Help with VMKD running Non-persistent mode

[MarkJones1982]

Hi, I am very very new to VM ware and have recently had a new customer come to me with an issue of missing data. On investigation I found a server running VM Ware ESXI 5 with one VM. I found out that the server had rebooted due to a loss of power. I logged on and started up the VM. The staff where soon back working but straight away noticed that all of the data was 3 months out of date. I then soon found that the VM had been running with VMDK running in Non-persistent, which when the server was rebooted has returned the VMDK to it's original state.

My question to anyone that can help is> Is the data (wherever it's held) when running the VM in non persistent mode saved somewhere and can it be access after a system reboot?

Many many thanks in advance.

Mark Jones

[masudhussain]

Hi, i dont think this can be possible to retrieve data from an Independent - Nonpersistent disk.

actually nonpersistent disk  discarded all changes when you power off or reset the virtual machine.  Changes to the disk are written to and read from a redo log file that is also deleted when you power off or reset VM.

[weinstein5]

What the other poster said - you are going to be out of luck - hopefully backups were taken

[MarkJones1982]

Thank you, as I thought but just needed an second opinion.