Why can't I modify my Amazon EBS volume?

Resolution

When you modify an Amazon EBS volume, you might receive the following error:

Modify Volume Request Failed for volume vol-#######
You've reached the maximum modification rate per volume limit. Wait at least 6 hours between modifications per EBS volume.

There are limitations and considerations to modifying an Amazon EBS volume, including waiting at least six hours between modifications.

Also, you might notice that the Modify button is grayed out. This is because the volume is in the "optimizing" state. When a volume is in the "optimizing" state, you can't modify it. For more information, see Why is my Amazon EBS volume stuck in the Optimizing state when I modify the volume?

If you can't wait six hours to modify your volume, then complete the following steps.

Note: The following resolution requires instance downtime.

1. Create a volume from the snapshot of the original volume.
   Note: If you don't have a snapshot of the original volume, then first create one.
2. Detach the original volume from its instance, and replace it with the volume that you created from the snapshot.
   Note: Make sure that the instance is in the "stopped" state to prevent any new data from being written to the volume.