This issue is resolved in ESXi 7.0U3c, where the routine task will no longer remove the files in
/var/vmware/lifecycle.
Workaround:
To work around this issue, configure a persistent scratch location and restart the settingsd service
/etc/init.d/settingsd restart
Note: Restarting the settingsd services should recreate the files in
/var/vmware/lifecycle, however, they are subject to removal again until
/scratch is persistent or the host is upgraded to ESXi 7.0 U3+.