Practical Steps for Accessing Files on a RAID Disk Without Active NAS Instek NR5400-2U

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 Instek also introduce some modifications to this process, and that is why data can be written to hard disk in a wide variety of ways.

Are there any known limitations or performance bottlenecks that can increase data loss risks for NAS Instek NR5400-2U devices?

There are several potential limitations and performance bottlenecks that can increase data loss risks for NAS Instek NR5400-2U devices. These include:

1. Insufficient redundancy: The NR5400-2U may have limited redundancy options, such as a single power supply or a single network interface. If any of these components fail, it can lead to data loss.
2. Limited scalability: The NR5400-2U may have a limited number of drive bays or a maximum storage capacity. If you exceed these limits, you may not be able to expand your storage or protect against data loss adequately.
3. Network bandwidth limitations: The device's network interface may have a limited bandwidth, which can lead to performance bottlenecks and potential data loss if multiple users or applications try to access or transfer data simultaneously.
4. Inadequate backup and recovery options: The NR5400-2U may have limited backup and recovery features, such as limited support for RAID configurations or lack of support for offsite backups. This can increase the risk of data loss if a drive fails or if there is a catastrophic event at the location of the device.
5. Lack of data protection features: The device may not have advanced data protection features like snapshotting, deduplication, or encryption, which can increase the risk of data loss due to accidental deletion, data corruption, or unauthorized access.
6. Limited hardware lifespan: The NR5400-2U may have a limited hardware lifespan, and as it ages, the risk of hardware failure and subsequent data loss increases.

It is essential to consider these limitations and performance bottlenecks when using the NAS Instek NR5400-2U devices to ensure appropriate data protection measures are in place.

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

Although NAS NR5400-2U 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 Instek NR5400-2U. 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 Instek

NR5400-2U has 8 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 50;
• RAID 60;
• 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 Instek NR5400-2U 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