> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://platform9.com/kb/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://platform9.com/kb/pcd/storage/how-to-delete-volume-attached-to-stale-vm.md).

# How to Delete Volume Attached to Stale VM?

## Problem <a href="#environment" id="environment"></a>

A Persistent Storage volume cannot be deleted because it is still marked as **attached to a VM**, but:

* The VM is **deleted / missing / stale**
* The attachment is **orphaned**
* Standard delete fails with errors like:

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
$ openstack volume delete <VOLUME_UUID>
Failed to delete volume with name or ID '[VOLUME_UUID]': 
Invalid volume: Volume is in status 'in-use', expected one of ('available', 'error', 'error_restoring', 'error_extending', 'error_managing'). 
(HTTP 400) (Request-ID: [REQ_ID])
```

{% endcode %}

## Environment <a href="#environment" id="environment"></a>

* Private Cloud Director Virtualization - v2025.4 and Higher
* Self-Hosted Private Cloud Director Virtualization - v2025.4 and Higher
* Component: Storage Service

## Cause <a href="#cause" id="cause"></a>

This usually happens due to:

* Failed VM deletion
* Incomplete detach workflow
* Messaging issues (RabbitMQ / Persistent Storage / Compute Service sync gap)
* DB state inconsistency between **Persistent Storage** and **Compute Service**

## Diagnostics <a href="#diagnostics" id="diagnostics"></a>

* **Step 1: Identify the Volume**

  <pre data-overflow="wrap"><code>$ openstack volume show &#x3C;VOLUME_ID>
  </code></pre>

  * *Check:*

    **status** -> likely `in-use`\
    **attachments** -> contains stale server UUID
* **Step 2: Verify VM Existence**

  <pre data-overflow="wrap"><code>$ openstack server show &#x3C;VM_ID>
  </code></pre>

  * Check:&#x20;

    Not found -> stale attachment confirmed

## Resolution <a href="#resolution" id="resolution"></a>

1. Force the volume to an available state for Persistent Storage to ignore the stale VM

   <pre data-overflow="wrap"><code>$ openstack volume set --state available &#x3C;VOLUME_UUID>
   </code></pre>
2. Delete the stale attachment:

   ```
   $ openstack volume attachment delete <ATTACHMENT_UUID>
   ```
3. Delete the volume:

   ```
   $ openstack volume delete <VOLUME_UUID> --force
   ```

## Validation <a href="#validation" id="validation"></a>

* The volume is deleted successfully

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
$ openstack volume show <VOLUME_ID>
No volume with a name or ID of '[VOLUME_ID]' exists.
```

{% endcode %}

{% hint style="info" %}
Below step is applicable for Self-Hosted Private Cloud Director Users who can access the persistent storage and compute service databases.&#x20;
{% endhint %}

* No stale entries present in the following tables:
  * `volume_attachment`&#x20;
  * `nova.block_device_mapping`


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