Recover — Deleted Vmdk File From Datastore
VMware ESXi has a safety net for deletions performed through the datastore browser. Files are not instantly purged but moved to a hidden directory.
The moment you realize a VMDK is missing from a datastore (typically VM power-on fails with "File not found" ), follow the golden rule of data recovery: recover deleted vmdk file from datastore
This is the only guaranteed recovery method. If you don't have backups, seriously reconsider your data protection strategy after this incident. VMware ESXi has a safety net for deletions
Losing a virtual machine's (VM) disk file, known as a VMDK, can be disastrous. If you've accidentally deleted a VMDK file from your datastore, don't panic. With the right approach, you can recover it. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you through the process. If you don't have backups, seriously reconsider your
of the flat file by navigating to the datastore directory: ls -l /vmfs/volumes/DATASTORE_NAME/VM_NAME/ .
A small text file containing configuration metadata.