Not able to create a VM linux

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Not able to create a VM linux

Deepak 20

Hi, I am not able to create a linux vm under my student account.
The page don't throw any error and I am struct on the create page. I know you can create vm for allowed region, even tried that but no success.
I am in this section. Home -> Free services
Can you please help me, so I can create a free 750 hours linux vm.

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Answer 1

TP 157.5K Volunteer Moderator

Hi Deepak,

There is a bug in the Marketplace Free VM offer that has public IP set to Standard SKU (correct), but still has allocation set to Dynamic (incorrect). What you can do is manually create VM using correct parameters to qualify for free. To start the process you may use link below:

https://portal.azure.com/#create/Microsoft.VirtualMachine

For Linux, when creating, set

Size: Standard_B1s
Image: Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS - x64 Gen2
OS disk size: 64 GiB (P6)
OS disk type: Premium SSD (locally-redundant storage)
Monitoring tab: Boot diagnostics: Disable

Don't enable any of the options if you want to avoid charges, for example, if you turned on Backup that has a charge associated with it.

After creating VM, please monitor costs (at least daily) by navigating to your subscription. If you used correct parameters for the VM you should not see any charges accrue related to it, except for the public IP address. Charges are delayed, so it will take typically several hours (after creation) before any would show up.

If you associate Public IP address with the VM, it is likely that you will be charged for this (about $3.65/month each). You can minimize the charges by dissociating it from the VM's network interface and deleting it when you are not using the VM.

To do this you would navigate to the Public IP address in the portal, click Dissociate, confirm, wait for it to complete, then click Delete, confirm. Please see screenshot:

Next time you need public IP for your VM you would simply create a new Standard Public IP address and Associate it with the VM's network interface again. Creating a new Standard Public IP typically only takes seconds to complete.

Any free Linux image should be okay to qualify, assuming it fits within the 64 GiB (P6) mandatory disk size, is fine. I just put Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS - x64 Gen2 since that was one of several included in the pre-built marketplace offer.

You didn't ask but for Windows you would use [smalldisk] Windows Server images with P6 LRS disk.

After creating Linux VM you should expand the partition so you are using the full 64 GiB:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/linux/expand-disks?tabs=ubuntu#expand-a-disk-partition-and-filesystem

Please click Accept Answer and upvote if the above was helpful.

Thanks.

-TP

Deepak 20 Reputation points

2025-09-01T05:06:23.24+00:00

Hi TP, thank you for your answer, I was able to create a machine. If you can take a look and let me know if I have any resource that might cost me, please let me know.
Can you explain a bit about the public ip, is that chargable per month? I can afford to have that because of $100 free credit.

Thank you for your help.
TP 157.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-09-01T05:27:03.61+00:00

Did you select P6 (64 GiB) Premium SSD (locally-redundant storage)? That's not on the screenshot you posted.

In regards to the Public IP address, on the free services list there is no mention of being provided free Public IP, so my assumption is you will be charged. Perhaps I'm wrong and they will give you one free public address per month, but I'm assuming the worst for your sake.

With Standard SKU Public IP address, you are charged just for it existing. So if it exists for entire month, it would cost approximately $3.65/month, based on average number of hours in a month which is 730 hours. On the other hand, if it only exists for a portion of the month you will only be charged for those hours and not entire month.

The thing I want to stress to you, is to verify every day (at least) on your Subscription page how much charges (if any) have accrued. That way if you make a mistake you can catch it fairly quickly.
Deepak 20 Reputation points

2025-09-01T05:37:30.3+00:00

Got it!
Yes, I selected P6 (64 GiB) Premium SSD (locally-redundant storage), it was showing "free service eligible" in brackets. I have attached the disc screenshot.
Thank you for clarifying the IP thing.
TP 157.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-09-01T05:40:45.4566667+00:00

Okay, disk looks fine. Don't forget to expand it inside of the VM so you can use the full 64 GiB.
Deepak 20 Reputation points

2025-09-01T12:12:43.4166667+00:00

Hi TP,

I am getting charged for Virtual Network and Storage, but I don't think I should be charged for the storage as the storage was showing eligble under free services. Also, is the cost for the virtual network for the Public IP you mentioned earlier?
TP 157.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-09-01T14:07:26.9866667+00:00

Please drill down in Cost Analysis and find what specific resource(s) are the source of the charges. For Virtual Network, the charges are most likely your Standard SKU Public IP address, but verify this.

