VMware ESXi and vSphere Cluster Management

Browse and Manage Files on VMFS Datastores in VMware ESXi

Learn how to browse VMFS datastore files in the vSphere Web Client, upload ISOs, create folders, download logs, and safely delete unneeded files.

What VMFS Datastore Browsing Is For

VMFS, or VMware Virtual Machine File System, is the filesystem ESXi uses to store virtual machine files and other content. A datastore is the logical storage container made available to one or more ESXi hosts. The underlying storage may be local to a host or shared by several hosts.

An ESXi host is the bare-metal VMware hypervisor that runs virtual machines. Administrators browse a datastore when they need to inspect or manage the files stored there, rather than change the datastore's storage configuration.

Locate a virtual machine directory or a particular virtual disk.
Check whether an uploaded ISO image or driver package is available.
Create folders for installation media, temporary imports, or approved shared files.
Download a log or other file for investigation.
Confirm that files are stored in the expected location and monitor storage organization.

Datastore browsing is different from configuring a datastore. The browser does not create VMFS, change storage paths, expand capacity, or perform a storage migration. It provides permitted file operations inside an existing datastore.

Terms You Should Know

Datastore browser: The vSphere interface for viewing and performing permitted file operations within a datastore.
Datastore inventory: The vSphere area that lists storage datastores visible in the managed environment.
Virtual machine directory: A folder that commonly contains one VM's configuration, virtual disks, logs, snapshots, and related files.
ISO image: A disk-image file that can be mounted by a VM's virtual CD/DVD device.
Virtual disk: A file-backed disk presented to a VM, commonly represented by VMDK files.
Snapshot: A point-in-time VM state mechanism that can create dependent files and disk chains.
Privileges: Role-based permissions that determine whether an account can browse, upload, download, create folders, or delete datastore files.

Prerequisites and Access Requirements

Before opening the browser, confirm that the target ESXi host can access at least one VMFS datastore. You also need access to vCenter Server or directly to an ESXi host through the applicable vSphere management interface.

Your account must have the datastore privileges required for the intended operation. Browsing, uploading, downloading, creating folders, and deleting files may require different privileges depending on the vSphere version and role assignment. Use least-privilege access: grant only the operations the administrator needs.

Identify the correct datastore before making changes. Similar names such as vmfs-prod-01, vmfs-prod-02, and vmfs-test-01 can make an accidental selection easy. Compare the datastore name, capacity, free space, host visibility, and storage location.

Open the VMFS Datastore File Browser

In the vSphere Web Client, open the datastore inventory view and select the intended datastore. The general navigation is:

Datastore inventory > select the target VMFS datastore > Manage > Files

The exact labels can vary between vSphere releases, but the workflow is to select a datastore and open its file-management area. The Manage section and Files view expose the datastore browser.

Open the datastore inventory.
Review the available datastores.
Compare names, free capacity, total capacity, host visibility, and storage location.
Select the intended VMFS datastore.
Open its file-management area, represented by Manage > Files in the specified interface.
Confirm the current path before performing an operation.

The file browser normally displays a root or current folder, a path, a folder listing, and file-operation controls. Navigate into folders by selecting them, and return to a parent folder using the path or navigation control provided by the client.

Understand Common Datastore Contents

A VM directory normally groups the files associated with one virtual machine. File names and extensions can vary, so use the VM inventory and configuration as the authority when determining whether a file is active.

Common Files and Folders Found on a VMFS Datastore

Item type — Typical purpose — Safe handling considerations

Virtual machine directory — Holds files for one VM — Do not rename or reorganize it casually; registered VMs may reference paths inside it.

VM configuration files — Store VM hardware and configuration information — Do not overwrite or delete them unless a supported recovery procedure requires it.

Virtual disk files — Provide storage to a VM and commonly use VMDK-related files — Treat disks as active data; never delete one merely because its name is unfamiliar.

Snapshot files — Store snapshot-related disk or state data — Snapshot files may form a dependent chain; use snapshot management and consolidation workflows.

Log files — Record VM or platform activity — Logs can often be downloaded for diagnostics; preserve them when troubleshooting.

ISO images — Provide installation or recovery media — Keep them in a clearly named media directory and remove only when no VM requires them.

Templates or appliance files — Support deployment or import operations — Follow the product's import or export workflow instead of manually changing a related file set.

Lock files — Help coordinate active access to VM files — Do not remove them while a VM or storage operation may be using the directory.

