Restarting a computer or system is called rebooting. Rebooting is a commonly used operation to fix some issues, apply updates, clear memory, change configurations or switch to a new kernel. Most Linux systems need to reboot in order to apply updates that may affect the kernel, or other core components.
This article covers all possible methods of rebooting a Debian Trixie 13 system with detailed instructions for each.
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How to Reboot Debian 13 Trixie?
In Debian 13 Trixie, rebooting is an easy and quick procedure that can be performed in several different ways. Users can reboot their systems using the command line, keyboard short-cuts, or graphical interface. Use the “reboot”, “shutdown-r”, “systemctl restart”, and “init6” commands to reboot Debian 13 Trixie.
Important: Users should always save and close all applications before rebooting to prevent data loss or corruption.
Method 1: Using the Reboot Command
The reboot command is the easiest and most common method in Debian 13 Trixie System. The reboot command is executed as root or sudo. It initiates an immediate graceful shutdown and restart. Let’s restart the system.
Instant Reboot
Use the “reboot”, “sudo”, and “reboot” commands to reboot Debian 13 Trixie. The operating system is rebooted instantly:
sudo reboot |
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Reboot Specific Time
Use the “-t”, followed by the time in seconds, to reboot the system at a specific time. You can reboot the system after “5 minutes”, by using the “300 second” option:
sudo reboot -t 300 |
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Method 2: Using the Shutdown Command
You can reboot your computer in a more controlled manner. The “shutdown command” has some options. Let’s look at how to reboot the Debian system.
Instant Reboot
Use the shutdown command with -r to reboot Debian 13 Trixie. Use the “now” tool to restart the system instantly, for example:
sudo shutdown -r now |
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Reboot Specific Time
You can specify a delay before the reboot or a message. Execute the following command using the “+3 flag” to reboot the system and display a warning message for other users:
sudo shutdown -r +3 |
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Optional: Reboot (Exact Time)
Users can specify a specific time when the command will take effect. To reboot the system, for example, at 10:00 PM, you can use the “shutdown-r” command along with “22:00”.
sudo shutdown -r 22:00 |
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This method rebooted Debian 13 Trixie by using the shutdown command.
Method 3: Using the systemctl Command
The systemctl command is another way to restart a Debian 13 Trixie System. It is part of the init system systemd. This command performs the same action as “reboot”.
sudo systemctl reboot |
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Note: systemctl also offers other options, such as hibernate, power off, halt, and suspend.
Optional: Power off System (Instantly)
To power off your computer using systemctl, you can use the “poweroff”, with “sudo” privileges.
sudo systemctl poweroff |
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Method 4: Using the init Command
The “init” command can be used to restart the system using the number “6”. The 6 number is used to give commands to the system for rebooting:
/sbin/init 6 |
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Note: The computer has seven run levels. Usually, 0 is used to initialize the halt state.
Method 5: Using Shortcut Key
Users can force a restart by pressing the “SysRq/PrtScr key combination” if the system does not respond. Press and hold “Alt”, “SysRq/PrtScr”, and then “R E I T S U B”. Each key w, will perform a different function to try and reboot the system safely.
The above sequence reboots Debian instantly.
Precautions: Rebooting may have negative effects, including losing data that has not been saved, disrupting services, or causing downtime. It is best to only reboot when the system administrator recommends it or if it is necessary.
Method 6: Using the Restart Option (GUI)
Users of GUI environments, such as GNOME and KDE, can restart the system. In most desktop environments, the main menu and power menu will have an option for rebooting or restarting the system.
You can restart your computer by selecting the “Restart” button.
The Debian 13 Trixie will reboot using the graphical representation.
Conclusion
You can reboot your system to apply updates, fix errors, or configure the kernel. Use the “reboot”, “shutdown-r”, “systemctl restart”, and “init6” commands to reboot Debian 13 Trixie. Users can also use the “Restart’ option on the Power icon. To reboot Debian, the easiest way to do so is to select the “Restart” option on the “Power” icon. If users are already in the terminal, then the “reboot” command is recommended. This guide has shown you how to restart the Debian 13 Trixie System, depending on your situation and preference.
