A deleted VM, a corrupt virtual disk, a broken snapshot chain, or a datastore down? We recover virtual machines on VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox and every other platform — repairing the virtual disk, rebuilding the snapshot chain and recovering the data inside, all from copies and never your originals.
$ bdr diagnose /dev/vmfs → Host: VMware ESXi · VMFS · VMDK → Status: VM DELETED — removed from inventory → Client: confidential · Wallsend NE1 3DY $ bdr engineer-working → Datastore: scanned · blocks intact → VMDK: rebuilt from datastore → Guest: NTFS mounted · files back $ bdr verify → ✓ virtual machine — 1.4 TB → ✓ SQL databases — restored → ✓ VM recovered — data back
If a virtual machine won’t boot, a snapshot chain has broken, or a datastore is throwing errors, stop writing to it. Consolidating snapshots, retrying a merge, or leaving the host running can overwrite the very data we’re after, and powering a VM on over a damaged datastore only makes matters worse. Make a note of the VM, its disk files and the datastore, leave them exactly as they are, and call us. The first attempt is the safest.
From a deleted VM to a broken snapshot chain, these are the virtual machine failures we recover from most — deleted, corrupt, snapshot and datastore.
Every virtual machine comes through — VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox, Citrix, VirtualBox and the rest — in any virtual disk format, on any datastore. The platform sets the method; it doesn’t decide whether we can help.
VMware ESXi, vSphere, Workstation and Fusion · Microsoft Hyper-V · Proxmox VE, Citrix XenServer, XCP-ng, Oracle VirtualBox, KVM and Nutanix · VMDK, VHDX, VHD, VDI and QCOW2 · VMFS, NFS and CSV datastores · snapshots, checkpoints and thin-provisioned disks.
Virtual machine recovery works on two layers — the virtual disk and the data inside it. We get the virtual disk files safely off the datastore, repair the disk and any snapshot chain, then mount it and recover the guest operating system, databases and files — all from copies.
Tell us the setup — hypervisor, virtual disk format, what happened to which VMs. We assess it and send a written quote, usually inside 48 hours.
We take a read-only copy of the virtual disk files — VMDK, VHDX, VDI or QCOW2 — and where the datastore or its storage has failed, we rebuild that first so nothing’s written to your originals.
Where the underlying RAID, NAS or SAN has failed, or a physical drive needs work, we repair and image it. Drive-level repairs need 50% of the fee upfront.
We repair the virtual disk — descriptor, headers, grain tables — and reconstruct any broken snapshot or checkpoint chain into a single consistent disk.
We mount the repaired disk and recover the guest file system and what’s on it — Windows or Linux, files, SQL and Exchange databases, application data — repairing it where needed.
We check the recovered virtual machines, files and databases actually open and are complete before any of it comes back to you.
We return your recovered VMs or their data on new storage, ready to import and power back on.
Every virtual machine — VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox and the others — recovered by repairing the virtual disk, rebuilding the snapshot chain and recovering the data inside, whatever’s happened to the host or storage.
Tell us what happened and we’ll get back to you, usually within a working day.
We’ll be in touch shortly. If it’s urgent, call 0191 406 1051.
Clear, tiered pricing for virtual machine recovery — with a free diagnostic and a quote in writing before any work starts.
A handful of recent virtual machine recoveries across deleted VMs, broken snapshots, corrupt disks and datastore failures. Identifying details removed, every result verified.
The VMDK was gone from the inventory but its blocks were still on the datastore. We rebuilt the virtual disk and recovered the whole VM.
The AVHDX checkpoint chain was broken. We rebuilt the chain into a single VHDX and recovered a consistent, bootable VM.
A power cut had damaged the datastore. We rebuilt the VMFS and recovered all six virtual machines and their data.
The VHDX header was damaged. We repaired the virtual disk and recovered the SQL databases inside it.
The QCOW2 image was left inconsistent. We rebuilt it and recovered the Linux guest and its application data.
The datastore sat on a failed array. We rebuilt the RAID, recovered the datastore and every VM on it.
Send the device in for its free diagnostic and tell us briefly what happened; an engineer reviews it and confirms your exact quote in writing before anything starts.
Getting your data back begins with getting the device to us. Pack it up safely, pop your contact details inside, and send it over — once we’ve run the free diagnostic, we’ll confirm your exact price in writing before any work starts.
Posting it? A tracked, insured service is what we’d recommend. Rather drop it in? You’re welcome Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm — just package the device up as above first.
Want a bit more detail first? Fill in the form with more about your issue and an engineer will review it and send you a custom quote.
We’ll be in touch shortly. If it’s urgent, call 0191 406 1051.
The things people most often ask us about recovering a virtual machine.
Usually, yes, if you act quickly. A deleted VM normally leaves its virtual disk blocks on the datastore until they’re overwritten. Stop the host writing to that datastore and contact us — we rebuild the virtual disk and recover the whole machine, the sooner the better.
Almost never. A VM that won’t start usually has a corrupt virtual disk, a broken snapshot chain or a lost config, while the data inside is intact. We repair the VMDK or VHDX, rebuild any snapshot chain and recover the machine and its contents.
Yes — this is one of the commonest VM failures. When a snapshot or checkpoint chain is orphaned, broken or fails to merge, the VM won’t boot. We reconstruct the base and delta disks into a single consistent virtual disk and recover a working machine.
Usually, yes. We repair virtual disks at the format level — descriptor, headers, grain tables and block maps — for VMDK, VHDX, VHD, VDI and QCOW2, then mount the disk and recover the guest file system and data inside it.
A single virtual machine or virtual disk on healthy storage starts at £800 + VAT. A full datastore or host with multiple VMs starts at £1,200 + VAT, depending on the storage and the work involved. Every job opens with a free diagnostic and a written quote, and most are no fix, no fee.
On most jobs, yes. Where drive-level repairs are needed we take a 50% deposit upfront and the rest is only due if we recover your data — so if we can’t, you’re not left with the full bill.
Every platform — VMware ESXi and vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, Proxmox, Citrix, VirtualBox, KVM and Nutanix — and every virtual disk format, including VMDK, VHDX, VHD, VDI and QCOW2. The platform decides the method, not whether the data can be recovered.
Yes. When the RAID, NAS or SAN beneath your virtual machines has failed, we recover that underlying storage first, then rebuild the datastore and every VM on it. Both the virtualization layer and the storage layer are ours to handle.
Yes. With the virtual disk recovered and mounted, we bring back the guest file system and everything on it — Windows or Linux files, SQL Server and Exchange databases, application data — mending them where needed and confirming they open before they go back to you.
A single VM or virtual disk is usually turned around in 3 to 4 working days. A full datastore or host — or any job where the storage beneath has failed — runs to 4 to 7. The free diagnostic normally lands inside 48 hours, and pressing business jobs can often be moved up the queue.
If the storage’s healthy you can often send the virtual disk files on a drive, or post the disks the datastore lives on, fully insured — or drop them at our Newcastle location Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm. Label any RAID disks with their bay order and include your name, company, address, phone number and email so we can book it in and quote before any work begins.
A free diagnostic, tiered pricing from £800, and no fix no fee on most jobs — every virtual machine recovered, VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox and the rest, disk and data. Begin your recovery today.