---
title: "TIR Snapshots FAQ"
description: "Short answers about TIR Snapshots, from what a snapshot copies to restoring, scheduling, the project-wide list, and billing."
content_type: "faq"
product: "tir-snapshots"
platform: "TIR"
url: "/tir/tir-snapshots/faq/"
---

# TIR Snapshots FAQ

## Taking snapshots

### What does a snapshot copy?

A snapshot copies only the VM's disk, as it was at one moment. The VM's settings, datasets, and shared
file systems stay outside the snapshot. A snapshot you take by hand is kept until you delete it. See
[Create a VM snapshot](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/create-a-vm-snapshot/).

### Can I take a snapshot of a running VM?

Yes. You can take one while the VM is **Running** or **Stopped**, on a plan that supports snapshots. The
snapshot's files are in a consistent state when the VM is running and responds to the snapshot request.
In every other case, the snapshot holds the disk as it would be after a power cut.
See
[Create a VM snapshot](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/create-a-vm-snapshot/).

### Why is Create Snapshot greyed out for my VM?

You can take a snapshot while the VM is **Running** or **Stopped**, on a plan that supports snapshots.
Hold the pointer over the entry to see which of the two is missing. See [Create Snapshot is greyed out, or
fails](/tir/tir-snapshots/troubleshooting/tir-snapshots/#create-snapshot-is-greyed-out-or-fails).

### What can I name a snapshot?

A name can have up to 128 characters of letters, digits, underscores, and hyphens, and must differ
from the names already used for the VM. TIR suggests the VM's name with the date and time. A schedule names its snapshots
`scheduled-snapshot-` followed by the date and time in India time.

### Can I rename a snapshot?

Yes, with **Rename** in the snapshot's **Actions** menu, to a name of up to 255 characters of letters,
digits, underscores, and hyphens, while its VM still exists. See [Rename a
snapshot](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/create-a-vm-snapshot/#rename-a-snapshot).

### How do I know a snapshot is Ready?

Watch its **Status**. It shows **In progress**, then **Ready** or **Failed**, and the status changes
by itself in the list. See
[Manage snapshots in a project](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/manage-snapshots-in-a-project/).

### Are snapshots available in both regions?

Yes. Snapshots are available in Delhi and Chennai. See [TIR Snapshots](/tir/tir-snapshots/).

## Restore and new VMs

### Does restoring a snapshot erase my current files?

Yes. **Restore** replaces the VM's disk with the snapshot, and changes made since the snapshot was
taken are permanently lost. To keep the VM as it is, create a new VM from the snapshot instead.
Before you restore, read
[Restore a VM from a snapshot](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/restore-a-vm-from-a-snapshot/).

### Does a restore keep the VM offline?

Yes, until it finishes. The VM stops, gets a disk built from the snapshot, and starts again on its own
plan, so its status reads **Stopping**, **Stopped**, **Starting**, and then **Running**. See [Restore a
VM from a snapshot](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/restore-a-vm-from-a-snapshot/#check-the-restored-vm).

### Can I restore a snapshot onto a different VM?

No. **Restore** puts a snapshot back on its own source VM. To get its disk on another machine, create
a new VM from the snapshot. See
[Create a VM from a snapshot](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/create-a-vm-from-a-snapshot/).

### Do snapshots survive deleting the VM?

Yes. A snapshot outlives its VM, and you can still delete it or create a new VM from it. **Restore**
works only while the VM exists, so to get the disk back, create a new VM. See
[Create a VM from a snapshot](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/create-a-vm-from-a-snapshot/).

### How do I find the snapshot of a VM that I deleted?

Open **Storage** > **Snapshots**. The snapshot is still in the list, with its source VM marked
**VM deleted**. See
[Manage snapshots in a project](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/manage-snapshots-in-a-project/).

### Can I start a new VM, or an Auto Scaling Group, from a snapshot?

Yes. **Create VM** starts a new VM in the same project, with the snapshot's image and version
fixed. A snapshot can also be the source of an Auto Scaling Group with **Create Auto
Scaling Group**, except for a snapshot of a GPU VM. Both need the snapshot to be **Ready**. See
[Create a VM from a snapshot](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/create-a-vm-from-a-snapshot/).

### Which SSH keys does a VM created from a snapshot accept?

It accepts the SSH keys you choose on the create form and also the SSH keys of the VM the snapshot was
taken from. See [Create a VM from a snapshot](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/create-a-vm-from-a-snapshot/).

## Schedules

### Can I take snapshots on a schedule?

Yes. Choose **Every 6 hours**, **Daily**, **Weekly**, or **Custom Cron**, and how many snapshots to
keep, from 1 to 60. Once a schedule passes that number, it removes its oldest scheduled snapshots
first. Snapshots you took by hand stay until you delete them. See
[Schedule VM snapshots](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/schedule-vm-snapshots/).

### Can I set one schedule for several VMs?

No. A schedule belongs to one VM. From **Storage** > **Snapshots**, select **Schedule Snapshot**, pick
a VM, and repeat for each VM that needs one. See
[Schedule VM snapshots](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/schedule-vm-snapshots/).

### Does turning off a schedule delete my snapshots?

No. **Turn Off Schedule** stops new snapshots and keeps the old ones. See
[Schedule VM snapshots](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/schedule-vm-snapshots/#turn-the-schedule-off).

## The Snapshots page

### Where can I see all my snapshots?

Under **Storage** in the side menu, select **Snapshots** to see every snapshot in the project. A VM's
own **Snapshots** tab lists only that VM's snapshots. See
[Manage snapshots in a project](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/manage-snapshots-in-a-project/).

### What do the three figures above the snapshot list mean?

**Snapshot storage** is the combined size of the **Ready** snapshots and their count. **VMs with
snapshots** is how many VMs have at least one **Ready** snapshot. **Needs attention** is how many VMs
still in the project have a latest snapshot that failed. See
[Manage snapshots in a project](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/manage-snapshots-in-a-project/).

### Why is a button or menu entry missing on the Snapshots page?

On the **Snapshots** page, each action needs a permission, and you see most actions only when you
have it. See
[Troubleshooting TIR Snapshots](/tir/tir-snapshots/troubleshooting/tir-snapshots/#a-button-or-menu-entry-is-missing-for-my-role).

## Sizes and billing

### Are snapshots billed?

Yes, for the storage they hold, for as long as each snapshot exists. Deleting a snapshot stops its
charge. For prices, see [E2E's pricing page](https://www.e2enetworks.com/pricing), and to delete one,
see [Delete a VM snapshot](/tir/tir-snapshots/how-to/delete-a-vm-snapshot/).

### Why does deleting a snapshot free less space than Full Snapshot Size shows?

A snapshot shares data with the live disk and with other snapshots, so deleting one may free less
than the figure shown. See [How snapshots work](/tir/tir-snapshots/concepts/how-snapshots-work/).

### What is the difference between Disk Size and Full Snapshot Size?

**Disk Size** is the size of the disk the snapshot was taken from, such as 30 GB. **Full Snapshot
Size** is what the snapshot holds beyond that disk. A new VM from the snapshot needs a disk at least
as large as **Disk Size**. See [How snapshots work](/tir/tir-snapshots/concepts/how-snapshots-work/).