VMware 4 Virtual Disk description file (.vmdk)
.vmdk file signature | application/x-vmdk
VMware 4 Virtual Disk description file (VMDK) is a descriptor format created by VMware and used to define the layout and metadata of a virtual disk. It is used by VMware virtualization products to describe virtual machine storage, including split disks, snapshot chains, and disk geometry settings. The format is generally safe, but like other virtual disk files it should be obtained from trusted sources because it may reference large companion disk data files or external paths.
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
4B 44 4D
Sources: Wikipedia, Gary Kessler
All Known Signatures
4 signature variants are documented for .vmdk files across multiple sources.
| Hex Signature | Offset | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 4B 44 4D | 0 | Wikipedia, Gary Kessler |
| 23 20 44 69 73 6B 20 44 65 73 63 72 69 70 74 6F | 0 | Wikipedia, Gary Kessler |
| 43 4F 57 44 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
| 4B 44 4D 56 | 0 | Gary Kessler |
Extension
.vmdk
MIME Type
application/x-vmdk
Byte Offset
0
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .vmdk files in Python
def is_vmdk(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid VMDK by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x4B, 0x44, 0x4D])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(3) == signatureHow to validate .vmdk files in Node.js
function isVMDK(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x4B, 0x44, 0x4D]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 3).equals(signature);
}How to validate .vmdk files in Go
func IsVMDK(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x4B, 0x44, 0x4D}
if len(data) < 3 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:3], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/vmdk
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/vmdk
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Related Formats
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .vmdk file?
A .vmdk file is a VMware 4 Virtual Disk description file file. VMware 4 Virtual Disk description file (VMDK) is a descriptor format created by VMware and used to define the layout and metadata of a virtual disk. It is used by VMware virtualization products to describe virtual machine storage, including split disks, snapshot chains, and disk geometry settings. The format is generally safe, but like other virtual disk files it should be obtained from trusted sources because it may reference large companion disk data files or external paths.
What are the magic bytes for .vmdk files?
The magic bytes for VMware 4 Virtual Disk description file files are 4B 44 4D at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .vmdk file?
To validate a .vmdk file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (4B 44 4D) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .vmdk files?
The primary MIME type for .vmdk files is application/x-vmdk.
Is it safe to open .vmdk files?
VMware 4 Virtual Disk description file (.vmdk) files are generally safe to open. They are classified as low risk because they primarily contain data rather than executable code. However, always ensure files come from a trusted source.