> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://admin.hareeshkg.bid/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Download vmem file from a vSAN datastore
- URL: https://admin.hareeshkg.bid/download-vmem-file-from-a-vsan-datastore/
- Published: 2017-06-02T18:58:12.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-12T14:39:00.000Z
- Author: Hareesh K G
- Tags: vSAN Troubleshooting, vSAN-general

I recently came across a customer who was trying to download .vmem from the vSAN datastore, so that the memory dump can be shared with the Guest OS vendor like Microsoft for core dump analysis . Since vSAN datastore is an object store file system , the OSFS namespace will only contain the pointer file of about 118 bytes which points to the associated object within vSAN datastore similar to all the VMDK files and v-swap file .

The following work around helps you to download the vmem file from the vsan datastore .

Option 1 :

If we have a local datastore which should have equivalent to the size of the .vmem file (memory size of the virtual machine) or greater free space available then

- Browse the datastore , select the .vmem file .
- Next drag and drop the .vmem file from the vSAN datastore to the local datastore .This will initiate a full copy of the pointer file and the associated vSAN object to the local datastore
- Next download the file from the local datastore by either from webclient GUI or WINSCP , this file can be later shared with respective OS vendor for debugging.

Option 2 :

If the vSAN cluster does not have a local datastore configured . We will need to follow below steps to download the file .

- To start first Suspend the VM following the steps mentioned in the KB :- [https://kb.vmware.com/kb/2005831](https://kb.vmware.com/kb/2005831?ref=admin.hareeshkg.bid)
- This will create a vmss and a .vmem file for Debugging
- Log on to the Esxi host using a Putty, where the VM in question is registered and running
- Navigate to Virtual machine directory location for example “cd /vmfs/volumes/vsan:524fcc9a876dcefd-be39dfd52bd37e0e/”
- Run a command “cat” against the .vmem file :- cat.vmem
- Retrieve the Object ID information as show in the output below :

\[root@host4:/vmfs/volumes/vsan:524fcc9a876dcefd-be39dfd52bd37e0e/94231059-ce43-435b-58f5-0050560150c2\] **cat vm-win-crash-5675fa8a.vmem**

# Object DescriptorFile

version = “1”

objectID = “vsan://e6a82759-adc5-24b5-1853-0050560150c2” ***–> Use the Object ID to copy***

object.class = “vmem”

- Then run the command :- **/usr/lib/vmware/osfs/bin/objtool open -u, see example below :In this case the command is :- /usr/lib/vmware/osfs/bin/objtool open -u e6a82759-adc5-24b5-1853-0050560150c2====================================================================================================================================\[root@host4: /usr/lib/vmware/osfs/bin/objtool open -u e6a82759adc5-24b5-1853-0050560150c2Object opened at /vmfs/devices/vsan/ e6a82759-adc5-24b5-1853-0050560150c2 –> Shows opened\[root@host4:/vmfs/volumes/vsan:524fcc9a876dcefd-be39dfd52bd37e0e/94231059-ce43-435b-58f5-0050560150c2\]====================================================================================================================================**
  - **Then use “winscp”, logon to the Esxi host, browse to the file path which is /vmfs/devices/vsan/e6a82759-adc5-24b5-1853-0050560150c2 to move the file to the local location or remote location of the machine from which you have logged in .**
  - **Once the file has been copied over to your local system , you will need to rename the file extension to .vmem so that Microsoft or any vendor can use this file for Debugging purpose .**