What is a .VMDK file?
A .VMDK file is a type of file known as a Virtual Machine Disk File. It is used to store the contents of a virtual machine's hard disk. Virtual machines are like computers within your computer, allowing you to run different operating systems, such as Windows or Linux, inside your main operating system. This is very useful for testing new software or settings without affecting your main system.
The .VMDK file acts much like a physical hard disk on a real computer. It can hold an operating system, programs, and the data files used by the virtual machine. These files are created and managed by virtualization software such as VMware Workstation or VMware Fusion. When you set up a new virtual machine using these programs, they create a .VMDK file to serve as the virtual machine's hard drive.
.VMDK files can be configured in different ways. They can be set to have a fixed size, where the maximum storage capacity is defined when the file is created. Alternatively, they can be set to dynamically expand, meaning the file grows in size as more data is added, up to a set limit.
These files are typically stored within a virtual machine package, which has a .VMWAREVM file extension. To find the .VMDK file, you can right-click on the .VMWAREVM file and select "Show Package Contents." Inside, you will find the .VMDK file, usually named after the operating system of the virtual machine, such as "Windows 11-0.vmdk." There are also other types of .VMDK files: - [vmname]-s[###].vmdk: These are split virtual disk files. - [vmname]-f[###].vmdk: These are split files where disk space is allocated in advance. - [diskname]-[###].vmdk: These files store changes made to a virtual disk.
To open or manage .VMDK files, you can use several programs: - VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion: These are applications for creating and running virtual machines. - Oracle VirtualBox: Another program for managing virtual machines, compatible with .VMDK files. - WinMount International WinMount and Gilles Vollant WinImage: These tools can be used to view or modify the contents of .VMDK files. - Aryson VMDK Recovery: This is a specialized tool for recovering data from .VMDK files. - Paralle
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