A: Snapshot chain broken. Re-point descriptor’s parentCID to correct base disk.
This report outlines the necessary steps to recover data from a VMware virtual machine disk file (specifically the -flat.vmdk file). This scenario typically arises when a Virtual Machine (VM) has failed to boot, snapshot corruption has occurred, or the VM configuration files are missing, leaving only the raw data disk file intact. The report covers the architecture of VMDK files, safety prerequisites, and two primary recovery methods: using a Helper VM and using VMware Workstation.
Navigate to the virtual machine's directory and identify the exact size of your orphan flat file: vmware recover flat vmdk
For orphaned -delta.vmdk (redo logs) mistakenly called flat:
Recovering a VMware flat VMDK is feasible if the raw data file remains intact. The primary method is using vmkfstools or manual editing. For severe corruption, raw data extraction tools (e.g., guestmount , FTK Imager ) can salvage files. Always maintain verified backups to avoid reliance on manual recovery. A: Snapshot chain broken
If you have the -flat.vmdk but the small descriptor file is missing, the hypervisor cannot attach the disk. You must generate a new descriptor.
| Practice | Purpose | |----------|---------| | Always backup .vmdk + -flat.vmdk together | Avoid orphaned descriptor | | Use vmkfstools -d thin for space efficiency | Easier recovery | | Enable VMFS metadata replication (vSAN or storage arrays) | Redundancy | | Avoid manual deletion of files inside /vmfs/volumes/ | Prevents accidental descriptor removal | | Use snapshot manager, not manual file deletes | Maintain descriptor consistency | This scenario typically arises when a Virtual Machine
: Useful if the -flat file itself is deleted or if you are uncomfortable with the command line. Tools like DiskInternals VMFS Recovery or SysInfo VMDK Recovery can automate the process.