SQL VM deployment failed

Question

SQL VM deployment failed

Simon Cannon 0

I'm trying to deploy a SQL Server virtual machine and get this error:

The resource write operation failed to complete successfully, because it reached terminal provisioning state 'Failed'.

In the operation details I find this error:

{
    "status": "Failed",
    "error": {
        "code": "Ext_StorageConfigurationSettings_ApplyNewTempDbSettingsError",
        "message": "Error: 'System Drive returned status not ready for use '"
}

Pramidha Yathipathi 430 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-05-02T02:49:01.7066667+00:00
Hi Simon Cannon,

SQL Server on Azure VM deployment fails

When you try to deploy a SQL Server on Azure VM image from Azure Marketplace, the deployment fails with a status of Conflict and you will encounter the following error:

System Drive returned status not ready for use.

Cause:

Some of the newest Azure VM sizes present a RAW local SSD volume for ephemeral storage configured with the Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) interface. This configuration results in failures because SQL Server attempts to place the tempdb database on the ephemeral storage and fails as the local SSD volume isn't available. Additionally, the ephemeral storage shows as RAW after the machine is deallocated.

The RAW local SSD volume causes the SQL VM deployment to fail, and prevents manually installed SQL Server instances from coming online after the VM is restarted. In both cases, SQL Server is trying to initialize the tempdb database on the ephemeral storage, which isn't available. The deployment fails because SQL Server is installed during the deployment of the Azure VM, and the ephemeral storage isn't available. Likewise, manually installed instances of SQL Server fail to come online after the VM is restarted because the ephemeral storage isn't available when SQL Server tries to create the tempdb database.

Resolution:

This issue occurs because of the selected Azure VM size. To solve the issue, use one of the following methods:

If possible, use another VM SKU, such as those listed in the VM size best practices.

If you want to use a particular VM that is on the impacted VMs list, use a machine without the lowercase d in the name, which places tempdb on the same storage as the SQL Server data files. For example, use the FXmsv2 VM size instead of FXmdsv2. The latter has uninitialized ephemeral storage, as indicated by d in the name.

If you can't use another VM SKU without a RAW local SSD, deploy the VM using a Windows Server-only image, format and initialize the temporary NVMe drive, and then manually install SQL Server. You must reinitialize the disk before starting SQL Server every time the VM is restarted or deallocated.

Please refer below document:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/sql/azure-sql/sql-deployment-fails-drive-not-ready

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Thank You.
Saraswathi Devadula 2,175 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-05-02T12:00:46.63+00:00

Hi Simon Cannon,

I kindly request you to please share the details requested in the private message for further investigation to mitigate this issue.

Your answer

Saraswathi Devadula 2,175 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff

2025-05-02T12:00:46.63+00:00

Hi Simon Cannon,

I kindly request you to please share the details requested in the private message for further investigation to mitigate this issue.

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SQL VM deployment failed

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