Is there ANY way to un-delete a directory that was under VMFS

[foster29]

Hello all,

does anyone know of a way to un-delete a directory that was being stored under the VMFS directory?

thanks,

pete

[RParker]

Hello all,

does anyone know of a way to un-delete a directory that was being stored under the VMFS directory?

NOPE. I hope you have good backups.

[admin]

If you are using ESX3.5 Update 3 you could try the "experimental" vmfs-undelete tool.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100724...

[RParker]

How cool is that? Of course you have to be using ESX 3.5 Console U3, but at least they have some recovery now, nice.

[dtux101]

You have to re-run the tool any time you add a new VM or change attributes (e.g. add a new disk) Basically what it does is copy the on disk block list so that you can recover after a major VMFS catastrophe. It is, most definitely, a brilliant tool.

[jayolsen]

So in this case, if the utility had never been run to do a "backup" then a restore would not be possible? That is the way I understood it from the release notes, but still haven't had a time to check it out, not on update 3 yet.

[dtux101]

Yup, the tool is basically redundant until you run a backup first. Also, if you tied to restore a VM that had multiple attribute changes made, but only one backup done, you'd only restore the original 'image' of the VM as it was when it was badcked up. For instance, if you did the following

Run tool against VM1 on VMFS1 to backup VM1

Add a new VMDK to VM1

Extend the 1st disk of VM1

Catastrophe destroys all.......

Restore VM1 (only the first disk (non-expanded) of VM1 would be restored)

I'll ping the guy who wrote the tool for instructions on how to use. I believe it is in U3 though. It's a python script. Not certain where it's stored though.

[jbrodeur]

For reference, see doc in KB 1007243 (http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1007243).