Recover Vmfs Datastore With All Data [ 2026 Edition ]

Use VADP-aware tools (like Veeam or Synology Active Backup) rather than relying on storage snapshots.

To mount it permanently: esxcfg-volume -r Phase 3: Advanced Metadata Repair recover vmfs datastore with all data

If you successfully recover the files but the VM won't boot, the "descriptor" file (the small .vmdk text file) might be missing, leaving only the large -flat.vmdk data file. Create a new VM with the exact same hardware specs. Delete the new empty disk. Upload the recovered -flat.vmdk to the VM folder. Use VADP-aware tools (like Veeam or Synology Active

Recovering a VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) datastore with all data involves several steps and requires careful attention to detail. VMFS is a file system used by VMware ESXi to store virtual machines. If a VMFS datastore becomes inaccessible or is accidentally deleted, you can attempt to recover it using the following methods. Note that success rates can vary depending on the extent of the damage or corruption. Delete the new empty disk

If your volume appears, mount it temporarily with: esxcfg-volume -m