- 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?
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.
Are there any known limitations or performance issues related to specific RAID levels in NAS Netgear ReadyNAS RN716 devices?
There are some known limitations and performance issues related to specific RAID levels in Netgear ReadyNAS RN716 devices. Here are a few:
- RAID 6 Performance: RAID 6 is a more secure RAID level that can tolerate the failure of two drives simultaneously. However, it requires additional processing power to calculate the parity data, which can impact performance, especially during write operations. As a result, the write performance in RAID 6 may be slower compared to other RAID levels.
- RAID 5 Rebuild Time: When a drive fails in a RAID 5 configuration, the system needs to rebuild the data onto a new drive. The rebuild process can take a significant amount of time, especially if the array is heavily loaded or if the drives are large in capacity. During the rebuild process, the performance of the NAS may be reduced.
- RAID 0 Data Loss: RAID 0 is a striped RAID level that offers improved performance by splitting data across multiple drives. However, it does not provide any redundancy or fault tolerance. If any drive fails in a RAID 0 configuration, all data on the array will be lost. Therefore, it is important to have proper backup mechanisms in place when using RAID 0.
- RAID Expansion Time: When expanding the capacity of a RAID volume by adding new drives to the array, the ReadyNAS RN716 devices may take some time to complete the expansion process. During this time, the NAS may experience reduced performance.
It is recommended to carefully consider the specific requirements and trade-offs of each RAID level before configuring a Netgear ReadyNAS RN716 device. Additionally, it is important to regularly monitor the health of the drives and RAID arrays to ensure optimal performance and data protection.
How to take hard disks out of the NAS and connect them to a PC?
Although NAS ReadyNAS RN716 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:
-
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.
-
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.
-
Make sure to mark each hard disk in accordance with how they were installed inside the NAS.
-
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.
Go to view
Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery
This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Netgear ReadyNAS RN716. 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.
How to recover data from a Netgear
ReadyNAS RN716 has 6 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:
- RAID 0;
- X-RAID;
- RAID 1;
- RAID 5;
- RAID 6;
- 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:
-
Make sure that you have enough free space to save the image. The image file size usually equals the disk size.
-
Select the disk in the main window, and choose from the menu Tools – Save Disk. You can select multiple disks to be saved.
-
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.
-
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 RN716 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
| Product | Operating system | License type | RAID controller support | Supported file systems | Virtual RAID controller support | Data recovery from damaged RAID | File preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hetman RAID Recovery | Windows | Paid | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DiskInternals RAID Recovery | Windows | Paid | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
| R-Studio | Windows, Mac, Linux | Paid | Yes, over 200 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| UFS Explorer RAID Recovery | Windows, Mac, Linux | Paid | Yes, over 1,000 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EaseUS Data Recovery | Windows | Paid | Yes, over 20 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
| ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery | Windows | Free | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
If the Netgear ReadyNAS RN716 device is not powering on, it may be challenging to perform data recovery directly from the device itself. However, there are still some potential options to recover the data:
It's important to note that professional data recovery services can be quite expensive, so it's recommended to weigh the value of the data against the cost of recovery before proceeding.