How can I download files from a disabled VM?

Question

I had a VM on a student account. The credits finished and now i can't download the files. How can i do it? I can't start the VM so i can't use SSH

Answer 1

@TOMÁS URIEL GOLDBERG

Here are some steps you can take to recover your files from the stopped Azure VM due to expired credits:

1. You can convert your Azure student subscription to a Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) subscription. This will allow you to start the VM and access your files. You can do this by reaching out to Azure support.
2. If you had set up Azure Backup for your VM, you can restore the files from the backup. You can restore the VM disk and then attach it to another VM to access the files..
3. If you can't start the VM, you can detach the disk from the stopped VM and attach it to another running VM. This way, you can access the files stored on the disk.
4. If the above options are not feasible, you can contact Azure support for assistance. They might be able to help you recover your files or provide alternative solutions.

Go to Azure Portal -> help+support -> Subscription management

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments.

Answer 2

Hi @TOMÁS URIEL GOLDBERG ,

I am not sure if this is working with an inactive Azure Subscription but maybe it's worth a try:

Generate a download URL for the VHD disk file -> Generate download URL

Download the vhd file to your on-premises computer -> Download VHD

Mount the vhd file on-premises and access the files inside the vhd

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(If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you)

Regards

Andreas Baumgarten