While vmkfstools isn't a native Windows app, VMware provides the for Windows. This suite allows you to run ESXi commands remotely from your Windows Command Prompt or PowerShell.
PowerCLI uses VDDK under the hood for disk operations, but it exposes different cmdlets ( Set-HardDisk , ConvertTo-ThinDisk ). If you need raw vmkfstools flags, you need the .exe.
If you don’t need vmkfstools transformation, skip it – just download the VMDK directly from the ESXi datastore using a client like WinSCP. Use vmkfstools only when you need to convert, clone, or optimize the disk the transfer. vmkfstools download windows
VDDK’s vmkfstools is read-only for remote operations unless used with a virtual disk library. However, for local VMDK manipulation on mounted drives or local storage, it works perfectly.
While not vmkfstools , VMware’s is more Windows-friendly and can export VMDKs: While vmkfstools isn't a native Windows app, VMware
because you are following a tutorial or script, you must access it where it lives natively: Via ESXi Shell/SSH:
(optional but recommended for cross-compatibility): If you need raw vmkfstools flags, you need the
If you need the full power of vmkfstools without installing a large CLI suite, the most efficient method is to run it directly on the ESXi host using a Windows SSH client like or the built-in Windows OpenSSH .