Vmfs Undelete ((hot)) -
To perform a "VMFS undelete," you can use specialized data recovery tools and techniques. Here are some general steps:
Sometimes, only the small .vmdk descriptor file is deleted, while the large -flat.vmdk data file remains. : Use the ESXi command line ( ssh ). vmfs undelete
If your datastore is on a SAN (e.g., HPE Alletra/Nimble ), use the storage array's management console to clone a previous snapshot of the LUN and mount it as a new datastore to retrieve the files . Step 3: Use Professional VMFS Recovery Tools To perform a "VMFS undelete," you can use
Restore a VM from a Datastore | VMware Integration Guide 6.1.2.x If your datastore is on a SAN (e
Once the scan is complete, browse the file list. Most tools allow you to preview the contents of a .vmdk or text-based config files. Save the recovered files to a different physical drive . Step 5: Re-registering the VM Once you have recovered the .vmx and .vmdk files: Upload them back to a healthy ESXi datastore. Right-click the .vmx file in the Datastore Browser.
These tools scan the raw VMFS partition, find deleted file headers (e.g., VMDK descriptor, flat VMDK), and rebuild the file.