Restoring single VMDK

[Opy_K]

We've restored a single VMDK with it's VMX file to the backup media server, uploaded that to the ESX VM host, added it to a powered down server and attempt to power on the server, but get message:
"Unsupported or invalid disk type 2 for 'scsi0:2'. Ensure that the disk has been imported." ... "Unable to create virtual SCSI device for 'scsi0:2' "

Is there anything special I need to do when requesting the restore to have a usable VMDK file or a step after the restore from tape step?

Was running BE16 at the time of restore for this example.  Upgrading to 20.3 right now. But I doubt the process changed.
Using vSphere web client Version 6.5.0.20000 Build 9451637

My goal is to get a file out of a VMDK based backup by attaching restored VMDK to a non-critical server.

This has never worked for me, so I'm obviously doing something wrong.

[pkh]

If you have enabled GRT in your backup, you should be able to select the file that you want to restore.

Otherwise, use the Instant Recovery feature to stand up the VM and you can extract the file that you want.

[Opy_K]

Thanks pkh

Unfortunately, they decided GRT was not required, so I can't do that.

Because the backup was of a VM folder, not a specifically selected server, BE thinks this server is a VM Host.  So it will not allow instant recovery.

[Opy_K]

Support tell me I need a VM Convertor.

My understanding is that a VM Convertor would convert files between VMWare and Hyper-V formats. But I am going from VMware to VMware.  

Converting a VMDK to a VMDK?
Sounds crazy, but I can try that.  Though all the convertors I have found so far are for converting a physical machine to a virtual machine.  Not quite what I'm after.

Do we know of a specific tool and hopefully a guide on how to do this?

[Opy_K]

It appears that this is not possible.  If I am doing VMDK based backup, I must recover entire VM. So I would need to take down and rename the existing server, restore it from backup, get the files that are required, blow it away, rename original server to original name and bring it back online.

I spoke to VMware who tell me the backup should include the flatfile.  Can't do anything with the VMDK without that flatfile.