Cannot clean up VM files from VMFS datastore.

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware vSphere ESX 7.x
• VMware vSphere ESX 8.x

Issue/Introduction

Cannot remove Flat files of de-commissioned VMs from VMFS datastore.

rm: can't remove '/vmfs/volumes/*******/*****/******.vmdk': Bad address

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0
VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0

Cause

The VMFS datastore is a multi-extent datastore with one of the LUNs showing offline.

 

Resolution

Engage storage Vendor to check why one extent is showing offline and get it back online.

Then perform a cluster level rescan from vCenter.