSH prompts you for a password instead of accepting your key.
• The connection works with a password but not with the SSH key.

Possible causesLink to this anchor

• Incorrect permissions on the SSH key: The key file might have unsafe permissions or ownership.
• Wrong username: Using root versus a custom user.
• Misconfiguration of the SSH daemon: sshd_config might disallow key-based authentication.
• Key not installed: The public key might not have been successfully added to the Instance.

SolutionLink to this anchor

• Check file permissions locally:
  • On your local machine, ensure the private key file has restrictive permissions:

    chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa
    

  • Verify that the user and group ownership are correct.
• Verify the correct username:
  • By default, Scaleway Instances use the root user. Check if you have created a new user with sudo privileges and if so, use that username.
• Inspect the Instance’s SSH configuration:
  • If you can connect via another method or console, check /etc/ssh/sshd_config for lines such as PasswordAuthentication, PubkeyAuthentication, and PermitRootLogin.
  • Make sure PubkeyAuthentication yes is set.
• Re-add your SSH Key in the Scaleway console:
  • Go to the SSH keys tab in the Project section of theScaleway console, remove the old SSH key, then add your new, correct public key.
  • Restart your Instance to re-upload the list of allowed SSH keys.

Additional resourcesLink to this anchor

• Scaleway Documentation: How to generate an SSH key pair
• OpenSSH Documentation

I can’t access my InstanceLink to this anchor

SymptomsLink to this anchor

• You are unable to connect to your Instance via SSH.
• Your SSH key is missing, or you cannot locate the corresponding private key.

Possible causesLink to this anchor

• The private SSH key associated with the Instance was lost or deleted.
• The Instance’s SSH configuration or authorized keys file was altered, removing your access.

SolutionLink to this anchor

• Check for another SSH key:

  • Verify if another SSH key pair is associated with your Scaleway account.
  • Login using the alternative SSH key

• Use the Scaleway console to add a new SSH key:

  • Upload another SSH key in the SSH key section of your Instance’s Scaleway project.
  • Reboot the Instance from the console to re-upload the new key to the Instance.

Additional resourcesLink to this anchor

• Scaleway Documentation: How to generate an SSH key pair
• Scaleway Documentation: How to power off your Instance

My Instance is lockedLink to this anchor

SymptomsLink to this anchor

• Attempts to modify or delete the Instance fail with an “Instance is protected” error.
• You see a message in the Scaleway console that the Instance is protected or locked.

Possible causesLink to this anchor

• Security measure: The Instance might be locked due to non-payment or administrative hold.
• User-applied lock: You (or another administrator) enabled resource locking to prevent accidental deletion.
• Ongoing operation: A pending snapshot or backup can temporarily lock the Instance.

SolutionLink to this anchor

• Check billing and support tickets:
  • Ensure your Scaleway account is in good standing with no overdue invoices.
  • If there is a lock from Scaleway support, resolve any open tickets or compliance issues.
• Disable the Protected Instance feature:
  • In the Scaleway console, go to your Instance settings and turn off the lock if you set it manually.
• Wait for ongoing maintenance operations to complete:
  • If an action is running on your Instance, you must wait until it finishes before you can modify the Instance.

Additional resourcesLink to this anchor

• Scaleway Billing FAQ
• Scaleway Documentation: How to use the Protected Instance feature

How can I open port 25 for my Instances?Link to this anchor

SymptomsLink to this anchor

• Your application cannot send emails (SMTP) from the Instance.
• Port 25 connections are blocked or refused.

Possible causesLink to this anchor

• Default SMTP restriction: Access to port 25 is restricted by default to prevent spam.
• Security group settings: The inbound/outbound rules might block port 25.
• Missing or incorrect mail server configuration: Postfix, Exim, or another MTA might be misconfigured.

SolutionLink to this anchor

• Configure your security group:
  • In the Scaleway console, ensure outbound connections on port 25 are allowed.
• Set up proper SPF/DKIM/DMARC:
  • To avoid being flagged as spam, configure DNS records for email authentication.
• Use “Authenticated SMTP” (Port 587 or 465):
  • If port 25 is restricted, consider using a mail relay or an authenticated SMTP service on port 587 or 465.

Additional resourcesLink to this anchor

• Scaleway Documentation: How to send emails from your Instance
• Scaleway Tutorial: Setting up a secure mail server on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)
• Scaleway general terms of service
• Postfix Documentation
• SPF/DKIM/DMARC Basics

Routed IP errorsLink to this anchor

SymptomsLink to this anchor

• Your Instance does not respond when using a routed IP.
• Packets might be dropped or misrouted.
• Services are not accessible via the secondary IP.

Possible causesLink to this anchor

• Incorrect network configuration: The routed IP might not be properly configured on your Instance.
• No static routes set: A missing route or gateway could cause traffic to fail.
• security groups or firewall blocking: The traffic from or to the routed IP might be filtered.

