Merge pull request #9845 from MashaMSFT/2025_sqlvmfl2

Adding info to ts article

Author: haywoodsloan

support/sql/azure-sql/media/sql-deployment-fails-drive-not-ready/change-tempdb-location.png

@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 ---
 title: SQL VM Fails to Deploy or SQL Server Instance Can't Come Online
 description: Addresses a failure when you deploy a SQL Server on Azure VM image in Azure Marketplace or when a manually installed SQL Server instance fails to come online after an Azure VM is restarted or deallocated.
-ms.date: 04/16/2025
-ms.author: mathoma
-author: MashaMSFT
-ms.reviewer: mathoma, v-sidong
+ms.date: 10/07/2025
+ms.reviewer: mathoma, pamela, v-sidong, v-shaywood
 ms.custom: sap:SQL Licensing, Installation and Patching
 ---
 # SQL Server on Azure VM fails to deploy or SQL Server instance fails to come online
@@ -21,7 +19,7 @@ _Applies to:_  SQL Server on Azure VMs
 
 ## Symptoms
 
-If you encounter this issue, you're likely to see:
+If you encounter this issue, you likely see:
 
 - SQL Server on Azure VM deployments failing when using an Azure Marketplace image.
 - SQL Server failing to come online after an Azure VM is restarted for manually installed instances of SQL Server.
@@ -36,6 +34,9 @@ For example, if you're deploying an image from the Azure portal, you might see t
 
 :::image type="content" source="media/sql-deployment-fails-drive-not-ready/sql-deployment-error.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the deployment error in the Azure portal." lightbox="media/sql-deployment-fails-drive-not-ready/sql-deployment-error.png":::
 
+> [!WARNING]
+> When this failure happens, the Azure VM deployment succeeds, but the SQL Server installation fails. You must delete the VM to avoid incurring charges. Redeploy the VM using one of the methods described in the [Resolution](#resolution) or [Workarounds](#workaround) sections.
+
 ### SQL Server fails to come online after the VM is restarted
 
 You might see this issue after following this sequence of events: 
@@ -69,22 +70,36 @@ tempdb files could not be initialized.
 
 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.
+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 tries 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](/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/performance-guidelines-best-practices-vm-size#checklist). 
-- If you want to use a particular VM that is on the [impacted VMs](#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](/azure/virtual-machines/enable-nvme-temp-faqs#how-can-i-format-and-initialize-temp-nvme-disks-in-windows-when-i-create-a-vm-), and then manually install SQL Server. *You must reinitialize the disk before starting SQL Server every time the VM is restarted or deallocated.*
+- If possible, use another VM SKU, such as the SKUs listed in the [VM size best practices](/azure/azure-sql/virtual-machines/windows/performance-guidelines-best-practices-vm-size#checklist). 
+- If you want to use a particular VM that is on the [impacted VMs](#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 uses uninitialized ephemeral storage, as indicated by `d` in the name.
 
-> [!NOTE]
-> Make sure the VM isn't configured using a [sector size greater than 4 KB](sql-installation-fails-sector-size-error-azure-vm.md#resolution) before installing SQL Server. 
+## Workaround
+
+If you can't use another VM SKU without a RAW local SSD, consider the following workarounds:
+
+- Deploy the VM using a Windows Server-only image, [format and initialize the temporary NVMe drive](/azure/virtual-machines/enable-nvme-temp-faqs#how-can-i-format-and-initialize-temp-nvme-disks-in-windows-when-i-create-a-vm-), and then manually install SQL Server.
+  
+  - **If you choose to put `tempdb` on the local SSD, you must reinitialize the disk before starting SQL Server every time the VM is restarted or deallocated.** 
+
+- Deploy the SQL Server VM image, but configure `tempdb` to use a different drive than the ephemeral storage during the deployment. For example, you can configure `tempdb` to use the `C:` drive or remote storage drive.
+  
+  1. You can configure this setting on the **SQL Server settings** page in the Azure portal when [deploying the SQL Server VM image](https://portal.azure.com/#view/HubsExtension/ServiceMenuBlade/~/SqlVirtualMachine/extension/SqlAzureExtension/menuId/AzureSqlHub/itemId/SqlVirtualMachine).
+  
+  1. Under **Storage configuration**, select **Change configuration** to open the **Configure storage** pane.
+  
+  1. Expand **tempdb storage** and choose _any option other than_ `Use local SSD drive`:
+
+     :::image type="content" source="media/sql-deployment-fails-drive-not-ready/change-tempdb-location.png" alt-text="Screenshot of the tempdb storage configuration in the Azure portal when deploying a SQL VM image." lightbox="media/sql-deployment-fails-drive-not-ready/change-tempdb-location.png":::
 
 ## Impacted VMs
 
-This issue occurs with VMs that are deployed with an uninitialized temporary drive, such as the following VM sizes: 
+This issue occurs with VMs that deploy an uninitialized temporary drive, such as the following VM sizes:
 
 |Intel Gen 10.2|AMD Gen 9.1|
 |-|-|
@@ -94,5 +109,5 @@ This issue occurs with VMs that are deployed with an uninitialized temporary dri
 |[Lsv3](/azure/virtual-machines/sizes/storage-optimized/lsv3-series#sizes-in-series) - All Azure VMs||
 |[Fxmdsv2](/azure/virtual-machines/sizes/compute-optimized/fxmdsv2-series#sizes-in-series)||
 
-
-
+> [!NOTE]
+> Make sure the VM isn't configured using a [sector size greater than 4 KB](sql-installation-fails-sector-size-error-azure-vm.md#resolution) before installing SQL Server.