vmkfstools --server esxi-ip --username root "Sanitized[datastore] vm/vm.vmdk" "C:\local\path\vm.vmdk" However, modern environments prefer SCP or datastore browsing via vSphere Client. While not vmkfstools , VMware’s OVF Tool is more Windows-friendly and can export VMDKs:
Would you like a deeper walkthrough for any specific step, such as shrinking a thin-provisioned VMDK or setting up WinSCP for ESXi connections? vmkfstools download windows