Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Faulty RAID Arrays in NAS Idis DR-6132P

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Idis DR-6132P
• 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 Idis 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 redundancy techniques such as mirroring or replication enhance data availability and protect against loss on NAS Idis DR-6132P devices?

Data redundancy techniques such as mirroring or replication can enhance data availability and protect against loss on NAS Idis DR-6132P devices in the following ways:

1. Mirroring: Mirroring involves creating an exact copy of data on multiple drives or devices. In the case of NAS Idis DR-6132P devices, mirroring can be set up to duplicate data on multiple hard drives within the same device or across multiple devices. This redundancy ensures that if one drive fails, the data can still be accessed from the mirrored drive, enhancing data availability and preventing loss.
2. Replication: Replication involves creating and maintaining multiple copies of data on different devices or locations. With NAS Idis DR-6132P devices, replication can be configured to replicate data to another NAS device or to a remote location. This redundancy ensures that if the primary device or location fails, the replicated data can be accessed, providing data availability and protection against loss.
3. High Availability: By implementing data redundancy techniques like mirroring or replication, NAS Idis DR-6132P devices can achieve high availability. High availability ensures that data is continuously accessible even in the event of hardware failures, network issues, or natural disasters. With redundant copies of data available, users can seamlessly switch to an alternate copy without any interruption, minimizing downtime and ensuring data availability.
4. Data Protection: Mirroring and replication also provide data protection against loss. In case of drive failures, data corruption, or accidental deletion, the redundant copies of data act as a backup, allowing for data recovery. By regularly synchronizing the primary and mirrored/replicated copies, any changes or modifications made to the data are also replicated, providing an up-to-date backup and protection against data loss.
5. Disaster Recovery: Mirroring and replication can play a crucial role in disaster recovery scenarios. By replicating data to a remote location or a secondary NAS device, businesses can ensure that their data is safe and accessible even in the event of a catastrophic event at the primary location. These redundant copies allow for quick recovery and restoration of data, minimizing the impact of a disaster.

Overall, the implementation of data redundancy techniques like mirroring or replication on NAS Idis DR-6132P devices enhances data availability, protects against data loss, and provides a robust backup and disaster recovery solution.

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

Although the NAS DR-6132P 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 Idis DR-6132P. 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 Idis

DR-6132P has 6 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 Idis DR-6132P 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