Ensure whatever utility you use mounts the disk as read-only. Windows loves to write hidden metadata (like System Volume Information ) to newly connected drives, which can corrupt a clustered file system like VMFS.
Run a lightweight Linux virtual machine on your Windows host (e.g., in VMware Workstation), pass the physical disk to that VM, and mount it natively in Linux using vmfs-tools . Critical Considerations
Solutions like Paragon VMFS for Windows are often the most reliable for mounting VMFS6. They allow you to mount the VMFS LUN directly to a Windows drive letter, providing Read-Only or Read-Write access. Steps: Map the VMFS LUN via iSCSI or FC to the Windows Server. Install the driver/software. Assign a drive letter via the software interface. 2. Using VMware Converter (For Extraction)