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AWS AWSEC2 documentation change

Service: AWSEC2 · 2025-04-20 · Documentation low

File: AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/TroubleshootingInstancesStopping.md

Summary

Updated troubleshooting guide with expanded force-stop instructions, added PowerShell examples, and clarified alternate instance recovery procedures

Security assessment

Changes focus on improving operational procedures for stopping/stuck instances and adding PowerShell support. No security vulnerabilities, mitigations, or security features are mentioned. The --force/--enforce parameters are existing features for instance management rather than security controls.

Diff

diff --git a/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/TroubleshootingInstancesStopping.md b/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/TroubleshootingInstancesStopping.md
index 10b4b1c41..c3ab21645 100644
--- a//AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/TroubleshootingInstancesStopping.md
+++ b//AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/TroubleshootingInstancesStopping.md
@@ -53 +53 @@ There is no cost for instance usage while an instance is in the `stopping` state
-Force the instance to stop using either the console or the AWS CLI.
+You can force an instance to stop. If, after 10 minutes, the instance has not stopped, post a request for help on [AWS re:Post](https://repost.aws/). To help expedite a resolution, include the instance ID, and describe the steps that you've already taken. Alternatively, if you have a support plan, create a technical support case in the [Support Center](https://console.aws.amazon.com/support/home#/).
@@ -62 +62 @@ Console
-###### To force stop the instance using the console
+###### To force stop the instance
@@ -78 +78 @@ AWS CLI
-###### To force stop the instance using the AWS CLI
+###### To force stop the instance
@@ -80 +80 @@ AWS CLI
-Use the [stop-instances](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ec2/stop-instances.html) command and the `--force` option as follows:
+Use the [stop-instances](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ec2/stop-instances.html) command with the `--force` option.
@@ -83 +83,3 @@ Use the [stop-instances](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/lates
-    aws ec2 stop-instances --instance-ids i-0123ab456c789d01e --force
+    aws ec2 stop-instances \
+        --instance-ids i-1234567890abcdef0 \
+        --force
@@ -85 +87,11 @@ Use the [stop-instances](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/lates
-If, after 10 minutes, the instance has not stopped, post a request for help on [AWS re:Post](https://repost.aws/). To help expedite a resolution, include the instance ID, and describe the steps that you've already taken. Alternatively, if you have a support plan, create a technical support case in the [Support Center](https://console.aws.amazon.com/support/home#/).
+PowerShell
+    
+
+###### To force stop the instance
+
+Use the [Stop-EC2Instance](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/powershell/latest/reference/items/Stop-EC2Instance.html) cmdlet and set `-Enforce` to `true`.
+    
+    
+    Stop-EC2Instance `
+        -InstanceId i-1234567890abcdef0 `
+        -Enforce $true
@@ -122,0 +135,25 @@ For more information, see [Create an AMI from an instance](./creating-an-ami-ebs
+If you are unable to create an AMI from the instance as described in the previous procedure, you can set up a replacement instance as follows:
+
+###### (Alternate) To create a replacement instance using the console
+
+  1. Select the instance and choose **Description** , **Block devices**. Select each volume and make note of its volume ID. Be sure to note which volume is the root volume.
+
+  2. In the navigation pane, choose **Volumes**. Select each volume for the instance, and choose **Actions** , **Create Snapshot**.
+
+  3. In the navigation pane, choose **Snapshots**. Select the snapshot that you just created, and choose **Actions** , **Create Volume**.
+
+  4. Launch an instance with the same operating system as the stuck instance. Note the volume ID and device name of its root volume.
+
+  5. In the navigation pane, choose **Instances** , select the instance that you just launched, and choose **Instance state** , **Stop instance**.
+
+  6. In the navigation pane, choose **Volumes** , select the root volume of the stopped instance, and choose **Actions** , **Detach Volume**.
+
+  7. Select the root volume that you created from the stuck instance, choose **Actions** , **Attach Volume** , and attach it to the new instance as its root volume (using the device name that you made note of). Attach any additional non-root volumes to the instance.
+
+  8. In the navigation pane, choose **Instances** and select the replacement instance. Choose **Instance state** , **Start instance**. Verify that the instance is working.
+
+  9. Select the stuck instance, choose **Instance state** , **Terminate (delete) instance**. If the instance also gets stuck terminating, Amazon EC2 automatically forces it to terminate within a few hours.
+
