vmdk file data storage ????

Question

hi i m preux pursuing b.tech.  my last year thesis will be on the data stored in the vmdk file ? firstly i will tell you how much i done ... i will created 2 different vmdk 1 -sparse.vmdk 2 -flat.vmdk open it into a hexeditor which provide me the hexadecimal structure  of  the vmdk files .by using virtual disk format 5.0 which is avilable on the vmware site i get some knowledge of the structure of the vmdk file . when i read the structure of the -flat vmdk its similar to the hard disk structure i can easily seen the MBR(master boot record) ,PBR(partition boot record) and $MFT(master file table) in the -flat vmdk? but when i go for the sparse its quite different from the -flat i am using the formula provided in the virtual disk format 5.0 through this i can only seen the  MBR and PBR but when we aplly this fomula for $MFT(master file table) i found nothing ? so my question is that  how i can reach this master file table  in -sparse.vmdk on my way so that i can complete my thesis and degree also..? thanxs in advance preux

Jingyi1 · Answer

Interesting question, I heard VMDK is an open format, what format definition have you found from google?

preux · Answer

according to wikipedia

The format is a container for virtual hard disk drives to be used in virtual machines like VMware Workstation or Virtualbox. VMDK is an open format

but i m unable to find the specification according to my thesis .i just want the master files table which is stored in this vmdk so that i can show practically(in hexeditor ) the difference between the storage of these diiferent vmdk i.e. -sparse.vmdk and -flat.vmdk ?

i found $MFT in it by simple ctrl+F of hexeditor but i want to reach this $MFT logically..

VMware

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