Troubleshoot virtual machines
Resolve common problems with virtual machines, from wizard and quota errors to failed creates, SSH timeouts, the browser console, and refused actions.
This article lists common problems with virtual machines, what causes them, and how to resolve them. The messages are the ones that the console shows.
The wizard doesn't let you continue
The wizard checks your input before it sends anything. The step that needs attention is marked in the step list, and the message appears next to the field.
| Message | Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Give at least one credential: an SSH key, an admin password, or both. | No SSH key pair is selected, and no administrator password is set. | Select a key pair, or turn on Set an admin password. |
| This name is already used in this project — pick another. | Another instance in the project has this name. | Enter another name. |
| Lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens, up to 63 chars. | The name contains other characters, or it's longer than 63 characters. | Use lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only. |
| No network exists in this scope yet — create one to continue. | The project has no network. | Select Create network, or create a network under Virtual Networks. |
| Outside every subnet of this network. | The specific IP address isn't in any subnet of the network. | Enter an address from one of the network's subnets, or select Automatic. |
| This is the subnet gateway and cannot be assigned. | The address is the subnet's gateway. | Enter another address. |
| One existing volume cannot be the root disk of several instances. Set the count back to 1, or boot from an image or a snapshot. | Several instances can't share one OS disk. | Set the number of instances to 1, or boot from an image or a snapshot. |
| One existing port cannot be attached to several instances. Remove it from the interface list, or set the count back to 1. | One existing port can't be attached to several instances. | Remove the port, or set the number of instances to 1. |
| One pinned IP address cannot be given to several instances. Clear the address, or set the count back to 1. | One specific address can't be given to several instances. | Switch the address to Automatic, or set the number of instances to 1. |
On the Size step, a disabled size shows why you can't select it: the selected image needs more memory than the size has, or the region can't place the size right now. Select another size. For the reasons, see Live availability.
The create is refused
These messages appear when you confirm the create. Nothing is created in these cases.
If a quota would be exceeded, the review step warns with This request exceeds your quota, but it doesn't stop you. If you create anyway, the create is refused with the quota message in the following table.
| Message | Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| We couldn't place this size right now. Capacity changed between the check and the create, or the hardware this size needs is fully allocated. Try another size, or try again later. | The region can't place the size at the moment. | Select another size, or try again later. |
| There is not enough capacity for this many instances right now. Lower the number and try again. | The region can't place this many instances of the size. | Lower the number of instances. When the region reports how many fit, the message tells you. |
| Your subscription quota is not enough for this request. … | A subscription quota would be exceeded. The rest of the message names the resource and its quota ID. | Request a quota increase for that quota ID, or free up resources. |
| A message that an instance with the name already exists | The name, or one of the generated batch names, is taken in the project. | Change the name or the prefix. |
| "This subscription is paused; no new resources can be provisioned until it is resumed." | The subscription is paused, and a paused subscription refuses new instances. | Resume the subscription. See Pause and resume a subscription. |
| "the selected flavor is not offered in this region" | The size was withdrawn from sale after you opened the wizard. | Select another size. |
The instance goes to Error after you create it
The create was accepted, but building the instance failed. When the cloud reports a reason, the instance page shows it under What the provider reported.
| Reason on the instance page | Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| "This request exceeds the quota available to this project. Free up existing resources or request a quota increase." | The project's allocation is used up, even though the subscription's quota has room. | Raise the project's allocation, or request a quota increase. See Allocate quota to a project. |
| "There is not enough capacity in this region for this request right now. Try again later or choose a different size." | Capacity changed after the availability check. | Create the instance again later, or with another size. |
| "The hardware this size requires (such as a GPU) is not available in this region right now. Choose a different size." | The GPU or other device that the size needs isn't available. | Choose a different size. |
Delete the failed instance when you've read the reason. An instance that never ran isn't billed for compute. See Delete an instance.
If the instance shows Operation cancelled — leftover resources may remain, the create was canceled after it started. Use Clean up on the instance to remove what was already built.
You can't connect over SSH
Check that the instance is Running.
Check that it has a public address. On the Overview tab, Public IP shows the Floating IP. If it's empty, associate a Floating IP. See Allocate, associate, and release Floating IPs.
On the Networking tab, check Effective ingress security rules. A rule must allow TCP port 22 from your address.
On the same tab, check the Internet access check, and fix the first failed step. See Check a virtual machine's internet access.
Check the user name and the key file in your command. See Connect with SSH.
If the network looks correct, open the browser console or download the serial console log to see whether the guest booted and brought up its network. See Connect to a virtual machine.
An instance can end up without a public address even though you turned on Allocate a floating IP in the wizard. If the address can't be allocated or associated, the instance is still created, without it. Causes include a subnet that isn't attached to a router with an external gateway, and no Floating IP quota left. Fix the cause, and then associate a Floating IP with the instance.
Check the internet access of an instance
The Internet access check on the instance's Networking tab checks the path from the instance to the internet step by step, and links each failed step to the page where you fix it. See Check a virtual machine's internet access.
The browser console doesn't open
| Message | Resolution |
|---|---|
| Instance must be running to open the console. | Start the instance, and open the console again when it's Running. |
| This instance is not yet provisioned, so it has no console. | Wait until the instance's creation finishes. |
| You do not have permission to open this console. | If your session has expired, sign in again. Otherwise, ask for the Owner or Contributor role, or a custom role with Manage access to Compute / Instances. |
| The console connection dropped — the single-use ticket may have expired. Reconnect to mint a new one. | Select Reconnect. |
While the instance is starting, stopping, restarting, pausing, or resuming, the console can't connect. Wait until the action finishes, and select Reconnect.
An action is refused
| Message | Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Another action is already in progress on this resource. Wait for it to finish, then try again. | Another start, stop, restart, pause, resume, or resize is running on the instance. | Wait for it to finish, and try again. |
| A message that the instance has deletion protection enabled | Deletion protection is on. On the instance page, Delete is disabled while it's on. | Turn it off on the Overview tab, and delete again. |
| A message that the root volume has deletion protection enabled | The OS disk that would be deleted is protected. | Turn off the volume's protection, or select Keep the root (boot) volume. |
| The VM could not be deleted: deleting it would also have destroyed its root volume. The delete was stopped to keep your data safe, and the VM is unchanged. Our support team can help. | Deleting the instance would also have destroyed its root volume, so the platform stopped the delete. | Contact support. |
| The VM could not be deleted: deleting it would also have destroyed one of its attached volumes. The delete was stopped to keep your data safe, and the VM is unchanged. Detach the volume and try again, or ask our support team for help. | Deleting the instance would also have destroyed an attached volume. | Detach the volume, and delete the instance again. |
| A message that the key pair is in use | Instances in the project were created with the key pair. | Delete those instances first, or keep the key pair. |