First, identify the VMFS device UUID:
Never write to a suspected corrupt VMFS volume before attempting data recovery. First, work in read-only mode. Always have current backups. Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes. Always test procedures in a lab environment before performing on production systems. repair vmfs volume
esxcli storage vmfs extent list This shows all VMFS extents and their mount status. An unmounted volume will have no device listed or show "unmounted". Sometimes, automatic mounting fails but a manual mount works. First, identify the VMFS device UUID: Never write
esxcli storage vmfs snapshot list Then, mount it manually: Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes
For VMFS5/VMFS6, the built-in repair tool is limited. However, you can use the vmfs-tools suite from a Linux environment (not natively on ESXi). This is the safest approach for logical corruption.
VMFS (Virtual Machine File System) is the backbone of VMware vSphere datastores. While robust, it is not immune to corruption. Issues can arise from sudden power loss, faulty storage hardware, improper VMFS version upgrades, or failed LUN resizing.
esxcli storage vmfs mount -l "datastore-name" -U "device-uuid" If mounting fails with a clear error (e.g., "File system is inconsistent" ), you need file system repair. Critical note: Never run repairs on an actively used VMFS volume. Put the ESXi host into maintenance mode or, ideally, boot into a recovery environment or use a Linux VM with direct LUN access.