How to recover lost data on VMware?

Accidentally lost important data on my VMware setup and really need to recover it. I’ve tried a few basic recovery steps but nothing seems to work. Could use some advice or a step-by-step guide on how to retrieve this data. Any help would be appreciated!

Losing data on VMware can be a nightmare. Good thing there are quite a few strategies to get it back. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you recover that precious data.

  1. Check the Recycle Bin within the VM: Sometimes, data is sent to the Recycle Bin instead of being permanently deleted. Always check here first.

  2. Use the Snapshot feature: VMware has snapshot capabilities. If you’ve been taking snapshots regularly, you might be able to revert to a previous state where your data was still intact. Open VMware, look for “Manage Snapshots” and revert to an earlier state.

  3. Recover Unsaved Data with Autorecovery Files: If you lost data while working with a particular application, some apps like MS Office and other productivity tools have autorecovery files you can leverage.

  4. Disk Drill

    : This is a powerful tool for data recovery. Disk Drill can help you recover lost VMDK files or other data formats. Here’s a helpful link: Disk Drill. It supports numerous file formats and has a pretty straightforward user interface. You can scan your virtual disks to find lost files pretty quickly.

  5. Manual Recovery of VMDK files:

    • Shut down the VM to prevent further data writing.
    • Locate the VM directory: Navigate to the directory where the VM is stored.
    • Look for orphaned VMDK files: Files ending with .vmdk can sometimes be recovered or mounted to another VM.
  6. Restore from Backup: If you have a VM backup, whether it’s through VMware’s built-in tools like VMware Data Protection (VDP), or any third-party backup solutions, restoring from the last good backup might be the fastest way to get back up and running.

  7. Storage Solutions: If the VM files exist on RAID arrays or SAN/NAS devices, you can sometimes recover from snapshots or replication features those devices offer.

  8. Contact VMware Support: If these methods fail, it might be time to consult VMware support or a professional data recovery service. They can often provide advanced recovery options or guide you through complex scenarios.

I’ve personally had decent luck with Disk Drill for recovering VMDK files from corrupted disks. It’s robust and supports VMware disk recovery quite effectively. You might want to give it a shot if you haven’t already. Just keep in mind, the key is to avoid writing any new data to the disk to prevent further overwriting of lost data.

Remember to always backup data regularly and take periodic snapshots moving forward to avoid such situations.

Based on @codecrafter’s guidance, you’ve got a solid foundation to start with. However, I’d like to add some additional options and thoughts that might prove helpful. While tools like Disk Drill are great for many situations, there are other avenues you can explore.

First off, checking the VM’s log files can sometimes pinpoint what went wrong or where your data might’ve gone. VMware keeps detailed logs and reviewing them might give you clues to the root of the data loss. If something was accidentally deleted or modified, these logs could show you when and maybe even how it happened.

Another software worth considering is Stellar Data Recovery. It has a good reputation in the industry and supports VMware recovery as well. Although not explicitly designed for VMDK recovery, it provides robust file recovery options and can often retrieve data from virtual environments pretty effectively.

Now, about Disk Drill: It’s a good tool—very user-friendly and supports a broad range of file systems, but it can sometimes take quite a while to scan large disks and might not always recover more complex types of data. Its free version has limitations, so you might need to buy a license for full-fledged recovery.

Beyond software solutions, exploring Linux Live CDs/USBs could provide you with another layer of control. Mounting your disk with a Live session could reveal files that are hidden or missed by typical Windows/MacOS file explorers. It can also allow you to copy these files back to a safe location.

Now here’s a bit of a technical trick that can be a lifesaver: the Command-Line Interface (CLI) in VMware. If you’re comfortable with command-line tools, you can use VMware’s ESXi Shell or SSH to access the underlying datastore where your VM resides. Commands like vmkfstools can manipulate the VMDK files at a much deeper level, often rescuing data that GUI tools miss. But be cautious—this method requires a good understanding of VMware’s inner workings.

In case you did not enable snapshots or if your backup strategy fell short, considering RAID recovery can also be an option. If your VM is stored on a RAID array, specialized tools can sometimes rebuild the array long enough to extract data. R-Studio is a great tool for this purpose—while not entirely focused on VMDK, it does support many RAID configurations which could be essential depending on your setup.

