vgcreate Command in Linux: Syntax, Options & Volume Group Examples

Deepak Prasad
Tested on Ubuntu 25.04 (Plucky Puffin)
Package lvm2
lvm2
Applies to Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, Oracle Linux, CentOS Stream, Fedora, Arch Linux, SUSE, openSUSE, Alpine
Privilege sudo or root
Man page vgcreate(8)
Scope vgcreate groups one or more physical volumes into a volume group — the storage pool from which logical volumes are allocated. It can initialize PVs automatically if they are not already labeled.
Related guides vgextend
vgs

vgcreate — quick reference

Create volume groups

Combine initialized physical volumes into a named pool. Extents from all PVs become free space for lvcreate.

When to use Command
Create a VG from one PV sudo vgcreate myvg /dev/sdX1
Create a VG from multiple PVs sudo vgcreate myvg /dev/sdX1 /dev/sdY1
Let vgcreate initialize raw devices (calls pvcreate) sudo vgcreate myvg /dev/sdX
Set physical extent size (default 4 MiB) sudo vgcreate -s 8M myvg /dev/sdX1
Set allocation policy at creation sudo vgcreate --alloc contiguous myvg /dev/sdX1
Cap how many LVs the VG may hold sudo vgcreate -l 4 myvg /dev/sdX1
Cap how many PVs may join the VG sudo vgcreate -p 2 myvg /dev/sdX1
Control metadata copy count on large VGs sudo vgcreate --vgmetadatacopies 2 myvg /dev/sdX1

Inspect and extend

When to use Command
List volume groups sudo vgs
Long VG details sudo vgdisplay myvg
Add a PV to an existing VG sudo vgextend myvg /dev/sdZ1
Remove an empty VG sudo vgremove myvg

Help and version

When to use Command
Show built-in usage vgcreate --help
Show LVM version lvm version

vgcreate — command syntax

Synopsis from vgcreate --help on Ubuntu 25.04 (LVM 2.03.27):

text
vgcreate VG_new PV ...
	[ -s|--physicalextentsize Size[m|UNIT] ]
	[ -l|--maxlogicalvolumes Number ]
	[ -p|--maxphysicalvolumes Number ]
	[ -f|--force ]
	[    --alloc contiguous|cling|cling_by_tags|normal|anywhere|inherit ]
	[    --vgmetadatacopies all|unmanaged|Number ]
	[ COMMON_OPTIONS ]

vgcreate writes VG metadata on the PVs you list. Default extent size is 4 MiB. Needs sudo.

vgcreate — command examples

Essential Create a volume group from one PV

Standard first step after pvcreate on a lab loop device.

bash
fallocate -l 256M /tmp/lvm-lab-a.img
LOOP_A=$(sudo losetup -fP --show /tmp/lvm-lab-a.img)
sudo pvcreate $LOOP_A
sudo vgcreate labvg $LOOP_A
sudo vgs labvg

Sample output:

output
Volume group "labvg" successfully created.
  VG    #PV #LV #SN Attr   VSize   VFree
  labvg   1   0   0 wz--n- 252.00m 252.00m

VSize is slightly less than 256 MiB because LVM reserves metadata space on the PV.

Essential Create a VG spanning two PVs

Stripe and mirror LVs need enough PVs in the VG — start with two loop PVs.

bash
fallocate -l 256M /tmp/lvm-lab-{a,b}.img
LOOP_A=$(sudo losetup -fP --show /tmp/lvm-lab-a.img)
LOOP_B=$(sudo losetup -fP --show /tmp/lvm-lab-b.img)
sudo pvcreate $LOOP_A $LOOP_B
sudo vgcreate labvg $LOOP_A $LOOP_B
sudo vgs labvg

Sample output:

output
Volume group "labvg" successfully created.
  VG    #PV #LV #SN Attr   VSize   VFree
  labvg   2   0   0 wz--n- 504.00m 504.00m
Essential Remove a lab VG cleanly

Always remove LVs before the VG, then PVs, then loop devices.

bash
sudo lvremove -f labvg
sudo vgremove -f labvg
sudo pvremove -f $LOOP_A $LOOP_B
sudo losetup -d $LOOP_A $LOOP_B
rm -f /tmp/lvm-lab-*.img

Sample output:

output
Volume group "labvg" successfully removed.
  Labels on physical volume "/dev/loop24" successfully wiped.
Common Set physical extent size with -s

Extent size is fixed at VG creation. Use a power-of-two size (for example 8 MiB) when aligning to RAID stripes.

bash
sudo vgremove -f labvg
sudo pvcreate -ff -y $LOOP_A
sudo vgcreate -s 8M labvg $LOOP_A
sudo vgs -o vg_name,vg_extent_size labvg

Sample output:

output
Volume group "labvg" successfully created.
  VG    VSize   VFree   Ext
  labvg 248.00m 248.00m 8.00m
Common Set allocation policy with --alloc

contiguous keeps LV extents adjacent on one PV when possible — useful for legacy workloads that required contiguous layouts.

bash
sudo vgremove -f labvg
sudo pvcreate -ff -y $LOOP_A
sudo vgcreate --alloc contiguous labvg $LOOP_A
sudo vgdisplay labvg | grep -i alloc

Sample output:

output
Volume group "labvg" successfully created.
  Alloc               contiguous

Change policy later with lvchange or vgchange.

