Recover Deleted Vmdk File From Vmfs Datastore Repack -

If using Linux: Use dd to clone the raw device.

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If metadata is destroyed but blocks are still intact, can be used. VMDK files have known headers: COWD (for cow format), KDMV (for newer sparse extents), or a standard disk descriptor starting with # Disk DescriptorFile . Carving tools like Photorec (with custom signature) or Scalpel can extract data. However: recover deleted vmdk file from vmfs datastore

The actual disk content remains on the LUN until overwritten by new writes. This is the classic “unlink but not wipe” behavior common to many file systems, but with critical VMFS-specific nuances.

Recovery is never guaranteed. The architecture of VMFS is designed for performance, which means deleted data is aggressively cleared to free up IOPS. If using Linux: Use dd to clone the raw device

In virtualized environments, VMware’s VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) is the backbone of storage for ESXi hosts. Virtual machines (VMs) rely on VMDK (Virtual Machine Disk) files—large, flat or delta files that contain the guest operating system, applications, and user data. Accidentally deleting a VMDK file is a sysadmin’s nightmare: without a valid backup or replica, a VM can become permanently inaccessible. However, under certain conditions, recovery is possible. This essay explores the structure of VMFS, why deleted VMDK files are hard to recover, and the precise methods—using both native ESXi tools and third-party utilities—to attempt recovery.

VMDK files are crucial for virtual machine operation. If a VMDK file is deleted, the associated virtual machine will not be able to boot or access its data. Therefore, recovering a deleted VMDK file is essential to prevent data loss and minimize downtime. Carving tools like Photorec (with custom signature) or

To maximize recovery chances, running on the affected datastore. VMFS does not have a "Recycle Bin," and any new data written to the datastore could overwrite the "unallocated" blocks where your deleted VMDK resided. 2. Recreating a Deleted Descriptor File (.vmdk)

If the VMDK was truly deleted (zeroed metadata), standard ESXi tools cannot see it. You must treat the datastore as a raw block device and use a recovery tool to scan for the VMDK header signature.

Run the following command (replace naa.XXXX with your device ID):