VMDK

File Format
Name	VMDK
Ontology	Electronic File Formats Disk Image Formats VMDK
Extension(s)	.vmdk
Kaitai Struct Spec	vmware_vmdk.ksy

VMDK (Virtual Machine Disk) is a format developed by VMware (but now open), used for storage in virtual machines (a program running on a real machine such as a desktop or laptop PC in order to simulate a separate machine for the purpose of running software in a sandboxed environment, or to use different operating systems from that of the real computer). VirtualBox can use it in addition to the VDI format. The maximum capacity is 2040 gigabytes.

The specifications of Virtual Disk Format 6.0 are still not released.

Specs

• Virtual Disk Format 1.1 spec
• Virtual Disk Format 5.0 spec

File conversion

• How to convert VirtualBox VDI to VMware VMDK disks (or vice versa)
• vdi 2 vmdk converter
• VDI to VMDK instructional video

Other links

• Wikipedia article: VMDK
• Wikipedia article: VirtualBox
• VirtualBox official site
• VMWare developer forum
• Forensics Wiki article