Common vgcreate without prior pvcreate

If the device has no LVM label, vgcreate initializes it as a PV automatically.

bash
fallocate -l 128M /tmp/lvm-lab-d.img
LOOP_D=$(sudo losetup -fP --show /tmp/lvm-lab-d.img)
sudo vgcreate autovg $LOOP_D
sudo pvs $LOOP_D

Sample output:

output
Volume group "autovg" successfully created.
  PV          VG     Fmt  Attr PSize   PFree
  /dev/loop27 autovg lvm2 a--  124.00m 124.00m

pvs shows the PV already attached to autovg.

Advanced Limit logical volume count with -l

-l 1 allows only one LV in the VG — handy for embedded appliances or testing quota errors.

bash
sudo vgremove -f labvg
sudo pvcreate -ff -y $LOOP_A $LOOP_B
sudo vgcreate -l 1 labvg $LOOP_A
sudo lvcreate -L 32M -n onlylv labvg
sudo lvcreate -L 16M -n secondlv labvg

Sample output:

output
Volume group "labvg" successfully created.
  Logical volume "onlylv" created.
  Maximum number of logical volumes (1) reached in volume group labvg

The second lvcreate fails while the limit is in effect.

vgcreate — when to use / when not

Use vgcreate when Use something else when
  • You are pooling new disks into a new volume group
  • PVs exist and you need a named pool for lvcreate
  • You want to set extent size or allocation policy at VG birth
  • PVs should join an existing VG — vgextend
  • You only need one LV on an existing VG — lvcreate
  • You are resizing the OS root VG on a live server — plan maintenance, not a new vgcreate
  • You need to rename a VG — vgrename

vgcreate vs vgextend

vgcreate vgextend
When Brand-new VG name Add PV to existing VG
PV state New or uninitialized devices Usually a new free PV
Metadata Creates VG UUID Grows existing pool

vgcreate — interview corner

What is a volume group?

A volume group is the middle layer of LVM. It pools extents from one or more PVs so you can carve out logical volumes without caring which physical disk holds each block.

vgcreate assigns a name and UUID to that pool.

A strong answer is:

"A volume group is LVM's storage pool — vgcreate groups PVs so lvcreate can allocate logical volumes from shared free extents."

Can you change VG extent size after vgcreate?

No. -s / --physicalextentsize is fixed at creation. To change it you must create a new VG and migrate LVs (or restore from backup).

Default on Ubuntu is 4 MiB extents.

A strong answer is:

"Extent size is chosen at vgcreate time only — I pick it up front if I need alignment with RAID stripe width."

Must you run pvcreate before vgcreate?

Not always. vgcreate initializes devices that are not yet PVs. Many admins still run pvcreate first so pvs shows free PVs before grouping.

A strong answer is:

"vgcreate can pvcreate for me, but I often label PVs explicitly for clarity in pvs output."

What does vgcreate -l do?

-l / --maxlogicalvolumes caps how many LVs the VG may contain — a safety or licensing limit, not the size of any single LV.

A strong answer is:

"-l sets a maximum LV count for the volume group — useful for appliances or to test quota handling."

Name two VG allocation policies.

normal is the default (sensible placement rules). contiguous tries to keep LV extents adjacent; cling keeps stripes off the same PV; anywhere is more permissive.

Set at creation with --alloc or later with vgchange.

A strong answer is:

"normal is default; contiguous packs extents together; I set --alloc at vgcreate when a workload still expects contiguous LVs."

Troubleshooting

Symptom Likely cause Fix
Can't create volume group / PV in use PV already in another VG vgs, pvs, use a different disk
Invalid extent size Not a power of 2 or too small Use 4M, 8M, 16M, …
Volume group name already exists Duplicate VG name Pick a unique name or vgremove the old lab VG
Second lvcreate fails after -l 1 LV limit reached vgchange -l 0 VG or recreate VG without cap
unknown option Flag missing on host vgcreate --help on target distro
Rohan Timalsina

is a technical writer and Linux enthusiast who writes practical guides on Linux commands and system administration. He focuses on simplifying complex topics through clear explanations.

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