Datastore Esxi 6 5 — Recover Vmfs

esxcli storage vmfs snapshot mount -u <uuid> --force For severe corruption, use vmfs-tools from a Linux environment.

esxcli storage filesystem list Check for unpartitioned space:

If the datastore contained critical VMs without backups, consider contacting or a professional data recovery service. recover vmfs datastore esxi 6 5

esxcli storage core device list | grep -A 10 "naa." Check VMFS partitions:

esxcfg-volume -l # Identify the partition (e.g., /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.xxx:1) vmkfstools -V --force /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.xxx:1 Or using esxcli: esxcli storage vmfs snapshot mount -u <uuid> --force

partedUtil setptbl /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.xxx gpt \ "1 2048 123456789 AA31E02A400F11DB9590000C2911D1B8 0" Note: This is advanced; ensure correct start/end sectors. Then rescan and mount:

| Tool | Purpose | |------|---------| | | Full VMFS recovery, supports deleted files | | R-Studio for VMware | Remote recovery over iSCSI/FC | | Stellar Phoenix VMFS Recovery | Corrupt partition repair | | SysDev Laboratories VMFS Recovery | CLI-based for advanced users | 8. Summary of Commands for ESXi 6.5 Shell # List all datastores esxcli storage filesystem list Check unmounted volumes esxcfg-volume -l Mount a snapshot (older version) esxcfg-volume -M <uuid> Force mount (read-only) vmkfstools -V --force /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.xxx:1 Rescan all HBAs for i in esxcfg-scsidevs -a | awk 'print $1' ; do esxcfg-rescan $i; done Check partition table partedUtil get /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.xxx Final Note Recovery success depends on immediate action after detection. The more writes to the corrupt volume, the lower the chance of full recovery. Always prioritize backing up critical VMs before attempting repair procedures. Then rescan and mount: | Tool | Purpose

partedUtil get /vmfs/devices/disks/naa.xxx If partition table lost, recreate the VMFS partition (data intact):