This paper analyzes the internal mechanics of file deletion on VMFS (versions 5 and 6), identifies scenarios where undelete is possible, and provides validated recovery methodologies using both native ESXi tools and third-party utilities. When a file is deleted on VMFS (via rm , unlink , or vSphere UI “Delete from Disk”), the following occurs:
| Component | Action on Deletion | Recoverability Window | |-----------|--------------------|------------------------| | – Metadata pointer | Removed from parent directory’s block list and marked free | Very short – if FD block is overwritten, file is lost | | File Allocation Map | File blocks are marked as free in the VMFS FBT (File Block Table) | Remains until overwritten by new writes | | Actual Data Blocks | Not zeroed or erased | Recoverable if still unallocated | | Directory Entry | Entry renamed to a special hidden tombstone ( .sdd.sf subdirectory) in some cases | Recoverable if tombstone persists |
Version: 1.0 Target Environment: VMware vSphere 6.x (ESXi 6.0, 6.5, 6.7) VMFS Versions: VMFS-5, VMFS-6 1. Executive Summary VMware’s Virtual Machine File System (VMFS) is a high-performance clustered filesystem designed for storing virtual machines. Unlike general-purpose filesystems (NTFS, ext4), VMFS does not provide a native, user-accessible “Recycle Bin” or trivial undelete command. However, under specific conditions — primarily involving the absence of overwritten metadata and data blocks — deleted virtual machine files (VMDKs, VMX, logs) can be recovered.
Vmfs Undelete Esxi 6 May 2026
This paper analyzes the internal mechanics of file deletion on VMFS (versions 5 and 6), identifies scenarios where undelete is possible, and provides validated recovery methodologies using both native ESXi tools and third-party utilities. When a file is deleted on VMFS (via rm , unlink , or vSphere UI “Delete from Disk”), the following occurs:
| Component | Action on Deletion | Recoverability Window | |-----------|--------------------|------------------------| | – Metadata pointer | Removed from parent directory’s block list and marked free | Very short – if FD block is overwritten, file is lost | | File Allocation Map | File blocks are marked as free in the VMFS FBT (File Block Table) | Remains until overwritten by new writes | | Actual Data Blocks | Not zeroed or erased | Recoverable if still unallocated | | Directory Entry | Entry renamed to a special hidden tombstone ( .sdd.sf subdirectory) in some cases | Recoverable if tombstone persists | vmfs undelete esxi 6
Version: 1.0 Target Environment: VMware vSphere 6.x (ESXi 6.0, 6.5, 6.7) VMFS Versions: VMFS-5, VMFS-6 1. Executive Summary VMware’s Virtual Machine File System (VMFS) is a high-performance clustered filesystem designed for storing virtual machines. Unlike general-purpose filesystems (NTFS, ext4), VMFS does not provide a native, user-accessible “Recycle Bin” or trivial undelete command. However, under specific conditions — primarily involving the absence of overwritten metadata and data blocks — deleted virtual machine files (VMDKs, VMX, logs) can be recovered. This paper analyzes the internal mechanics of file