Navigate to your subscription page, on left click on Cost Management -- Cost analysis, then on right at top click on View -- CostByResource. After the data displays, click on the arrow to the left of each resource to see more specific details.

Is it charging you for the P6 disk, or something else storage related?

There are other views that are useful as well, plus when you are in a view you can click on links and it will take you to different related view. It will take some time to get used to the filtering options at top, grouping, charting, what each thing means, etc.
Deepak 20 Reputation points

2025-09-01T14:22:55.4033333+00:00

Thank you for the detailed steps:
The following resources are costing me, I have attached the screenshot for your reference.
TP 157.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-09-01T14:32:04.2366667+00:00

What is my-ubuntu_disk1_c876... ? Did you attach extra disk to your VM? If yes you will need to detach and delete this extra disk if you don't want to be charged. Or it will deduct from your $100 credit.

Your Azure for Students gives you maximum of two free P6 (64 GiB) Premium SSD (locally-redundant storage) Disks. If you use different size/type of managed disk and/or more than 2 P6s at a time you will be charged.

Typically you would use the two free P6 disks for two separate VMs, one Linux and the other [smalldisk] Windows Server.
Deepak 20 Reputation points

2025-09-01T14:34:18.1866667+00:00

Hi TP, Here is a simplified view for you. I haven't attached any disk, I chose the default settings while creating the VM.
TP 157.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-09-01T14:54:33.4033333+00:00

Okay, see where it says P4 LRS Disk ? P4 is not the correct size for it to be free. That is why they are charging you for it. Only P6 LRS is free, up to maximum of quantity: 2 at a time.

Based on the name it appears you created and attached a Data disk to your VM during the creation process. The default is only the OS disk.

If you navigate to your VM and then on left click Settings -- Disks, you can see if Data disk is there. If you want you could detach it, then navigate to it and delete it. Of course you would lose any data on the disk if you delete it.

Also, you have two different public IPs you are being charged for. Do you need both, or is one of them already deleted?
Deepak 20 Reputation points

2025-09-01T15:00:08.76+00:00

I think this disk is from my deleted resources, as I am not able to see this disk under the VM -> left click Settings -> Disks; only osDisk is there. I tried to search the name in the activity logs but couldn't find it.
No, I don't need 2 IPs; I want to SSH into my machine, and I have deployed a web app and am accessing it via port 80. More than this, I don't need anything else.
Which IP are you referring to? I can delete one to save costs, but I'm not sure which one to delete. Can you please help me delete the right IP that I don't need?
TP 157.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-09-01T15:06:56.1733333+00:00

Navigate to each public IP address in the portal and see which one is associated with your VM. Perhaps one of the IPs has been deleted, in which case you don't need to do anything.
Deepak 20 Reputation points

2025-09-01T15:11:31.7966667+00:00

my-ubuntu-vm-nsg is not associated with my vm. But I am not able to delte it.

Getting the following error:

Cannot delete network security group

Network security groups cannot be deleted when in use by subnets or network interfaces.

my-ubuntu-vm-nsg is showing Associated with: 0 subnets, 1 network interfaces
TP 157.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-09-01T15:14:36.8733333+00:00

That is the Network Security Group (NSG) for your vm's network interface. There is no charge for NSGs.
Deepak 20 Reputation points

2025-09-01T15:21:09.7133333+00:00

Got it! It might be from the same VM that I created and deleted while trying things, before your instructions. Thank you so much for your help, I was trying all this for 2-3 days.
Deepak 20 Reputation points

2025-09-02T03:12:12.5+00:00

Hi TP, One more thing, the current static IP is charged. I am also fine with dynamic IP, but currently I have static IP, even when I stop my VM. I am able to see the static IP associated with my VM. Can you help me with how to have a dynamic IP so that it doesn't cost me?
TP 157.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-09-02T04:00:31.42+00:00

There is no Dynamic. If you want charges for the IP address to stop you have to Dissociate it from the network adapter and then delete it as I mentioned above.
Deepak 20 Reputation points

2025-09-02T04:07:00.6933333+00:00

Got it! Thank you
Deepak 20 Reputation points

2025-11-11T00:53:01.29+00:00

Hi there,
I am happy that I was able to set up a VM with your help last time.

Can you please help in creating a free MySQL database as well under free services? What configuration do I need to have for that?

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Not able to create a VM linux

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