- A
Delete the VM and recreate it from the image.
Why wrong: Recreating the VM is unnecessary when a simple deallocation and resize can solve the issue.
- B
Deallocate the VM, then retry the resize.
Deallocating releases the VM from the current host cluster and often allows Azure to place it on hardware that supports the new size.
- C
Attach a new data disk first.
Why wrong: Adding a disk does not affect whether the target compute size is available.
- D
Create an availability set for the VM.
Why wrong: An availability set changes placement resilience, but it does not make a running size resize succeed.
Question 922 of 1,170
AZ-104 Deploy and Manage Azure Compute Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of deploy and manage azure compute. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
You need to resize a VM to a larger size, but Azure says the target size is not available while the VM is running. What should you do first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Deallocate the VM, then retry the resize.
When a VM is running, Azure may not have the target VM size available in the cluster hosting the VM. Deallocating the VM releases the underlying hardware resources and removes the VM from its current cluster, allowing Azure to select a new cluster that supports the desired size. After deallocation, the resize operation can succeed because the VM is no longer pinned to a specific host or cluster.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Delete the VM and recreate it from the image.
Why it's wrong here
Recreating the VM is unnecessary when a simple deallocation and resize can solve the issue.
When this WOULD be correct
If the VM's operating system or configuration is corrupted beyond repair, or if you need to migrate to a different VM series that requires a new image (e.g., moving from a generation 1 to generation 2 VM), deleting and recreating from an image would be appropriate.
- ✓
Deallocate the VM, then retry the resize.
Why this is correct
Deallocating releases the VM from the current host cluster and often allows Azure to place it on hardware that supports the new size.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Attach a new data disk first.
Why it's wrong here
Adding a disk does not affect whether the target compute size is available.
When this WOULD be correct
When the question asks how to increase storage capacity for an existing VM without downtime, attaching a new data disk is the correct answer.
- ✗
Create an availability set for the VM.
Why it's wrong here
An availability set changes placement resilience, but it does not make a running size resize succeed.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct if the question asked: 'You need to ensure that two VMs are in separate fault domains and update domains for high availability. What should you do?'
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-104 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Deallocate the VM, then retry the resize.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
Deallocating releases the VM from the current host cluster and often allows Azure to place it on hardware that supports the new size.
✗Delete the VM and recreate it from the image.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Deleting and recreating a VM from an image is unnecessary and disruptive; Azure allows resizing a VM after deallocation, which releases the current hardware reservation and enables selection of a different size in the same or different cluster.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the VM's operating system or configuration is corrupted beyond repair, or if you need to migrate to a different VM series that requires a new image (e.g., moving from a generation 1 to generation 2 VM), deleting and recreating from an image would be appropriate.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that the only way to change VM size is to start fresh, not realizing that deallocation temporarily frees the VM from its host, allowing size changes without data loss.
✗Attach a new data disk first.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Attaching a new data disk does not resolve the unavailability of the target VM size in the current cluster; resizing requires deallocation to move the VM to a different cluster where the size is available.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
When the question asks how to increase storage capacity for an existing VM without downtime, attaching a new data disk is the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think adding resources like a disk could enable the resize, confusing storage expansion with compute resizing.
✗Create an availability set for the VM.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Creating an availability set does not affect the availability of VM sizes for resizing; it only provides high availability for VMs within the set. The issue is that the target size is not available while the VM is running, which requires deallocation first.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct if the question asked: 'You need to ensure that two VMs are in separate fault domains and update domains for high availability. What should you do?'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that adding the VM to an availability set somehow unlocks more size options or that it is a prerequisite for resizing, confusing high availability features with compute resource availability.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-104blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think they must delete and recreate the VM or perform complex workarounds, when the simple and correct first step is to deallocate the VM to free it from its current cluster constraint.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, each Azure VM is hosted on a specific cluster of physical servers that support a set of VM sizes. When you resize a running VM, Azure attempts to keep the VM on the same cluster, but if the target size is not available there, the operation fails. Deallocating the VM (stopping it with 'Stop-Deallocate' or via the portal) releases the lease on the underlying hardware, allowing the VM to be placed on a different cluster that supports the desired size during the next start or resize. This behavior is tied to Azure Resource Manager's orchestration and the physical constraints of host clusters.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — This question tests Deploy and Manage Azure Compute — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deallocate the VM, then retry the resize. — When a VM is running, Azure may not have the target VM size available in the cluster hosting the VM. Deallocating the VM releases the underlying hardware resources and removes the VM from its current cluster, allowing Azure to select a new cluster that supports the desired size. After deallocation, the resize operation can succeed because the VM is no longer pinned to a specific host or cluster.
What should I do if I get this AZ-104 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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