Create Folders

Use the datastore browser's folder-creation action to organize content. Choose a clear, unique name such as ISO, Approved-Drivers, or Temporary-Imports. Avoid names that could be confused with a VM directory.

Open the intended parent folder.
Choose the create-folder action from the file-operation controls.
Enter a descriptive folder name.
Confirm the operation.
Refresh or revisit the listing and verify the new folder's name and location.

Useful organization patterns include separate folders for ISO media, installation files, exported items, and virtual machines. Use a consistent naming convention across datastores.

Do not create, rename, or rearrange folders inside a VM directory if doing so could change a path referenced by the registered VM. A folder that appears empty or unimportant may still be part of an operational convention or recovery process.

Upload Files to a Datastore

Uploading copies a file from the administrator's workstation to a selected datastore folder. Common targets include operating-system ISO images, driver packages, scripts, and files used by virtual appliance-related workflows.

Open the desired VMFS datastore in the datastore browser.
Navigate to the destination folder, or create an approved folder such as ISO.
Choose the upload action.
Select the local file from the workstation.
Confirm the destination path and start the transfer.
Wait for the transfer to complete; do not close the management session prematurely.
Refresh or revisit the destination listing.
Verify the expected file name and size.

Check free datastore capacity before uploading. A large ISO or appliance package can consume more space than expected, and an upload that fills a datastore can affect VM operations.

Example: Upload Installation Media

Open the target datastore and enter the ISO folder, creating it if necessary.
Upload the operating-system ISO from the local workstation.
Confirm that the transfer completes and that the file appears in the folder with the expected name and size.
When configuring a VM, select the datastore ISO as the source for its virtual CD/DVD device.

Download Files from a Datastore

To download a file, select it in the datastore browser and use the download action. The vSphere client saves a copy to the local computer.

Navigate to the folder containing the required file.
Identify the correct item and confirm its path.
Select the file and choose download.
Choose or confirm the local destination.
Wait for the transfer to finish.
Check the local file size and name where practical.

Downloading a log is a common diagnostic task. Downloading a large virtual disk can take considerable time and consume substantial local disk space.

A downloaded set of VM files is not automatically a complete, application-consistent backup. A VM may contain multiple interdependent disks, configuration files, snapshots, and changing data. Use an appropriate backup, export, or migration process when the goal is a reliable VM copy.

Example: Retrieve a Diagnostic File

Browse to the relevant VM directory.
Identify a log file rather than a virtual disk, configuration file, or snapshot file.
Download the log to the local computer.
Leave the datastore copy intact unless a separate retention policy permits its removal.

Delete Files and Folders Safely

Deletion is potentially permanent. Before selecting the delete action, verify the exact item name, full path, purpose, and relationship to any registered or active VM.

Confirm that the item is obsolete and unreferenced.
Select the intended file or folder.
Choose delete.
Read the confirmation prompt carefully.
Verify the selected path and item name again.
Confirm only when the impact is understood.
Refresh the listing and check datastore free space.

Do not delete files belonging to a powered-on, registered, or otherwise active virtual machine. A VM's configuration files, virtual disks, snapshot files, lock files, and logs may be interdependent. Deleting one file can make the VM unusable or cause data loss.

When the goal is to remove a VM, use supported VM lifecycle actions such as removing or deleting the VM through the inventory and storage-management workflows. Do not manually delete its directory as a substitute.

Before deleting a folder, determine whether it is empty. If it contains files, understand the effect of deleting the contents as well as the folder itself.

Example: Remove an Obsolete ISO

Confirm that the ISO is no longer attached to any VM.
Confirm that it is no longer required by an installation, recovery, or operational policy.
Select the correct ISO in the shared media folder.
Choose delete and carefully approve the confirmation.
Refresh the folder and verify that the ISO is gone.
Confirm that datastore free space increased as expected.

Operational Cautions for VM Files

The datastore browser is suitable for basic file operations, but it is not a replacement for storage migration, backup tooling, snapshot management, or VM inventory operations.

Datastore Browser Actions

Action — When to use it — Required caution — Expected verification

Browse — Inspect folders and files — Confirm the datastore and current path — The expected directory and items are visible.

Create folder — Organize media or approved non-VM content — Do not disrupt paths used by registered VMs — The folder appears in the intended parent directory.

Upload — Place an ISO, driver package, script, or appliance-related file on the datastore — Check free space, permissions, destination, and transfer status — The file appears with the expected name and size.

