To ensure the link is healthy, run a disk chain check: vmkfstools -e original_name.vmdk
# Extent description # Format: RW [Sectors] FLAT [FileName] [Offset] # Calculate sectors: (Size in Bytes) / 512 RW 20971546 FLAT "MyDisk-flat.vmdk" 0 restore flat vmdk file
vmkfstools -z /vmfs/volumes/datastore/path/old-flat.vmdk /vmfs/volumes/datastore/path/new.vmdk To ensure the link is healthy, run a
Restoring a flat VMDK file can be tricky because a .vmdk file is usually just a text descriptor, while the actual data sits inside the -flat.vmdk file. If you only have the flat file, the virtual machine software (VMware) often won't recognize it because the "instructions" on how to read it are missing. Open a text editor (like Notepad or VI)
You can manually create a .vmdk text file that points to your flat file. Open a text editor (like Notepad or VI) and create a new file with the as your flat file, but without the -flat suffix.
If the file exists but the VM crashes (BSOD/Kernel Panic), the file system inside the VMDK might be damaged.
You will use the vmkfstools command to create a new, identical disk. This generates a fresh descriptor file that you can "borrow."
To ensure the link is healthy, run a disk chain check: vmkfstools -e original_name.vmdk
# Extent description # Format: RW [Sectors] FLAT [FileName] [Offset] # Calculate sectors: (Size in Bytes) / 512 RW 20971546 FLAT "MyDisk-flat.vmdk" 0
vmkfstools -z /vmfs/volumes/datastore/path/old-flat.vmdk /vmfs/volumes/datastore/path/new.vmdk
Restoring a flat VMDK file can be tricky because a .vmdk file is usually just a text descriptor, while the actual data sits inside the -flat.vmdk file. If you only have the flat file, the virtual machine software (VMware) often won't recognize it because the "instructions" on how to read it are missing.
You can manually create a .vmdk text file that points to your flat file. Open a text editor (like Notepad or VI) and create a new file with the as your flat file, but without the -flat suffix.
If the file exists but the VM crashes (BSOD/Kernel Panic), the file system inside the VMDK might be damaged.
You will use the vmkfstools command to create a new, identical disk. This generates a fresh descriptor file that you can "borrow."