And here’s a bit of a radical idea: Replicating and Testing Recovery in a Sandbox Environment. Sometimes, creating a new VM and trying out recovery tools or methods in a safe, isolated environment can prevent further data corruption. You get to experiment without the risk of overwriting essential data.

What about commercial services? If your data is critically important and none of these methods work, professional data recovery services can be your last resort. Contrary to popular belief, these services aren’t just for physical hard drives—they work with virtual environments too. Though costly, they have the expertise to handle complex cases that DIY solutions might not resolve.

Lastly, always bear in mind to avoid writing any new data to the disk from which you’re attempting to recover data. Overwriting is a primary threat to successful data recovery, and even advanced tools cannot recover data that’s been overwritten.

Hope these added options and insights broaden your toolkit. Data loss is stressful but with a combined approach, you stand a good chance at recovery. And as a word of caution—going forward, consider integrating a more robust backup strategy and frequent snapshots to save you from pulling your hair out over lost data.

If you’ve tried a few basic steps and ya still hit a dead end, I reckon there’s bound to be a twist or two ya missed. Here are a few other suggestions that haven’t been covered in the previous replies but might be worth trying, mate:

  1. Analyze the VM Logs Thoroughly:
    Logs can sometimes be a goldmine for troubleshooting. Check for any peculiar errors or warnings around the time your data went missing. These logs might hint at what went wrong and guide you on where to start your recovery.

  2. Fix Corrupted VMDK Files Using VMware’s Built-in Tools:
    VMware has a handful of commands that can be a bit overlooked. Check out vmkfstools. It’s a CLI utility that can do various operations on VMDK files, including repairing them.

    vmkfstools -x repair /path/to/your.vmdk
    
  3. Use File Recovery Software Specialized for VMs:
    The community has already mentioned Disk Drill, which, by the way, is worth every penny. If you haven’t checked it out, head over here and download it. It offers a slick interface and supports different types of data formats inclusive of VMDKs. Might take a while to scan those massive virtual disks, but patience, my friend.

  4. Mount VMDK Files to Another VM:
    Sometimes mounting your VMDK file to another virtual machine can reveal those ghost files you thought were lost. Connect the VMDK to a new or existing VM, then attempt recovery from within the OS.

  5. Data Recovery with Linux-based Tools:
    A little trick up the sleeve, boot a Linux Live CD like Ubuntu and mount your datastore. Linux has some powerful file recovery tools like TestDisk and PhotoRec. They might not be exclusive to virtual disks but can read through different file systems better than most conventional tools.

  6. RAID Recovery Tools:
    Is your setup on RAID? Tools like R-Studio have been mentioned but if you prefer a GUI with less hassle, give ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery a whirl. It’s straightforward and works wonders when you need to rebuild RAID configurations just long enough to recover your VMs.

  7. Exploit VMware Converter for Recovery:
    Here’s a quick hack: use VMware vCenter Converter to convert the existing VM into another format or clone it to another host. This might iron out small corruption issues and revert some changes accidentally made.

  8. Engage in HEX Editing:
    If you’re feeling particularly brave and tech-savvy, try editing the VMDK file with a HEX editor. Look for the VMDK descriptor files (.vmdk), which are smaller in size and plain text. Sometimes editing or comparing these files with a backup might point out discrepancies.

  9. Consultations and Professional Services:
    When the stakes are high, and DIYs don’t cut it, professional data recovery services could save the day. They offer state-of-the-art techniques, and while it might cost a pretty penny, recovering mission-critical data could justify the expense.

  10. Navigating Storage Snapshots or Clones:
    If you’re using a high-end storage solution like SAN/NAS, most commercial storage devices offer their snapshots or cloning features. These can be highly efficient for rapid recovery without putting too much load on your VM.

Lastly, just to smack a gentle reminder, keeping a solid backup strategy and consistent snapshots can spare you this headache. Regularly review your disaster recovery approach to ensure it’s robust enough to handle these nightmares. Good luck, and may your data restoration be swift and complete!