Azure VM HarddiskVolume

Question

Hi,

When I checked the disk free space usage on the logs from Azure portal, result showing HarddiskVolume1 in the list, but I can't find it in the portal as well from VM disk management also can anyone explain where I can find this.

Answer 1

Hello @Nandan NK

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A and thank you for posting your questions here.

So sorry you cannot find "HarddiskVolume1" in the portal as well from VM disk management, and to explain this, try to read through the basic theory behind the scenes here.

In Azure, when you check the disk free space usage from the Azure portal and see a "HarddiskVolume1" in the list, it's important to understand that "HarddiskVolume1" is not an actual physical disk or volume on your virtual machine. It's a representation of the temporary operating system disk that Azure uses for your virtual machine.

Facts:

1. When you create a virtual machine in Azure, it comes with a temporary operating system disk (usually named "HardDisk" or "HarddiskVolume1"). This disk is used to store the operating system files and temporary data. That is called Temporary OS Disk.
2. The actual storage for your virtual machine is managed by Azure and is typically stored in Azure Managed Disks. These disks are not directly exposed to you in the Azure portal as "HarddiskVolume1." You manage your data disks and OS disks separately. This is called Managed Disks.
3. To manage and view the disks on your virtual machine, you should go to the "Disks" section in the Azure portal. In this "Disks" section, you'll find your OS disk and any additional data disks that you might have attached to your virtual machine. These disks are where your data is actually stored.

In summary, do not forget that the "HarddiskVolume1" you see in the disk usage report is not something you directly manage or manipulate. It's just a representation of the OS disk. If you need to free up space on your VM, you can do so by managing the files and software installed on the OS disk. You can also consider resizing your disks or adding additional data disks as needed.

I hope this is helpful! PS: Do not hesitate to let me know if you have any other questions.

Please remember to "Accept Answer" if answer helped, so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution.

Best Regards,

Sina Salam

NB: Some of this content were generated by OpenAI: ChatGPT for fast response. Thank you.