Vmware Restore Deleted Vmdk //free\\

Rename the temp.vmdk to match your original disk name and edit the descriptor file to point to your original -flat.vmdk instead of the new temporary one. 3. Restore Using VMware Snapshots

In the vSphere Client, navigate to the VM and open the Snapshot Manager .

Use the vmkfstools command to create a new temporary disk of the exact same size: vmkfstools -c [SIZE_IN_BYTES] -d thin temp.vmdk . vmware restore deleted vmdk

Run ls -l *-flat.vmdk to find the exact size of the data file in bytes.

: Check the datastore via SSH or the vSphere browser. If you see a -flat.vmdk file but no corresponding .vmdk descriptor, you can recreate it. Rename the temp

If you deleted the small descriptor file but the large -flat.vmdk still exists, you have a 30-second fix. Simply create a new descriptor file pointing to the existing extent.

Once the file is back in the datastore, use the vSphere Client to edit the VM settings and add the "Existing Hard Disk". 2. Manual Reconstruction of the Descriptor File Use the vmkfstools command to create a new

If you are using enterprise backup solutions such as Veeam , Commvault, or Veritas NetBackup, the most reliable method is to perform a .

For virtualization administrators, accidentally deleting a virtual machine disk file (VMDK) is a career-defining mistake—but not necessarily a fatal one. The path to restoration depends entirely on the seconds, minutes, and hours that follow the deletion.