Access, builds, billing & data

Search here first. If you’re stuck, submit a ticket

Browse by topic or search the FAQs below. For your first connection, check the node ID, address, and credentials in your order. For questions about a specific order or machine, contact us through a console support ticket.

Troubleshooting HELP / 01—03
  1. 01
    Check what’s affected first

    Is only remote desktop affected, or are SSH and builds affected too?

  2. 02
    Record steps to reproduce

    Keep the node ID, order number, exact error message, and steps that triggered the issue.

  3. 03
    Submit a ticket with the details

    Sign in to the console to submit a ticket. Don’t share connection credentials on public pages.

For connection issues, start by checking your credentials. For billing questions, check your order period.

8 key terms

Let’s get the terminology straight

Here, a “node” means a physical device assigned to you, not a virtual slice of a shared machine.

Physical node
A physical Mac mini whose hardware isn’t split among multiple customers.
Dedicated
The entire machine is assigned to you for the rental term. Its chip, memory, and storage aren’t shared with other customers.
Not a VM
macOS runs directly on the hardware you rent, not inside a virtual machine.
VNC
A way to remotely view and control the macOS desktop, unlike SSH, which provides command-line access.
SSH
A secure, encrypted way to access the command line remotely—useful for deployment scripts, logs, and build jobs.
Self-hosted runner
A CI runner registered on a machine you control, so build jobs run on that Mac.
Billing period
The length of time covered by a purchase: daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Refer to the start and end times in your order.
Full-disk reset
After your rental ends and the device is reclaimed, its drive is erased and the system reinstalled. Back up your data before your rental ends.
01 / ACCESS

Check credentials first, then troubleshoot the network and desktop

SSH and VNC use the address and port provided with your order. Don’t use placeholder values in example commands as your connection details.

How do I log in for the first time?

Sign in to the console and open the relevant order. Check the node ID, SSH address, port, and provided credentials. Connect using a terminal or SSH client; for a graphical desktop, use the VNC details in your order. After logging in, check the machine specs, macOS version, and available disk space before setting up your build environment.

If the connection fails, record the SSH and VNC results separately. When submitting a ticket, include the node ID, time of the failure, and the error shown by your client. Don’t include your password or private key.

I connected with VNC, but the screen is black. What should I do?

Wait for the desktop session to finish loading, then disconnect and reconnect once. Make sure your client is using the VNC address and port from your order, not the SSH port. If SSH works, check whether the machine still responds to commands and whether the graphical session is running properly. Don’t repeatedly reset the machine to troubleshoot a display issue.

If the screen is still black, include your client name, a screenshot, the node ID, and whether SSH works in your ticket. This helps us identify whether the issue is with the display session or the machine connection.

How do I change my SSH public key?

Keep your current connection open. First, append the new public key to the target user’s ~/.ssh/authorized_keys. Check that the directory and file permissions meet SSH requirements. Open another terminal and test a login with the new private key. Remove the old public key only after the test succeeds.

Upload only your public key. Keep the private key on your own device—never send it in a support ticket. If the old key no longer works and you can’t access the machine, submit a ticket with your order number and node ID so our team can check how to restore access.

How do I change the default password on the machine?

After signing in to the macOS user account provided with your machine, change the password in System Settings under Users & Groups, or run passwdin that user’s terminal session. Before changing it, make sure you still have a working SSH or VNC connection. Afterward, verify the new password in a fresh session rather than relying on your current logged-in window.

If you can no longer log in, submit a support ticket through the console with your order number, node ID, and the error message. Don’t include your old password.

02 / BUILDS

Check the toolchain and project dependencies separately

Check your Xcode version first, then review certificates, runtimes, and available disk space. This makes it easier to pinpoint the issue than rerunning the entire CI pipeline.

How do I switch to a different Xcode version for my project?

First, run xcodebuild -version to check the current toolchain. If multiple Xcode installations are available, use xcode-select -s to select the version you need, then check the version again. You can also set DEVELOPER_DIRexplicitly in your CI script to prevent jobs from changing the default version for one another.

If the version you need isn’t installed, check its system requirements and the available disk space first. Then get the installer from an official source. Don’t assume every version is preinstalled on delivery.

The build succeeds, but code signing fails. What should I check first?

Check in this order: whether the certificate has its corresponding private key, whether the provisioning profile matches the bundle identifier, and whether the build job can access the keychain in use. If a manual desktop build succeeds but CI fails, compare the user account, keychain unlock status, and signing parameters in each session.

Certificates, private keys, and keychain files are sensitive. You can attach redacted error logs to a ticket, but don’t upload certificate private keys or full signing passwords.

What should I do if Simulator can’t find the runtime specified by my project?

Check the installed runtimes in Xcode’s platform manager, or run xcrun simctl list devices available to see which devices are available. If you’re missing a required runtime, download a component compatible with your Xcode version. Make sure you have enough disk space before downloading.

