# How to delete used images

**URL:** <https://forum.opennebula.io/t/how-to-delete-used-images/4035>\
**Category:** Product Support\
**Created:** [March 26, 2017, 10:12am UTC](https://forum.opennebula.io/t/how-to-delete-used-images/4035 "2017-03-26T10:12:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Thomas\_Stein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Thomas\_Stein](https://forum.opennebula.io/u/Thomas_Stein)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2017, 10:12am UTC](https://forum.opennebula.io/t/how-to-delete-used-images/4035/1 "2017-03-26T10:12:49Z")

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Hi all.

Here is my question. I have a few VMs running which i created from non persitent images. So my understanding is the images will never be needed anymore for this particular VMs. If that’s so why can’t I delete those images? ONE complains about not being able to delete this image because it’s used by this VM. Is there a --force switch somewhere? Is there a reason i’m not aware of which prevents this from being possible?

thanks and cheers  
t.

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**Author:** ![VURoland](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forum.opennebula.io/vuroland/32/7682_2.png) [@VURoland](https://forum.opennebula.io/u/VURoland)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://forum.opennebula.io/t/how-to-delete-used-images/4035/2 "2017-03-27T15:17:47Z")

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hi Thomas,

the images are in use by the VM, even in non-persistent mode.  
The only difference is that with non-persistent images, the changes are written to a separate disk image.  
This way, it will not touch or change the image it started from, but put all the changes in another file.

Persitent:  
image + VM =\> changes are written to the original image

non-persistent:  
image + VM =\> changes are written to an extra image, the original image stays “clean” (but is still in use)

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**Author:** ![Thomas\_Stein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Thomas\_Stein](https://forum.opennebula.io/u/Thomas_Stein)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 7:12am UTC](https://forum.opennebula.io/t/how-to-delete-used-images/4035/3 "2017-03-28T07:12:03Z")

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Hi Roland.

Thanks for the answer. Uh, and i know the difference between persistent and non-persistent. My question remains. Why can’t I delete the original image of a VM who is was created from that image but is non-persistent and therefore has no connections anymore the the original image?

thanks and cheers

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**Author:** ![atodorov\_storpool](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forum.opennebula.io/atodorov_storpool/32/5327_2.png) [@atodorov\_storpool](https://forum.opennebula.io/u/atodorov_storpool)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 9:20am UTC](https://forum.opennebula.io/t/how-to-delete-used-images/4035/4 "2017-03-28T09:20:36Z")

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Hi,

> [@Thomas\_Stein](#):
>
> Why can’t I delete the original image of a VM who is was created from that image but is non-persistent and therefore has no connections anymore the the original image?

My explanations for this design decision is because of the feature to “delete - recreate)” a VM from the “master” image. If the used space is bothering you, you can trim the file on the front-end manually, but later this “master image” could be only deleted. not used anymore.

Kind Regards,  
Anton Todorov