How to Prevent Data Loss on NAS D-Link DNS-1100-04 and Restore Deleted Data

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 D-Link 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 can software bugs or glitches impact data integrity on NAS D-Link DNS-1100-04 devices?

Software bugs or glitches on NAS D-Link DNS-1100-04 devices can potentially impact data integrity in several ways:

1. Data corruption: Bugs or glitches in the software can result in data corruption, where the stored data becomes unreadable or unusable. This can lead to loss of critical information or make files inaccessible.
2. Data loss: In some cases, software bugs can cause data loss, where files or entire folders may disappear from the NAS device. This can occur due to issues like improper handling of file operations or incorrect data synchronization.
3. Unauthorized access: Security vulnerabilities caused by software bugs can allow unauthorized users to gain access to the NAS device and its data. This can result in data breaches, theft, or unauthorized modifications to important files.
4. Data inconsistency: Software bugs can cause data inconsistency, where the stored data becomes inconsistent or out of sync. This can happen due to issues with data replication, synchronization, or file system management. Inconsistent data can lead to errors, conflicts, or incorrect results when accessing or modifying files.
5. Performance degradation: Certain software bugs can impact the performance of the NAS device, causing slow data transfers, high latency, or system crashes. This can affect data integrity indirectly by hindering the proper functioning of data operations and increasing the chances of data corruption or loss.

To mitigate these risks, it is important to regularly update the NAS firmware to the latest version provided by D-Link, as manufacturers often release bug fixes and security patches. Additionally, implementing proper backup strategies, such as regular backups to external storage or cloud services, can help minimize the impact of data integrity issues caused by software bugs or glitches.

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

Although NAS DNS-1100-04 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 D-Link DNS-1100-04. 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 D-Link

DNS-1100-04 has 4 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

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

NAS supports:

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

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 D-Link DNS-1100-04 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