How to recover data from Asustor LOCKERSTOR 6 Gen2 NAS

Contents

• Why can’t ordinary software tools restore files from RAID?
• How to take hard disks out of the NAS and connect them to a PC?
  • Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery
  • Safe recovery from disk images
  • Where are user’s files stored?
  • Comparison of software for RAID recovery

Why can’t ordinary software tools restore files from RAID?

Conventional hard disks keep user’s data by writing it to their surface in a consecutive way, and this is how an entire file is stored on a single hard disk. However, when data is written to a RAID system, a file is divided into several parts. Then these parts are written consecutively to all hard disks within such array. The size of such parts may range from 2 KB to 2 MB, so each file is stored on several hard disks at the same time.

Such approach helps to speed up read and write operations, and it is evident that saving two parts of a file having the size of 1 GB to two hard disks simultaneously is much faster than saving the same 1 GB of data to one hard disk. However, this peculiarity makes file recovery more complicated.

Various RAID levels store information in different ways. Additionally, manufacturers like Asustor also introduce some modifications to this process, and that is why data can be written to hard disk in a wide variety of ways.

How does a NAS Asustor LOCKERSTOR 6 Gen2 device store and manage data?

The NAS Asustor LOCKERSTOR 6 Gen2 device stores and manages data using various mechanisms and features. Here are some key aspects:

1. Hard Drives: The device typically supports multiple hard drives (up to 6 in this case) that are installed in drive bays. These drives provide the primary storage space for data.
2. RAID: The device supports various RAID configurations, such as RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, etc. RAID allows for data redundancy and/or striping across multiple drives, improving performance and protecting against drive failures.
3. File System: The device uses a file system (e.g., ext4) to organize and manage data on the hard drives. The file system handles file and folder structures, permissions, and metadata.
4. Network Connectivity: The device connects to the network via Ethernet, allowing users to access and manage data remotely. It supports various network protocols like SMB/CIFS, AFP, FTP, etc., enabling cross-platform compatibility.
5. User and Group Management: The device has a user and group management system, allowing administrators to create and manage multiple user accounts with different access privileges. This ensures secure data access and prevents unauthorized access.
6. Data Protection: The device offers data protection features like snapshots, which capture the state of files and folders at a specific point in time, allowing easy recovery of previous versions or deleted data. It may also support backup and replication to external storage devices or cloud services.
7. Applications and Services: The device may have a built-in operating system (e.g., ADM - Asustor Data Master) that provides various applications and services, such as file sharing, media streaming, cloud synchronization, virtualization, surveillance, etc. These applications enhance data management and usage.
8. Web-based Management Interface: The device typically provides a web-based management interface, allowing users to configure and monitor various settings, create and manage shared folders, set up user accounts, and perform other administrative tasks.

Overall, the NAS Asustor LOCKERSTOR 6 Gen2 device combines hardware, software, and network connectivity to store and manage data efficiently, securely, and with various data protection mechanisms.

How to take hard disks out of the NAS and connect them to a PC?

Although NAS LOCKERSTOR 6 Gen2 can be accessed over the network, you still need to take the hard disks out of the storage device and connect them to a Windows computer. Only in this case will the software be able to scan them properly. Here is what you should do:

1. Turn off the storage and disconnect it from the power supply.

   WARNING! Before you start taking hard disks out of your NAS device, read the manual carefully. Incorrect actions may damage your network-attached storage and/or the hard disks within the RAID system.

2. Take the hard disks out of the NAS one by one, carefully removing them from their slots. Remember that the disks are extremely vulnerable: hitting or dropping them may result in serious physical damage.

3. Make sure to mark each hard disk in accordance with how they were installed inside the NAS.

4. Remove the hard disks and connect them to the computer. In this video, we have explored what ports are used to connect hard disks, and what to do if there are not enough ports or connectors.

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   How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Asustor LOCKERSTOR 6 Gen2. The hard disks that make up the RAID contain technical information about the algorithm used to save files. When launched, Hetman RAID Recovery reads this information and puts the damaged array together. Then you can open the disk and save your files. Also, you can recover the files accidentally deleted from the network drive.

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How to recover data from a Asustor

LOCKERSTOR 6 Gen2 has 6 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 10;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• Ext2;
• Ext3;
• Ext4;

Safe recovery from disk images

This utility lets you save an entire copy of the disk to file and then work with this image instead of the actual disk. Such feature helps to protect data on the disk from:

• Overwriting during the recovery process;
• Loss resulting from bad sectors;
• User mistakes.

To create an image, do the following:

1. Make sure that you have enough free space to save the image. The image file size usually equals the disk size.

2. Select the disk in the main window, and choose from the menu Tools – Save Disk. You can select multiple disks to be saved.

3. When the image creation wizard starts, you can choose to save the entire disk or select only a part of it. Specify the parameters and click Next.

   

4. At this stage, you need to choose a directory where to save the image. Choose any disk connected to this PC, or save the image by FTP.

   

Where are user’s files stored?

The Asustor LOCKERSTOR 6 Gen2 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.

Comparison of software for RAID recovery