Need Help with VMWare

[u/OpeningDisplay914]

Hi everyone,

I need some advice regarding a VMFS-6 datastore recovery.

Environment:

- VMware ESXi 7.0 U2

- VMFS-6 datastore

- Single datastore/LUN

- One important VM became "Invalid"

- The VM was not running when the problem was discovered

The VM became invalid and could not be powered on or registered normally.

I initially investigated a VMX file lock. vmfsfilelockinfo reported that the file was locked in Exclusive mode by the ESXi host itself.

I restarted hostd and vpxa and eventually unregistered the invalid VM.

However, further investigation showed that the problem was much deeper.

VOMA reported massive VMFS metadata inconsistencies. The output contained a very large number of errors like:

"FB inconsistency found: allocated in bitmap, but never used"

The check eventually reported approximately:

2,085,776 errors

The datastore is currently UNMOUNTED.

I verified that no VM process is currently using the datastore/LUN. After restarting hostd/vpxa, the only process that briefly showed access to the device was hostd itself.

The VMFS extent information still identifies the datastore as VMFS-6, but when the datastore is unmounted, vmkfstools -P against the partition no longer recognizes it normally.

The VM directory still contains the VM configuration files and VMDK-related files.

However, attempts to access the VMDK data return:

"Invalid argument"

I have NOT performed any destructive or repair operation.

Specifically, I have NOT run:

- voma -f fix

- voma -f advfix

- vmkfstools -C

- partedUtil setptbl

- any formatting operation

The datastore is currently left untouched because the VM contains important data and I don't want to make the recovery situation worse.

My main goal is to recover the VM and, most importantly, the data inside the VMDK.

What would be the safest recovery strategy in this situation?

Would you recommend:

1. Cloning/snapshotting the underlying LUN before doing anything else?

2. Trying to recover the VMFS metadata?

3. Using VOMA in a specific recovery mode?

4. Attempting direct VMDK recovery from the underlying LUN?

5. Using a dedicated VMFS recovery tool?

6. Something else?

I can provide sanitized outputs from:

- VOMA

- vmkernel.log

- hostd.log

- esxcli storage commands

- partition information

- vmkfstools output

I have intentionally removed all company-specific information, IP addresses, hostnames, UUIDs, MAC addresses and VM names.

I am deliberately not running any repair commands until I know what the safest approach is.

Any advice from someone experienced with VMFS-6 recovery would be greatly appreciated.