🐶
Terraform

Terraform Invalid AMI ID Error: Troubleshooting Malformed AMI IDs

By Ondřej Dolanský on 12/19/2024

Learn how to troubleshoot the "Error launching source instance: InvalidAMIID.Malformed" error in Terraform and get your infrastructure deployments back on track.

Terraform Invalid AMI ID Error: Troubleshooting Malformed AMI IDs

Table of Contents

Introduction

When working with Terraform in AWS, encountering "InvalidAMIID.Malformed" or "InvalidAMIID.NotFound" errors can be frustrating. These errors pop up when Terraform can't find the Amazon Machine Image (AMI) you're trying to use to launch an EC2 instance. This usually happens because of a typo in the AMI ID, the AMI not being available in your chosen AWS region, or simply using an outdated ID.

Step-by-Step Guide

The InvalidAMIID.Malformed or InvalidAMIID.NotFound errors in Terraform occur when you're trying to launch an EC2 instance using an AMI ID that either doesn't exist in the specified region or is incorrectly formatted. Here's how to fix it:

  1. Verify the AMI ID: Double-check that the AMI ID you're using in your Terraform code is accurate and hasn't been mistyped.

    ami = "ami-0123456789abcdef0"

  2. Region Availability: Ensure the AMI you're trying to use is available in the AWS region where you're deploying your infrastructure. AMIs are region-specific.

    provider "aws" {
  region = "us-west-2" 
}

  3. Manually Update the AMI: If the AMI ID is outdated, find the latest ID through the AWS console and update your Terraform code.

  4. Dynamic AMI Selection: For a more robust solution, use data sources in Terraform to dynamically fetch the latest AMI ID based on criteria like operating system, architecture, and region.

    data "aws_ami" "ubuntu" {
  most_recent = true

  filter {
    name   = "name"
    values = ["ubuntu/images/hvm-ssd/ubuntu-focal-20.04-amd64-server-*"]
  }

  filter {
    name   = "virtualization-type"
    values = ["hvm"]
  }

  owners = ["099720109477"] 
}

resource "aws_instance" "web" {
  ami           = data.aws_ami.ubuntu.id 
  # ... other instance configurations
}

By following these steps, you can resolve the InvalidAMIID.Malformed or InvalidAMIID.NotFound errors and ensure your Terraform deployments run smoothly.

Code Example

This code provides solutions for resolving "InvalidAMIID" errors in Terraform. It includes examples of verifying the AMI ID for typos, ensuring the AMI is available in the specified AWS region, manually updating the AMI ID in the code, and dynamically selecting the latest AMI using data sources and filters. Each example highlights a different approach to troubleshoot and fix the error, allowing users to choose the method that best fits their needs.

1. Verifying the AMI ID:

# Ensure the AMI ID is correct and hasn't been mistyped
resource "aws_instance" "example" {
  ami           = "ami-0c55b159cbfafe1f0" # Replace with your actual AMI ID
  instance_type = "t2.micro"
  # ... other instance configurations
}

2. Ensuring Region Availability:

# Define the AWS provider with the correct region
terraform {
  required_providers {
    aws = {
      source  = "hashicorp/aws"
      version = "~> 4.0"
    }
  }
}

provider "aws" {
  region = "us-west-2" # Specify the desired AWS region
}

# Use the AMI ID within the same region
resource "aws_instance" "example" {
  ami           = "ami-0c55b159cbfafe1f0" 
  instance_type = "t2.micro"
  # ... other instance configurations
}

3. Manually Updating the AMI:

# After finding the latest AMI ID from the AWS console, update your code
resource "aws_instance" "example" {
  ami           = "ami-0a9d27a4a2462d28b" # Replace with the updated AMI ID
  instance_type = "t2.micro"
  # ... other instance configurations
}

4. Dynamic AMI Selection:

# Use data source to fetch the latest Ubuntu 20.04 AMI in us-west-2
data "aws_ami" "ubuntu" {
  most_recent = true

  filter {
    name   = "name"
    values = ["ubuntu/images/hvm-ssd/ubuntu-focal-20.04-amd64-server-*"]
  }

  filter {
    name   = "virtualization-type"
    values = ["hvm"]
  }

  owners = ["099720109477"] # Canonical's owner ID
}

# Launch an instance using the dynamically fetched AMI ID
resource "aws_instance" "example" {
  ami           = data.aws_ami.ubuntu.id
  instance_type = "t2.micro"
  # ... other instance configurations
}

These examples demonstrate different approaches to resolving InvalidAMIID.Malformed or InvalidAMIID.NotFound errors in Terraform. Choose the method that best suits your needs and remember to replace placeholder values with your actual AMI IDs and region.

Additional Notes

  • Common Causes: Besides typos, outdated AMIs, and regional availability, remember that AMIs can be deregistered or deleted. Always verify the AMI's status in the AWS console if you encounter unexpected errors.

  • AWS Account Issues: In rare cases, the error might stem from AWS account issues like insufficient permissions to access the AMI. Ensure your IAM role or user has the necessary permissions to describe and launch instances using the specified AMI.

  • Caching: Terraform can sometimes cache outdated information. If you've recently made changes to AMIs, try running terraform refresh to update Terraform's state with the latest information from AWS.

  • Community Resources: The Terraform community is vast and helpful. If you're still stuck, don't hesitate to search for solutions on forums like Stack Overflow, the Terraform community forum, or reach out for help on the HashiCorp Discuss platform.

  • Best Practices:

    • Use Variables: Store your AMI IDs in variables to make your code more modular and easier to update.
    • Data Sources for Flexibility: Embrace data sources to dynamically fetch AMIs based on your requirements, making your deployments more adaptable to changes.
    • Version Control: Always use a version control system like Git to track changes to your Terraform code and easily revert to previous versions if needed.
    • Testing: Before deploying to production, thoroughly test your Terraform code in a staging environment to catch potential issues early on.

Summary

| Error | Cause | Solution

Conclusion

To sum up, "InvalidAMIID.Malformed" and "InvalidAMIID.NotFound" errors in Terraform can bring your AWS deployments to a halt. These errors mean Terraform can't locate the AMI needed to launch your EC2 instance. The root cause is often a simple typo in the AMI ID, using an AMI that's not available in your AWS region, or trying to use an outdated AMI ID. By carefully checking your AMI IDs, confirming regional availability, updating outdated IDs, or using dynamic AMI selection with Terraform data sources, you can overcome these errors. Remember to leverage Terraform's best practices like using variables, data sources, version control, and thorough testing to prevent these errors and ensure your infrastructure deployments are smooth and error-free.

References

I wanted to created EC2 instance in EU-WEST-1 region in Terraform. When I use official AMI ami-0d71ea30463e0ff8d I see the below error? Error launching source instance: InvalidAMIID.NotFound:...

Were You Able to Follow the Instructions?

😍Love it!
😊Yes
😐Meh-gical
😞No
🤮Clickbait

Related posts

Terraform: Assign Multiple IAM Roles to Service Account

Learn how to efficiently assign multiple Google Cloud IAM roles to a service account using Terraform for streamlined infrastructure management.

Terraform AWS Credentials: File Not Found Error & Fix

Troubleshoot and resolve the common issue of Terraform being unable to locate your AWS credentials file with our comprehensive guide.

Terraform BucketRegionError: Bucket Not in 'eu-west-2' Fix

Learn how to troubleshoot and resolve the "BucketRegionError: incorrect region, the bucket is not in 'eu-west-2'" error in your Terraform code with our comprehensive guide, covering common causes and solutions.