The actual heavy-duty data file (GB/TB). Scenario A: Only the Descriptor is missing
If the -flat.vmdk (the actual data) was deleted, manual CLI tools cannot easily "undelete" it because VMFS erases metadata quickly. You will likely need professional recovery software: Need to recover vmdk deleted from a datastore : r/vmware recover deleted vmdk esxi
To avoid losing important data in the future, make sure to: The actual heavy-duty data file (GB/TB)
Navigate to the VM folder: cd /vmfs/volumes/DATASTORE_NAME/VM_NAME/ . Before technical recovery, use the to see if
Before technical recovery, use the to see if the file was simply moved or if a snapshot is still available: Log in to the vSphere Client. Navigate to Storage > [Your Datastore] > Files .
Rename the new temp.vmdk to your original file name and edit it to point to your original -flat.vmdk . 4. Advanced Recovery with Third-Party Tools