If the VM is functional but snapshots are stuck (often seen in "Needs Consolidation" warnings): : Use the Clone or Consolidate feature.
Before attempting recovery, identify the last valid snapshot in the chain. This requires logging into the ESXi host via SSH and navigating to the VM’s directory. Use the vmkfstools -e command to query the disk chain. If the output reports an error regarding parent linking, the chain is broken. delta vmdk recovery
Virtualization platforms (VMware vSphere, Workstation) use snapshots to preserve system states. A snapshot generates a (child) that records all writes since the snapshot creation while the parent VMDK remains read-only. While effective for backup and rollback, this redirection-logic structure is fragile. Corruption, accidental deletion of parent files, or improper snapshot consolidation can render the delta VMDK unrecoverable by standard hypervisor tools. This paper addresses how to recover data directly from a delta VMDK when the parent is missing, corrupt, or the snapshot chain is broken. If the VM is functional but snapshots are
If the small .vmdk descriptor file is deleted but the large -delta.vmdk exists, the VM will fail to power on. : You must manually recreate the descriptor file. Use the vmkfstools -e command to query the disk chain
ESXi host failed during snapshot consolidation. Parent VMDK was zeroed by storage error. Only db-snapshot-delta.vmdk (55 GB) remained.