Recreating encrypted or damaged .vmdk file

• Computer name used: windows
• Encrypted file name: windows.vmdk
• Datastore name: SSD
• Recovery VM Name Folder: restore

1. Connect to ESXi host as root through SSH.
2. Navigate to:
   • cd /vmfs/volumes/SSD/restore
   • ls -lah
     • total 10968192
     • drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 72.0K Jun 3 20:45 .
     • drwxr-xr-t 1 root root 72.0K Jun 3 20:44 ..
     • -rw——- 1 root root 176.7K Jun 3 20:44 vmware.log
     • -rw——- 1 root root 48.0G Jun 3 20:44 windows-flat.vmdk (.vmdk file missing)
     • -rw——- 1 root root 264.5K Jun 3 20:44 windows.nvram
     • -rw——- 1 root root 0 Jun 3 20:44 windows.vmsd
     • -rw——- 1 root root 3.2K Jun 3 20:44 windows.vmx
3. Identify the SCSI controller
   • less *.vmx | grep -i virtualdev
     • pciBridge4.virtualDev = “pcieRootPort”
     • pciBridge5.virtualDev = “pcieRootPort”
     • pciBridge6.virtualDev = “pcieRootPort”
     • pciBridge7.virtualDev = “pcieRootPort”
     • scsi0.virtualDev = “lsisas1068”
     • ethernet0.virtualDev = “e1000e”
4. Get the exact size of the flat .vmdk file:
   • ls -l windows-flat.vmdk
     • -rw——- 1 root root 51539607552 Jun 3 20:44 windows-flat.vmdk. (files size: 51539607552)
5. Using vmkfstools create a new temp virtual disk:
   • vmkfstools -c 51539607552 -a lsisas1068 -d thin temp.vmdk
     • Create: 100% done.
6. List files:
   • drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 72.0K Jun 3 21:12 .
   • drwxr-xr-t 1 root root 72.0K Jun 3 20:44 ..
   • -rw——- 1 root root 48.0G Jun 3 21:12 temp-flat.vmdk (new file)
   • -rw——- 1 root root 471 Jun 3 21:12 temp.vmdk (new file)
   • -rw——- 1 root root 176.7K Jun 3 20:44 vmware.log
   • -rw——- 1 root root 48.0G Jun 3 20:44 windows-flat.vmdk
   • -rw——- 1 root root 264.5K Jun 3 20:44 windows.nvram
   • -rw——- 1 root root 0 Jun 3 20:44 windows.vmsd
   • -rw——- 1 root root 3.2K Jun 3 20:44 windows.vmx
7. Rename the temporary vmdk file to match the the missing vmdk file
   • mv -i temp.vmdk windows.vmdk
     • drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 72.0K Jun 3 21:18 .
     • drwxr-xr-t 1 root root 72.0K Jun 3 20:44 ..
     • -rw——- 1 root root 48.0G Jun 3 21:12 temp-flat.vmdk
     • -rw——- 1 root root 176.7K Jun 3 20:44 vmware.log
     • -rw——- 1 root root 48.0G Jun 3 20:44 windows-flat.vmdk
     • -rw——- 1 root root 264.5K Jun 3 20:44 windows.nvram
     • -rw——- 1 root root 471 Jun 3 21:12 windows.vmdk
     • -rw——- 1 root root 0 Jun 3 20:44 windows.vmsd
     • -rw——- 1 root root 3.2K Jun 3 20:44 windows.vmx
8. Edit the .vmdk file to point to correct -flat.vmdk file
   • vi windows.vmdk
     • Disk DescriptorFile
     • version=1
     • encoding=”UTF-8″
     • CID=fffffffe
     • parentCID=ffffffff
     • createType=”vmfs”
     • Extent description
     • RW 100663296 VMFS “temp-flat.vmdk” ( change to RW 100663296 VMFS windows-flat.vmdk )
     • The Disk Data Base
     • DDB
     • ddb.adapterType = “lsilogic”
     • ddb.geometry.cylinders = “6266”
     • ddb.geometry.heads = “255”
     • ddb.geometry.sectors = “63”
     • ddb.longContentID = “abf1f7fe4f9532ba5ed7f015fffffffe”
     • ddb.thinProvisioned = “1” ( remove this line if the original disk is not thin provision )
     • ddb.uuid = “60 00 C2 91 16 a3 cd a7-fb b4 7b 9f 7b 55 b3 89”
     • ddb.virtualHWVersion = “14”
9. Delete the temporary flat file:
   • rm -i temp-flat.vmdk
10. Check the disk consistency:
    • vmkfstools -e windows.vmdk
      • Disk chain is consistent.

The machine is ready to be powered on.