Vmware: Recover Deleted Vmdk File

If the above methods don't work, you can use third-party recovery tools to recover the deleted VMDK file. Some popular tools include:

any other VMs running on the same datastore if possible. Avoid creating new VMs or moving files to that storage. vmware recover deleted vmdk file

If the VMDK contained critical data and the datastore is VMFS 5/6, stop everything. Clone the datastore via dd first. Then engage a professional recovery tool like UFS Explorer (supports VMFS journaling) or R-Studio for VMware . Time is the enemy—every hour increases overwrite risk. If the above methods don't work, you can

: You can use the vmkfstools command to recreate the descriptor based on the size of the flat file. Method 2: Restoring from Snapshots or Backups If the VMDK contained critical data and the

VMDK files can be deleted due to various reasons, including: