Effective Faulty RAID Array Troubleshooting for NAS Idis DR-6232P

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 Idis 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 regular disk health monitoring and analysis help in preventing potential data loss on NAS Idis DR-6232P devices?

Regular disk health monitoring and analysis can help in preventing potential data loss on NAS Idis DR-6232P devices in the following ways:

1. Early detection of disk failures: By regularly monitoring the health of disks, you can identify any potential issues or signs of failure before they cause data loss. This allows you to proactively replace the failing disk and transfer the data to a new disk, minimizing the risk of data loss.
2. Predictive analysis: Disk health monitoring tools often provide predictive analysis capabilities that can identify patterns and trends in disk behavior. By analyzing this data, you can anticipate potential disk failures and take preventive measures, such as replacing the disk or migrating the data to another disk.
3. RAID monitoring: NAS devices like Idis DR-6232P often use RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configurations for data redundancy and protection. Regular disk health monitoring ensures that all disks in the RAID array are functioning properly and detects any failures or inconsistencies. This allows you to take immediate action, such as rebuilding the RAID array or replacing the failed disk, to prevent data loss.
4. SMART monitoring: SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) is a feature available in most modern hard drives. It provides detailed information about the health and performance of the disk, including attributes like temperature, bad sectors, read/write errors, and more. Regular monitoring of SMART data can help identify potential issues and take appropriate actions to prevent data loss.
5. Data backup and recovery: Regular disk health monitoring can remind you to regularly backup your data on NAS devices. By having up-to-date backups, you can quickly recover your data in case of disk failures or other data loss incidents.
6. Proactive maintenance: Disk health monitoring allows you to proactively schedule maintenance tasks like disk defragmentation, disk cleanup, and firmware updates. These tasks can help optimize disk performance, reduce the risk of disk failures, and ensure the overall health of the NAS device.

Overall, regular disk health monitoring and analysis provide valuable insights into the status of disks in NAS devices, enabling you to take preventive actions and minimize the risk of potential data loss.

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

Although NAS DR-6232P 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 Idis DR-6232P. 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 Idis

DR-6232P 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;

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 Idis DR-6232P 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