+
+
+
@@ -128,3 +165 @@ AWS CLI
-  1. Create an AMI from the stuck instance using the [create-image](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ec2/create-image.html) command and the `--no-reboot` option as follows.
-    
-        aws ec2 create-image --instance-id i-0123ab456c789d01e --name "AMI" --description "AMI for replacement instance" --no-reboot
+  1. Create an AMI from the stuck instance using the [create-image](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ec2/create-image.html) command with the `--no-reboot` option.
@@ -132 +167,5 @@ AWS CLI
-  2. Launch a new instance from the AMI using the [run-instances](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ec2/run-instances.html) command as follows.
+        aws ec2 create-image \
+        --instance-id i-1234567890abcdef0 \
+        --name "my-replacement-ami" \
+        --description ""AMI for replacement instance" \
+        --no-reboot
@@ -134 +173 @@ AWS CLI
-        aws ec2 run-instances --image-id ami-1a2b3c4d --count 1 --instance-type c3.large --key-name MyKeyPair --security-groups MySecurityGroup
+  2. Launch a new instance from the AMI that you just created, using the [run-instances](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ec2/run-instances.html) command.
@@ -138 +177 @@ AWS CLI
-  4. Terminate the stuck instance using the [terminate-instances](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ec2/terminate-instances.html) command as follows.
+  4. (Optional) Terminate the stuck instance using the [terminate-instances](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/ec2/terminate-instances.html) command.
@@ -145,3 +184 @@ AWS CLI
-If you are unable to create an AMI from the instance as described in the previous procedure, you can set up a replacement instance as follows:
-
-###### (Alternate) To create a replacement instance using the console
+PowerShell
@@ -149 +185,0 @@ If you are unable to create an AMI from the instance as described in the previou
-  1. Select the instance and choose **Description** , **Block devices**. Select each volume and make note of its volume ID. Be sure to note which volume is the root volume.
@@ -151 +187 @@ If you are unable to create an AMI from the instance as described in the previou
-  2. In the navigation pane, choose **Volumes**. Select each volume for the instance, and choose **Actions** , **Create Snapshot**.
+###### To create a replacement instance using the AWS CLI
@@ -153 +189 @@ If you are unable to create an AMI from the instance as described in the previou
-  3. In the navigation pane, choose **Snapshots**. Select the snapshot that you just created, and choose **Actions** , **Create Volume**.
+  1. Create an AMI from the stuck instance using the [New-EC2Image](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/powershell/latest/reference/items/New-EC2Image.html) cmdlet and set `-NoReboot` to `true`.
@@ -155 +191,5 @@ If you are unable to create an AMI from the instance as described in the previou
-  4. Launch an instance with the same operating system as the stuck instance. Note the volume ID and device name of its root volume.
+        New-EC2Image `
+        -InstanceId i-1234567890abcdef0 `
+        -Name "my-replacement-ami" `
+        -Description "AMI for replacement instance" `
+        -NoReboot $true
@@ -157 +197 @@ If you are unable to create an AMI from the instance as described in the previou
-  5. In the navigation pane, choose **Instances** , select the instance that you just launched, and choose **Instance state** , **Stop instance**.
+  2. Launch a new instance from the AMI that you just created, using the [New-EC2Instance](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/powershell/latest/reference/items/New-EC2Instance.html) cmdlet.
@@ -159 +199 @@ If you are unable to create an AMI from the instance as described in the previou
-  6. In the navigation pane, choose **Volumes** , select the root volume of the stopped instance, and choose **Actions** , **Detach Volume**.
+  3. Verify that the new instance is working.
@@ -161 +201 @@ If you are unable to create an AMI from the instance as described in the previou
-  7. Select the root volume that you created from the stuck instance, choose **Actions** , **Attach Volume** , and attach it to the new instance as its root volume (using the device name that you made note of). Attach any additional non-root volumes to the instance.
+  4. (Optional) Terminate the stuck instance using the [Remove-EC2Instance](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/powershell/latest/reference/items/Remove-EC2Instance.html) cmdlet.
@@ -163,3 +203 @@ If you are unable to create an AMI from the instance as described in the previou
-  8. In the navigation pane, choose **Instances** and select the replacement instance. Choose **Instance state** , **Start instance**. Verify that the instance is working.
-
-  9. Select the stuck instance, choose **Instance state** , **Terminate (delete) instance**. If the instance also gets stuck terminating, Amazon EC2 automatically forces it to terminate within a few hours.
+        Remove-EC2Instance -InstanceId i-1234567890abcdef0