How to Extract Data from a RAID Disk When NAS Netgear ReadyNAS EDA2000 Won’t Start

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 Netgear 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 a NAS Netgear ReadyNAS EDA2000 device's cache settings impact data loss risks?

The cache settings on a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device like the Netgear ReadyNAS EDA2000 can impact data loss risks in the following ways:

1. Write Cache: The write cache is a temporary storage area where data is stored before it is written to the actual hard drives. Enabling write cache can improve performance by allowing the device to acknowledge data writes before they are completed. However, if power is lost or the device crashes before the data is written to the drives, there is a risk of data loss or corruption. Disabling write cache reduces this risk but may affect performance.
2. Read Cache: The read cache stores frequently accessed data to improve read performance. If the read cache is not properly synchronized with the actual data on the drives, there is a risk of serving outdated or incorrect data. This can lead to data loss if users rely on the cached data without realizing it is not up to date.
3. RAID Cache: The ReadyNAS EDA2000 supports RAID configurations for data redundancy and protection. Some RAID levels, such as RAID 0, may use cache for striping data across multiple drives. If a drive fails and the cache has not been written to the other drives, there is a risk of data loss. RAID levels that prioritize data redundancy, like RAID 1 or RAID 5, are generally less susceptible to data loss due to cache settings.

To mitigate data loss risks, it is important to:

• Regularly backup data stored on the NAS device to an external location or cloud storage.
• Ensure the NAS device is connected to an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) to prevent sudden power loss.
• Regularly monitor the health of the drives and RAID array to detect any issues early.
• Follow best practices provided by Netgear for cache settings and firmware updates to ensure optimal performance and data integrity.

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

Although NAS ReadyNAS EDA2000 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 Netgear ReadyNAS EDA2000. 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 Netgear

ReadyNAS EDA2000 has 12 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• X-RAID;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 50;
• RAID 60;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• Ext2;
• Ext3;
• Ext4;
• Btrfs;

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 Netgear ReadyNAS EDA2000 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