SolutionLink to this anchor

• Verify the IP configuration in the Scaleway console:
  • Confirm that the routed IP is associated with the correct Instance.
• Update your network configuration files:
  • On your Instance, add the secondary IP to the appropriate network interface (e.g., eth0:0 or via netplan).
  • Make sure the netmask and gateway are set according to the instructions.
• Check your routing table:
  • Use ip route or route -n to confirm the route for the additional IP is properly set.
• Test connectivity:
  • Ping the secondary IP from an external source. If it fails, look at local logs (dmesg or /var/log/syslog) for network errors.
• Adjust your security group:
  • Ensure inbound and outbound traffic is allowed for both IP addresses.

Additional resourcesLink to this anchor

• Scaleway Documentation: How to use flexible IP addresses with Instances
• Scaleway Troubleshooting: Fix unreachable Ubuntu Focal Instance when it has two public IP addresses
• Scaleway Troubleshooting: Fix lost IPv6 connectivity on old Debian Buster images when migrating to routed IP
• Scaleway Troubleshooting: Fix unreachable IPv6 RHEL-based Instances after transitioning to routed IP
• Netplan documenation

Disk space errors with InstancesLink to this anchor

SymptomsLink to this anchor

• “No space left on device” errors when installing packages or writing files.
• The system becomes unresponsive, or services crash due to insufficient disk space.
• You cannot create or expand files on the Instance.

Possible causesLink to this anchor

• Full root partition: Logs or application data have consumed all available disk space.
• Improper partition setup: Your primary partition might be too small.
• Uncleaned temporary files: /tmp, /var/tmp, or application cache directories might be full.

SolutionLink to this anchor

• Check your disk usage:
  • Use df -h to check available space on all mounted volumes.
  • Use du -sh /var/log/* or other directories to find large files.
• Clean up unnecessary files:
  • Remove old logs from /var/log/ or archived backups you no longer need.
  • Clear temporary files in /tmp or application cache directories.
• Resize or add a volume:
  • If you consistently run out of space, consider resizing your volume or attaching an additional volume via the Scaleway console.
• Implement log rotation:
  • Configure logrotate or other log management solutions to prevent logs from filling the disk.

Additional resourcesLink to this anchor

• Scaleway Documentation: How to attach a Block Storage volume to an Instance
• Scaleway Documentation: How to increase the size of your Block Storage volumes
• Linux Log Rotation Guide

Packet loss issues with InstancesLink to this anchor

SymptomsLink to this anchor

• High latency or intermittent connectivity to your Instance.
• Pings show dropped packets.
• Applications that rely on constant connectivity (VoIP, real-time apps) experience disruptions.

Possible causesLink to this anchor

• Network congestion: On either the Instance side or your local network.
• Incorrect MTU settings: The maximum transmission unit might cause fragmentation issues.
• Firewall or rate limits: Overly strict firewall rules can drop packets.
• Hardware or routing issues: Upstream or local network hardware problems.

SolutionLink to this anchor

• Run basic network diagnostics:
  • Use ping and traceroute from both your local machine and another external server.
  • Check if packet loss is local or global.
• Check the Instance’s load:
  • High CPU or network usage on your Instance can cause dropped packets. Monitor system resources with top or htop.
• Optimize the MTU
  • Try lowering the MTU (Maximum transmission unit) to 1400 or 1450 and see if packet loss improves, especially in VPN or container setups.
• Adjust firewall/security groups:
  • Confirm that your firewall is not inadvertently dropping packets or rate-limiting ICMP.

Additional resourcesLink to this anchor

• Scaleway Documentation: How to use security groups
• Scaleway Documentation: Preventing outgoing DDoS
• Scaleway Tutorial: Configuring Firewalls for Instances

I can’t delete my InstanceLink to this anchor

SymptomsLink to this anchor

• Attempts to delete the Instance fail with an “Instance is protected” error.
• You see a message in the Scaleway console that the Instance is protected or locked.

Possible causesLink to this anchor

• User-applied lock: You (or another administrator) enabled resource locking to prevent accidental deletion.

SolutionLink to this anchor

• Disable the Protected Instance feature:
  • In the Scaleway console, go to your Instance settings and turn off the lock if you set it manually.

Additional resourcesLink to this anchor

• Scaleway Documentation: How to use the Protected Instance feature

Next stepsLink to this anchor

• Always consult the official Scaleway Instances Documentation for detailed, up-to-date information to troubleshoot your Instance.
• If you are still experiencing issues after following these tips, open a support ticket in your Scaleway console, providing detailed descriptions of your issue, logs, screenshots, or error messages. This will help the support team diagnose and resolve your issue more quickly.