How to Recover from a Faulty NAS Actidata Ti-NAS QT RAID Array

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Actidata Ti-NAS QT
• How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
  • Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery
  • How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images
  • Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?
  • RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison

Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID

Conventional hard drives store user data by writing it sequentially across the disk surface, which means an entire file is typically located on a single drive. In contrast, when data is written to a RAID array, each file is split into multiple fragments. These fragments are then distributed and written in sequence across all the drives in the array. Depending on the configuration, fragment sizes can range from 2 KB to 2 MB, so every file is physically stored across several disks at once.

This approach significantly increases read and write performance — after all, writing two halves of a 1 GB file to two drives simultaneously is much faster than writing the full 1 GB to a single disk. However, this same mechanism makes file recovery far more complex.

Different RAID levels use different methods to distribute and protect data. On top of that, manufacturers like Actidata often add their own proprietary structures and variations. As a result, data can be written to disks in many different formats, and each requires a specific approach during recovery.

How can regular data verification or checksum processes help maintain data integrity on NAS Actidata actidata Ti-NAS QT devices?

Regular data verification or checksum processes can help maintain data integrity on NAS Actidata actidata Ti-NAS QT devices in the following ways:

1. Detecting Data Corruption: Regular data verification processes involve checking the integrity of data stored on the NAS device. By comparing the checksums or hash values of the data against the original values, any data corruption or tampering can be detected. This ensures that the data stored on the device remains intact and unchanged.
2. Preventing Data Loss: Data verification processes can help identify and prevent data loss by detecting errors or inconsistencies in the stored data. If any corruption or errors are found, appropriate actions can be taken to recover the data from backups or other redundant storage systems.
3. Ensuring Data Authenticity: By verifying the checksums or hash values of the data, the integrity and authenticity of the data can be ensured. This helps in preventing unauthorized modifications or tampering of the stored data, maintaining its trustworthiness.
4. Early Detection of Hardware or Storage Issues: Regular data verification processes can also help in identifying any hardware or storage issues that may affect data integrity. For example, if checksum mismatches are frequently detected, it may indicate problems with the storage media or the NAS device itself. Early detection of such issues allows for timely maintenance or replacement, minimizing the risk of data loss or corruption.
5. Compliance with Data Security Standards: Data verification processes are often required to comply with data security standards and regulations. Regularly validating the integrity of data stored on NAS Actidata actidata Ti-NAS QT devices helps organizations meet these compliance requirements and ensures that sensitive or critical data remains secure and reliable.

Overall, regular data verification or checksum processes play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of data stored on NAS Actidata actidata Ti-NAS QT devices, helping to prevent data loss, detect corruption, ensure authenticity, and comply with data security standards.

How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC

Although the NAS Ti-NAS QT can be accessed over the network, you still need to remove its hard disks and connect them directly to a Windows PC. Only then can the recovery software properly scan and analyze the drives. Follow these steps:

1. Power off the NAS and disconnect it from the power source.

   WARNING! Before removing any drives, carefully read the device manual. Improper actions may damage both the NAS enclosure and the hard disks in the RAID array.

2. Remove the hard disks one by one, gently sliding each drive out of its slot. Remember that hard disks are highly sensitive: any impact or drop can cause serious physical damage.

3. Label each hard disk according to its position inside the NAS. The order of the drives is crucial for correct RAID reconstruction.

4. Connect the drives to your computer. In this video, we explain which ports you can use to connect hard disks and what to do if your PC does not have enough free connectors.

   Go to view

   

   How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Actidata Ti-NAS QT. Each hard disk in the array contains technical metadata describing how files were written. When launched, Hetman RAID Recovery analyzes this metadata, automatically reconstructs the damaged array, and provides access to its contents. After that, you can browse the recovered disk and save your files. The program can also restore files that were accidentally deleted from the network drive.

Go to view

How to recover data from a Actidata

Ti-NAS QT has 5 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• exFAT, VFAT, FAT 12 / 16 / 32;
• NTFS / ReFS;
• APFS / HFS+;
• Ext2 / 3 / 4 / ReiserFS / XFS / UFS / ZFS / Btrfs;
• VMFS / HikvisionFS;

How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images

This utility allows you to create a complete copy of a disk and work with the disk image instead of the physical drive. This approach helps protect your data from:

• Overwriting during the recovery process;
• Additional data loss caused by bad sectors;
• User errors.

To create a disk image, follow these steps:

1. Ensure you have enough free space to store the image. Its size will typically match the size of the original disk.

2. In the main window, select the target disk and choose Tools - Save Disk. You can also select multiple disks if needed.

3. When the Image Creation Wizard opens, select whether you want to save the entire disk or only a specific region. Adjust the settings and click Next.

   

4. Choose the directory where the image will be saved. You may select any available disk connected to your PC or upload the image via FTP.

   

Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?

The Actidata Ti-NAS QT network-attached storage keeps OS Linux operating system files on a separate RAID 1 (mirrored) array. Usually, all NAS systems create several volumes on every hard disk, and the first of them takes up to 2 Gb of space. This is where operating system files are stored. Other volumes are united into a RAID array where user’s data is written.

RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison