Vmdk-flat

: Use vmkfstools -c [size] -d thin temp.vmdk to generate a new descriptor.

This is a "raw" binary file that represents the virtual hard drive's actual storage capacity. If you create a 40GB virtual disk, the -flat.vmdk file will be exactly 40GB in size (assuming a "thick provisioned" disk). It contains the actual operating system, applications, and files of the virtual machine. Why You Might Not See It vmdk-flat

Administrators can recreate the descriptor file using the vmkfstools command-line utility. By pointing a new descriptor at the existing -flat.vmdk file, the data can be recovered without any loss of information. Compatibility and Conversion : Use vmkfstools -c [size] -d thin temp

If the descriptor .vmdk is lost but -flat.vmdk remains, you can recreate the descriptor: It contains the actual operating system, applications, and

Better: Use vmkfstools --fixcheck or manually edit the descriptor.