- Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
- Key Information About the NAS Promise UltraTrak100 TX4
- How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
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 Promise 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 a NAS Promise UltraTrak100 TX4 device's network throughput or bandwidth capacity affect data transfer and potential loss?
The network throughput or bandwidth capacity of a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device like the Promise UltraTrak100 TX4 can significantly impact data transfer and potential loss in the following ways:
- Transfer Speed: The network throughput determines the maximum speed at which data can be transferred between the NAS device and the connected network. Higher throughput allows for faster data transfer, reducing the time required to backup or retrieve files. Conversely, lower throughput limits the transfer speed, potentially causing delays and impacting productivity.
- Concurrent Users: The available bandwidth capacity affects the number of concurrent users who can access the NAS device simultaneously without experiencing a significant decrease in performance. If the network throughput is insufficient to handle the data demands of multiple users, it can lead to slower transfer speeds, increased latency, and potential data loss due to timeouts or dropped connections.
- File Size and Types: Larger file sizes or certain types of data, such as high-resolution videos or large databases, require more bandwidth to transfer quickly. If the network throughput is limited, transferring such files may take longer, increasing the chances of data loss due to interruptions or network failures.
- Network Congestion: In a network with multiple devices sharing the same bandwidth, congestion can occur if the available throughput is insufficient. Network congestion can result in slower data transfer rates and potential data loss due to packet drops or corruption caused by collisions or buffer overflows.
- Redundancy and Data Protection: NAS devices often support RAID configurations for data redundancy and protection. However, the network throughput can impact the performance of RAID operations, such as data mirroring or parity calculations. Insufficient throughput can lead to slower RAID rebuild times and increased vulnerability to data loss during the rebuilding process.
To mitigate the impact of network throughput on data transfer and potential loss, it is essential to ensure that the NAS device's bandwidth capacity matches the network's requirements. Upgrading network infrastructure, using higher-speed network interfaces (e.g., 10GbE instead of 1GbE), or implementing network load balancing techniques can help improve network throughput and reduce the risk of data loss.
How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
Although the NAS UltraTrak100 TX4 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:
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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.
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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.
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Label each hard disk according to its position inside the NAS. The order of the drives is crucial for correct RAID reconstruction.
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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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Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery
This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Promise UltraTrak100 TX4. 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.
How to recover data from a Promise
UltraTrak100 TX4 has 4 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:
- RAID 0;
- RAID 1;
- RAID 1E;
- RAID 3;
- 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:
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Ensure you have enough free space to store the image. Its size will typically match the size of the original disk.
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In the main window, select the target disk and choose Tools - Save Disk. You can also select multiple disks if needed.
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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.
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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 Promise UltraTrak100 TX4 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
| Product | Operating system | RAID controller support | Supported file systems | Virtual RAID controller support | Data recovery from damaged RAID | File preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hetman RAID Recovery | Windows, Linux, MacOS | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, exFAT, NTFS, ReFS, APFS, HFS+, Ext4, Ext3, Ext2, ReiserFS, Btrfs, VMFS, Hikvision, XFS, UFS, ZFS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DiskInternals RAID Recovery | Windows | Yes, over 10 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
| R-Studio | Windows, Mac, Linux | Yes, over 20 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| UFS Explorer RAID Recovery | Windows, Mac, Linux | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EaseUS Data Recovery | Windows | Yes, over 20 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
| ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery | Windows | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
There are no specific hardware requirements for data recovery from a NAS Promise UltraTrak100 TX4 device. However, you will need a computer with a compatible operating system and sufficient storage space to recover the data from the device. Additionally, you may require specialized data recovery software or services depending on the nature of the data loss.