VMDK file disappeared

[glassin]

Earlier today I received and error after rebooting one of my VMs. The error was as followed:

Cannot open the configuration file /vmfs/volumes/path to datastore/vm-name/vm-name.vmx

Did a little searching and found the solution was to remove the VM from inventory then re-add it back. As I was going through the steps the add to inventory option was greyed out. I then attempted to re-create the VM with the same specs and just point to the old vmdk file but when I got to the option to select the vmdk file the file was missing. I browsed the datastore through command line and I found the vmdk descriptor file but not the actual vmdk file.

Is there anything I am overlooking when I attempt to re-add this VM?

[NathanosBlightc]

Try to use following command in Shell or SSH access on your host's datastores:

find -iname “*.vmdk”

[glassin]

Unfortunately not finding anything.   We do have the descript file which is   machine.vmdk but that is all cannot see the actual VHD file's  (there were two).  The size on the datastore remains used which leads me to believe its still there but somehow hidden if that makes sense.

[NathanosBlightc]

Do you have any snapshot for that VM that may be orphaned? or unsuccessfully removed or consolidated  operations that may caused VMDK file corruption ?

Also try following commands on your VM's directory:

vmkfstools –fix check name.vmdk

and also run it with -fix repair syntax

[glassin]

System cannot find the file specified.  somehow the flat.vmdk is gone and all we did was reboot the VM at that time.

[NathanosBlightc]

So it's seems to be really gone!

Did you try a recovery solution or even restoring backup of that VM?

[continuum]

In my experience one of the more probable reasons for the prominent "flat vmdk disappeared suddenly" problem is the also prominent "admin in panic" cause.
Did you check if the vmdk you apparently still have is a large binary - or a small text-file ?