vgremove

Remove a volume group with confirmation

$ vgremove [volume_group]

$ vgremove [[-f|--force]] [volume_group]

$ vgremove [[-d|--debug]] [[-d|--debug]] [volume_group]

$ vgremove --config '[global/locking_type=1]' [volume_group]

$ vgremove [[-h|--help]]

vgremove [OPTION...] VolumeGroupName...

-f, --force
    Forces the removal of a volume group, even if it contains inactive logical volumes. Use with extreme caution, as this can lead to data loss.

-y, --yes
    Assumes "yes" to all questions; do not prompt for confirmation.

-v, --verbose
    Displays verbose runtime information, showing more details about the command's execution.

--autobackup {y|n}
    Controls if metadata is automatically backed up after the command executes. Default is 'y'.

--config report.output_format={native|json}
    Configures the output format for reports. Not typically used with vgremove directly for its primary function.

--ignorelockingfailure
    Continues with the operation even if a lock cannot be acquired or if a locking file is corrupt.

--version
    Displays the version of LVM utilities.

--help
    Displays a help message and exits.

vgremove is a fundamental command within the Logical Volume Manager (LVM) framework in Linux, designed to delete one or more existing volume groups. A volume group (VG) is the highest-level abstraction in LVM, comprising one or more physical volumes (PVs) and acting as a container for logical volumes (LVs).

Before a volume group can be removed, all logical volumes residing within it must be removed first using the lvremove command. Removing a volume group permanently discards all LVM metadata associated with it and its constituent physical volumes, making the underlying disk space available for other uses. This operation is irreversible and will lead to data loss if logical volumes were not properly removed beforehand. It's crucial to ensure that no logical volumes are active or mounted before attempting to remove their parent volume group. vgremove helps in tidying up disk space, reconfiguring storage, or preparing disks for re-purposing.

• Data Loss: Removing a volume group is a destructive operation. If any logical volumes within the VG are not removed using lvremove first, their data will be lost irrevocably upon vgremove execution.
• Prerequisites: All logical volumes within the volume group must be unmounted and removed before the volume group itself can be removed. Active or mounted LVs prevent VG removal unless forced.
• Metadata: vgremove removes the LVM metadata associated with the volume group and its physical volumes. This metadata is essential for LVM to recognize and manage the storage.
• Force Option: The -f (force) option should be used with extreme caution as it bypasses checks and can lead to immediate data loss if logical volumes are still present, even if inactive.

Before performing any vgremove operation, it is highly recommended to manually back up your LVM metadata using vgcfgbackup. This can be crucial for disaster recovery in case of accidental removal or other issues.

Always ensure that all logical volumes residing within the volume group are unmounted (umount) before attempting to remove them with lvremove. This prevents data corruption and ensures a clean removal process.

vgremove is a core component of the Logical Volume Manager (LVM) suite, which has been an integral part of Linux since its introduction in the early 2000s, building upon similar concepts from commercial Unix systems. LVM provides a flexible way to manage disk space, abstracting physical storage into logical units. The vgremove command has been present since the early versions of LVM, evolving alongside the LVM framework itself, primarily in terms of robustness, error handling, and support for new LVM features, rather than fundamental changes to its core function of deleting volume groups. Its consistent purpose reflects its foundational role in LVM's storage management capabilities.

lvremove(8), pvremove(8), vgcreate(8), vgdisplay(8), vgchange(8), lvm(8)