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Fix FC Datastore Missing After ESXi 7.0u3s Upgrade – Easy Recovery Guide

 Problem Overview

After upgrading your VMware ESXi host to version 7.0u3s, you may encounter a critical issue:

The attached FC (Fibre Channel) datastore disappears, and all virtual machines stored on that shared storage become “inaccessible”.

This issue is common during ESXi version upgrades, where datastores fail to auto-mount due to changes in system recognition or mount configurations.

Symptom Description

  • vSphere Web Client still displays the storage device under the hardware list.

  • However, df -h shows that the mount point is missing.

  • Virtual machines that resided on the FC datastore now appear as “Invalid” in the inventory.

✅ This confirms it's not a driver or firmware issue, but rather a mount-related problem.

Root Cause

During the upgrade, ESXi may not automatically remount previously attached volumes, even though the storage device is visible.

The datastore still exists, but it needs to be manually re-mounted using the correct UUID. 


 How to Fix: Manually Mount Missing FC Datastore in ESXi 7.0u3s

Follow these 3 steps to resolve the issue:

1. Connect to ESXi via SSH

  • Enable SSH from the vSphere client (if not already enabled).

  • Use a terminal to log in to the ESXi host.

ssh root@<esxi-host-ip>

2. List Available Storage Volumes and Find UUID

Run the following command to list all storage volumes recognized by the system:

esxcfg-volume -l                                                              

🔎 Note down the UUID of the lost FC datastore.

3. Manually Mount the FC Volume

Use the following command to mount the missing datastore:

esxcfg-volume -m <UUID>                                              

📝 Replace <UUID> with the actual identifier found in step 2.

 4. Verify Mount Status

Check if the volume is now mounted:

df -h                                                                                

If the volume appears in the list and the virtual machines are no longer marked as “Invalid,” your datastore has been successfully recovered.


📌 Important Tips

  • This fix does not delete data. It only remounts existing storage.

  • If you see multiple datastores with similar names, verify UUIDs before mounting.

  • Always back up important configurations before upgrading ESXi.

 Conclusion

Upgrading VMware ESXi to newer versions like 7.0u3s can introduce unexpected behavior, such as lost FC datastores. Thankfully, if your storage device is still recognized, a simple manual re-mount using esxcfg-volume and the correct UUID is all it takes to recover your environment.


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