In CI, don’t rely on device names alone to identify the target. Specify the runtime version and device model in your build configuration, and check that the target is still available after updating Xcode.

Should I free up disk space or add more storage?

First, check DerivedData, old archives, downloaded Simulator runtimes, and dependency caches. Identify files that can safely be regenerated. Don’t delete certificates, source code, or active build artifacts without a backup.

If your project needs a larger persistent workspace, you can add a +1TB SSD or +2TB SSD when placing your order. Available changes to an existing order depend on the options shown in the console. If you need help, submit a ticket with your order number and disk usage details.

03 / BILLING

Check your order period—monthly pricing isn’t daily pricing

Both Mac models are available for daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly rental. The amount due, rental dates, and available payment gateways are shown on the console checkout page at the time of purchase.

How are daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly rental terms calculated?

Choose one rental period per order. Your order shows the price and expiry date. XV M4 Runner costs $21.4/day, $57.8/week, $107.1/month, or $291.3/quarter. XV M4 Studio costs $40.7/day, $109.8/week, $203.3/month, or $553/quarter. All prices are in USD.

A monthly price isn’t charged daily. Once you know how long you’ll need the machine, compare the total price for each term. Check add-ons such as extra storage against the same order period.

Will I get a different machine when I renew?

If you renew the same instance before your current rental ends, you’ll normally continue using the same machine. Check the instance and new expiry date in the console renewal order. If you need a different model or node, don’t treat it as a standard renewal. Submit a ticket to confirm migration options, and back up your data.

Machines that aren’t renewed by expiry are reclaimed and fully reset. Don’t rely on an unpaid renewal as a backup plan.

How many confirmations are needed for a USDT-TRC20 transfer?

Follow the payment details, requirements, and payment status shown for your current order in the console. Don’t reuse an address from an old order or assume a fixed number of confirmations. Check that you’re sending USDT-TRC20 on the correct network, and keep the transaction hash. If the transaction is confirmed on-chain but your order hasn’t updated, submit a console support ticket with your order number and transaction hash.

Never share your wallet’s private key or recovery phrase in a support ticket.

What currency will my card be charged in?

Orders are billed in US dollars (USD). Cards are processed by Stripe, which supports Visa, Mastercard, and Amex. Available payment gateways are shown in the console at checkout. Stripe processes your card details; they don’t pass through our servers.

If your card issuer shows a different billing amount or additional fees, check the issuer’s policies. The order amount is the USD amount shown in the console.

04 / DATA

Back up your files before your rental ends, then check the data removal policy

Make a backup checklist for your source code, signing materials, build artifacts, and important settings. A full-disk reset after expiry is not a substitute for your own backup.

What happens to data on the machine when my rental expires?

If your rental ends without a renewal, the machine is reclaimed and fully reset. All data on the drive is erased, and the system is reinstalled before the machine is assigned again. Your project files won’t be kept as recoverable copies.

Account data and records needed for billing are separate from data on the machine’s drive. To ask about how account information is handled, submit a support ticket through the console.

How do I back up my data before expiry?

Commit your source code to a repository you manage. Then export certificates and private keys, signing settings, archives you want to keep, test data, and scripts to storage you control. For large files, use an SSH file transfer tool to copy them in batches, then check file sizes or checksums.

Don’t delete the originals as soon as the copy finishes. Restore a project or build artifact from your backup and verify that it opens or can be rebuilt. Once verified, plan the end of your rental around the order expiry date.

Can the support team see files on my machine?

Project files stored on your dedicated physical machine belong to you. We don’t view or analyze them. When troubleshooting, we work from details you choose to share in your ticket, such as the node ID, error messages, and redacted screenshots.

Before sharing screenshots, hide tokens, connection credentials, certificate details, and other sensitive project information. If you need further assistance, tell us in your ticket which diagnostic materials you’re willing to provide.

Nodes & service details

Four Asia-Pacific locations. Check live availability in the console

Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong are available in the order catalog for both Mac models. These are service locations, not live monitoring data. Check the console for current ordering availability and instance status.

SG

Singapore

For development and build jobs across Southeast Asia.

Both models available
JP

Tokyo, Japan

For remote access and testing close to users in Japan.

Both models available
KR

Seoul, South Korea

For builds and testing for teams in South Korea and nearby regions.

Both models available
HK

Hong Kong

For convenient access from South China and Southeast Asia.

Both models available

Where can I find service updates?

Nodes run 365 days a year. If an unexpected issue occurs, check your instance and support ticket messages in the console. After submitting a ticket, you can follow its progress there too. The location labels on this page don’t show live health status.

Open the console
Need help troubleshooting?

Keep all the details in one support ticket

Sign in to the console and submit a ticket for the relevant order. Include the node ID, order number, steps to reproduce the issue, and when it occurred. Attach the exact error message or a redacted screenshot. Don’t include connection credentials, private keys, or passwords.

Haven’t ordered yet and want to check which model suits your needs? Email support@xcodevps.com with your project type, expected rental term, and preferred location.