Download — Retrieve a log or other selected file — Check local capacity; do not assume a partial VM download is a backup — The local copy completes and can be inspected.

Delete — Remove clearly obsolete, unreferenced content — Verify the path and dependencies; deletion may be permanent — The item is absent and free space reflects the removal.

Safe and Unsafe Uses of Datastore File Management

Task — Appropriate approach — Risk if handled manually

Upload an ISO — Upload it to an approved media folder and verify it — Wrong destination, insufficient capacity, or an unusable media file.

Download a log — Select the log and download a copy while leaving the source intact — Unnecessary deletion or retrieval of the wrong file.

Remove an unused ISO — Confirm that no VM or process needs it, then delete it — Loss of required installation or recovery media.

Rename VM files — Use supported VM and storage workflows instead — Broken file references or an unbootable VM.

Delete VM disks — Use VM lifecycle and storage-management procedures after dependency review — Permanent data loss and a damaged VM.

Move a registered VM — Use storage migration or an appropriate export/import workflow — Missing references, inventory inconsistency, or interrupted VM access.

Snapshots and virtual disks require particular care. A snapshot can depend on a chain of disk files, and a virtual disk can have related descriptor or extent files. Never assume that a file with an old timestamp or an unfamiliar suffix is safe to remove.

Verify Changes and Maintain Datastore Hygiene

Refresh or revisit the folder listing after every upload, folder creation, or deletion.
Verify the expected file name, size, and location.
Monitor free datastore capacity after transfers and cleanup.
Use consistent names for shared media and temporary content.
Keep VM-specific files separate from shared installation media.
Remove only clearly obsolete and unreferenced files according to operational policy.
Record significant file-management actions in the environment's change or maintenance documentation.

Troubleshooting

The Expected Datastore Is Not Listed

Possible causes include an unmounted datastore, missing storage connectivity, the wrong vCenter inventory scope, or insufficient permissions.

Confirm that the intended ESXi host has storage connectivity and can see the datastore.
Check that the correct vCenter Server, host, cluster, or inventory scope is selected.
Review the account's datastore viewing and browsing privileges.
Compare the datastore's name and storage location with the intended target.

Upload Is Unavailable or Fails

Insufficient free space, missing file-management privileges, a browser or connectivity issue, and an incorrect destination folder are common causes.

Check datastore free capacity.
Validate the account's upload privileges.
Verify the selected destination path and local file access.
Retry with a smaller test file when appropriate.
Use another supported management session if the client or browser appears to be the cause.

A File Cannot Be Deleted

The item may be in use by a VM, the account may lack delete permission, or an active operation or storage condition may be protecting it.

Determine whether a VM references the file.
Do not force removal of active VM files.
Confirm delete privileges.
Review active tasks and storage conditions before retrying.

A Downloaded File Is Incomplete or Unusable

An interrupted transfer, insufficient local disk space, an incomplete multi-file VM set, or a source file that changed during retrieval can produce an unusable copy.

Compare the local file size with the datastore listing where possible.
Confirm local capacity and network stability.
Repeat the transfer if the source remains appropriate.
Use supported export, backup, or migration methods when obtaining a complete VM copy is the objective.

A VM Does Not Work After Datastore File Changes

The likely cause is that a required configuration file, virtual disk, snapshot, or related file was renamed, moved, overwritten, or deleted.

Stop making further changes to the affected directory.
Review recent file operations and available backups.
Use VM inventory and storage-management tools for recovery assessment.
Do not delete additional files in an attempt to fix the problem.

Exam-Relevant Notes

A datastore is a logical storage container; VMFS is the filesystem commonly used to store ESXi VM content.
Datastore browsing manages files and folders, while datastore configuration controls storage presentation, capacity, and paths.
Upload, download, create-folder, and delete actions depend on privileges.
Deleting a file from a datastore can permanently damage a VM.
Manual file copying is not equivalent to an application-consistent VM backup.
Storage migration, VM removal, and snapshot consolidation should use their supported vSphere workflows.

Summary

The datastore browser lets an authorized administrator inspect and manage content on an accessible VMFS datastore. The basic workflow is to identify the correct datastore, open its file view, navigate to the intended path, perform one permitted operation, and verify the result. Uploading an ISO or downloading a log is usually straightforward; modifying VM directories, virtual disks, snapshots, and configuration files requires much greater caution.

For related guidance, see Browse VMFS Datastores.