# Restore first 100MB of VMFS partition dd if=/vmfs/volumes/backup/vmfs_metadata.bak of=/dev/disks/naa.600xxxx conv=noerror
Replace <device_name> with the device name of the VMFS datastore and <mount_point> with the mount point.
Ensure that all ESXi hosts connected to the datastore are shut down or put in maintenance mode. This prevents any further writes to the datastore and reduces the risk of data corruption. recovery vmfs datastore
Identify the affected datastore and its corresponding LUN (Logical Unit Number) or storage device.
Recovering a VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) datastore is a critical process for IT administrators when ESXi hosts fail, partitions are accidentally deleted, or metadata becomes corrupted. Because standard Windows and Linux operating systems cannot natively recognize VMFS volumes, specialized tools and manual terminal commands are often required to restore access to virtual machine files like .vmdk and .vmx. Common Recovery Scenarios # Restore first 100MB of VMFS partition dd
There are two primary methods to recover a VMFS datastore:
: Filesystem metadata or the partition table is damaged, often appearing as "RAW" space. Identify the affected datastore and its corresponding LUN
Once the datastore is recovered, re-register it with the ESXi host using the esxcli command: