Avoiding Data Loss on NAS D-Link DSM-G600 and Recovering Deleted Files: Expert Guide

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS D-Link DSM-G600
• 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 D-Link 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 data fragmentation impact the read and write speeds, and potential data loss on NAS D-Link DSM-G600 devices?

Data fragmentation on NAS D-Link DSM-G600 devices can have several impacts on read and write speeds, as well as potential data loss. Here are some ways fragmentation can affect these aspects:

1. Read and Write Speeds:

• Increased seek time: Fragmentation scatters data across different physical locations on the storage medium. This can lead to increased seek time as the device needs to access different parts of the disk to read or write fragmented data. Consequently, read and write speeds can be significantly slower.
• Reduced throughput: Fragmented data requires more disk head movement and additional I/O operations, resulting in reduced overall throughput. This can impact the performance of file transfers, accessing large files, or running applications that rely on quick data access.

1. Data Loss:

• File corruption: Fragmented data can increase the chances of file corruption. If a file is fragmented and a portion of it becomes corrupted, it may be more difficult to recover the entire file.
• Increased vulnerability to disk errors: Fragmentation can make data more susceptible to disk errors. If a disk sector containing a portion of a fragmented file becomes damaged or unreadable, it can result in data loss for that specific portion of the file.
• Difficulty in data recovery: In the event of data loss, recovery becomes more challenging when data is fragmented. Fragmented data may be scattered across different disk locations, making it harder to recover the complete file or data.

To mitigate these issues, it is advisable to regularly defragment the storage on NAS D-Link DSM-G600 devices. Defragmentation rearranges fragmented data, placing related parts of files closer together on the disk. This can improve read and write speeds, reduce seek time, and decrease the likelihood of data loss. Additionally, maintaining adequate free space on the NAS and avoiding excessive file fragmentation through regular maintenance practices can help minimize these impacts.

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

Although the NAS DSM-G600 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.

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   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 D-Link DSM-G600. 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.

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How to recover data from a D-Link

DSM-G600 has 1 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• None;

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 D-Link DSM-G600 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