EMERGENCY: I have a 35GB .vmdk file, my hard drive crashed and I could only recover the first 16GB of the .vmdk file! Is there any way to recover?

[vmtas22]

I only need to pull out one folder from the guest operating system. The guest operating system is(/was) Ubuntu 8.04 . There is only ONE directory that I need that is ~5MB and includes about 100 files. I really need the files. Is there anyway to get just those files or anything? Please do let me know, thank you.

Also, to note, the parition was originally 35GB, however, I only used <5GB in totaly for my system, and seeing how I got 16GB, I'm thinking there must be a way. Please do let me know, thank you.

I also got there .nvram, vmsd, .vmxf , all .log files, .vmem , vmss, and .vmx files in perfect condition ( actually I believe .vmss may be a bit corrupt ).

For scenario 2: Let's a assume that I can get all of the 35GB but a majority of it is corrupt ( most likely the last half of the file seeing how most of the first have was retrieved OK), would there be a way to repair or retrieve files from the guest OS?

Taso

[continuum]

You must explain better !

It may be completely ok that the size of the vmdk is only 16 Gb if you used a growing type disk.

Did you try to start the VM ? - what errors did you get ?

Post vmware-2.log and a file-listing including date and size

___________________________________

description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[vmtas22]

Thanks continuum, here is...

vmware-2.log:

(to keep things succinct I used a pastbin )

http://pastebin.ca/1282042

When I originally tried to start the VM I got the error ".vmdk not found"error. Even though it explicitly asked me to locate the .vmdk file, which I did do successfully.

When you say "a file-listing including date and size"... what do you mean by that? Assuming you mean the VMWare files:

file-list:

Directory of C:\Downloads\Documents and Settings\Thinkpad2\My Documents\My Virt

ual Machines\Ubuntu 8.04

12/10/2008 10:45 AM <DIR> .

12/10/2008 10:45 AM <DIR> ..

12/10/2008 10:45 AM 18,256,265,216 Ubuntu-flat.vmdk

11/26/2008 06:57 PM 8,684 Ubuntu.nvram

11/26/2008 07:07 PM 347 Ubuntu.vmdk

12/10/2008 10:40 AM <DIR> Ubuntu.vmdk.lck

11/26/2008 01:25 PM 536,870,912 Ubuntu.vmem

12/10/2008 10:40 AM <DIR> Ubuntu.vmem.lck

06/25/2008 03:53 PM 0 Ubuntu.vmsd

11/26/2008 06:57 PM 19,156,231 Ubuntu.vmss

11/26/2008 06:57 PM 1,450 Ubuntu.vmx

12/10/2008 10:40 AM <DIR> Ubuntu.vmx.lck

06/25/2008 03:53 PM 261 Ubuntu.vmxf

11/26/2008 06:57 PM 58,736 vmware-0.log

11/26/2008 12:01 PM 215,358 vmware-1.log

11/23/2008 11:14 AM 82,771 vmware-2.log

11/26/2008 06:57 PM 196,586 vmware.log

12 File(s) 18,812,856,552 bytes

5 Dir(s) 68,249,972,736 bytes free

Thanks!

[continuum]

Ok - file "ubuntu.vmdk" is present - please post it.

File "Ubuntu-flat.vmdk" is much to small - it should be 35840 Mb.

As you used a preallocated monolithic vmdk chances are good that the few files you need are inside the remaining piece - but reading the corrupted ubuntu-flat.vmdk isn't trivial.

I would try this:

create a new ubuntu.vmdk that uses a description that fits for the truncated flat-file.

Then assign this to a new VM and boot that with Knoppix.

Or plan B:

treat the corrupted vmdk as is and try to mount it with vdk.exe - this only makes sense if your Windows-box has a tool to read ext3 or whatever filesystem you used for the Ubuntu-VM.

Anyway - all of this procedures are quite time consuming - I finish my shift right now and go to bed - if you still want to look into tomorrow night - remind me per PM.

Ulli

___________________________________

description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[vmtas22]

Thanks continuum.

Here is the output of:

Ubuntu.vmdk:

1. Disk DescriptorFile

version=1

CID=6c23be27

parentCID=ffffffff

createType="monolithicFlat"

1. Extent description

RW 73400320 FLAT "Ubuntu-flat.vmdk" 0

1. The Disk Data Base

#DDB

ddb.virtualHWVersion = "6"

ddb.geometry.cylinders = "4568"

ddb.geometry.heads = "255"

ddb.geometry.sectors = "63"

ddb.adapterType = "lsilogic"

ddb.toolsVersion = "0"

Also, the reason Ubuntu-flat.vmdk was small was becasue I was/am in the middle of trying a second recovery to see if it can recover the file again.

I'll try what you said and get back to you ASAP. I have the time to do all of these steps, so I will be doing them ASAP. Thank you very much again.

Taso

[vmtas22]

Well, it's been a few hours now, and I'm pretty sure I've treid both methods, yet each have failed.

Plan A:

First off, I'm not really sure who to create a new Ubuntu.vmdk file and what I should put in it. I do know that my Ubuntu-flat.vmdk is truncated, and perhaps that's the reason.

Plan B:

I installed Ken Kato's vdk.exe and I tried to mount to volume with little success, however, I got it to read that the volume existed via 'VDK.EXE IMAGE path/to/Ubutnu-flat.vmdk'

I would also like to note that I ended up opening the Ubuntu-flat.vmdk in EmEditor ( an editor which allows you to edit huge files ) , and I could see my files in there. However, they're all scattered and there is no way I could feasably get my data back by sifting through that. They're all text files that I need, so, I could search for them in EmEditor.

Well, I really hope there is something that can be done here...as I know my data is there and I can see it, I simply need to extract it...

If you can't think of anything else.... is there anyone who I can send this too to pay to extract my files? I need them ASAP and there is less then 10MB worth of files that I need. However it's all programming code, so I'm not going to write 10MB worth of code over.....

In any event, I hope that there is something that can be done about this. Thank you very much in advance.

Taso

[continuum]

Hi Taso

just looking in before I go to work ... I'll be back in 12 hours.

If you want make an archive from the ubuntu-flat.vmdk so that I can download it when I come back in about 12 hours from now.

Do you have skype ?

Where are you located ?

See you later

Ulli

___________________________________

description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD:

[vmtas22]

Ulli,

I will make an archive available as soon as this recovery is second attempt at a recovery is finished ( which should be within the next 8 hours ).

I have Skype and will private message you my Skype ID. I will be available in 11-12 hours ( or any time when you are around )

I live in California.

Thank you very very much

Taso

[vmtas22]

Around anytime soon?

[continuum]

Hi Taso

I am back home now

___________________________________

description of vmx-parameters:

VMware-liveCD: