If the datastore mounts but VMs fail to register, run:
Your heart races. Are the VMs lost forever? Is the backup your only hope?
The actual VMFS volume—with its file allocation tables, directories, and virtual disk files—remains physically intact on the storage device until something overwrites it. The moment you realize the error, to that LUN or disk. Every new write risks destroying the very data you want to save. Step 1: Assessment and Forensic Imaging Before attempting any recovery, create a forensic image of the affected device. Use dd or ddrescue on a Linux host: recover deleted vmfs partition
Pro tip: VMFS6 partitions have a different backup superblock location. If Quick Search fails, run [Deeper Search] . This may take hours but often finds secondary copies of the partition table. If automated tools fail—perhaps the partition table is corrupt, not just deleted—you may need manual recovery. This requires understanding VMFS layout.
esxcli storage core adapter rescan --all If the partition reappears but shows as "Not a valid VMFS volume," check the partition ID. ESXi requires the partition type to be 0xFB . Use fdisk -l from the ESXi shell (if you have it enabled) to verify. If the datastore mounts but VMs fail to
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dd if=/dev/sdX of=/safe_storage/vmfs_backup.img bs=1M status=progress Why? Because partition table recovery is low-risk, but one wrong command could compound the disaster. Working on an image file allows unlimited trial and error. VMFS volumes have distinct superblock signatures. Modern VMware versions (VMFS3, VMFS5, VMFS6) leave telltale markers. The actual VMFS volume—with its file allocation tables,
It happens in a split second. A tired system administrator, a misclick in fdisk , an automated script aimed at the wrong LUN. One moment, your datastore is humming along, hosting critical virtual machines. The next moment—it’s gone. The partition table entry for your VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) volume has been deleted.