vmware-vdiskmanager is a utility bundled with VMware Workstation, VMware Fusion, and VMware ESXi (via the command line on the host or a service console). Its primary job is managing virtual disks, but its repair-related functions focus on:
vmware-vdiskmanager -n "old-disk.vmdk" "new-disk.vmdk" vmware vmdk repair utility
Changes the disk type (e.g., from a single large file to multiple 2GB files). Alternative for ESXi ( vmkfstools ) If your VM is on an ESXi host, use the following via SSH: vmware vmdk repair utility
Last updated for VMware Workstation 17 and vSphere 8. Commands remain backward-compatible through several major releases. vmware vmdk repair utility
Here are some popular utilities to help repair and recover your VMDK files:
vmware-vdiskmanager -r "corrupt.vmdk" -t 0 "new-good.vmdk"