Windows Read Vmfs Partition May 2026

If you manage VMware infrastructure, you are familiar with VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) . It is the proprietary, high-performance cluster file system used by VMware vSphere and ESXi to store virtual machines.

trust a tool that claims to give "full write support" to VMFS from Windows unless it is from a reputable VMware partner and you have tested it on non-critical data. Need to recover data from a VMFS drive right now? Start with StarWind’s free tool—it’s read-only, safe, and works with VMFS6. windows read vmfs partition

However, a common challenge arises: Windows natively cannot recognize VMFS partitions. If you connect a drive formatted with VMFS to a Windows PC, Windows will simply see it as an uninitialized or unknown disk and will prompt you to format it (which you must never do if you want to keep your data). If you manage VMware infrastructure, you are familiar