Accessing Files on a RAID Disk When NAS Promise Vess 1840f is Not Working: Step-by-Step Guide

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 Promise 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 recommended practices for regular testing and validation of data backups to prevent potential loss on NAS Promise Vess 1840f devices?

Yes, there are recommended practices for regular testing and validation of data backups to prevent potential loss on NAS Promise Vess 1840f devices. Here are some best practices:

1. Regular Backup Schedule: Establish a regular backup schedule that suits your organization's needs. This could be daily, weekly, or monthly backups depending on the volume of data changes.
2. Offsite Backup: Maintain an offsite backup of your data to ensure redundancy and protection against physical damage or disasters. This can be done by replicating data to another Vess device in a different location or using cloud storage services.
3. Automated Backup Verification: Enable automated backup verification to ensure the integrity of your backups. This feature checks the backup data against the original data for any discrepancies or errors.
4. Test Restores: Periodically perform test restores to validate the backup data. This involves restoring a subset of data and verifying its accuracy and completeness. It helps identify any issues with the backup process and ensures that data can be restored successfully when needed.
5. Monitor Backup Logs: Regularly monitor backup logs and error reports to identify any issues or failures. This helps in troubleshooting and resolving problems promptly.
6. Regular Firmware Updates: Keep the firmware of your Promise Vess 1840f device up to date. Firmware updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements that can enhance the reliability of your backups.
7. Document Backup Procedures: Maintain documentation of your backup procedures, including step-by-step instructions for backup, restore, and verification processes. This ensures consistency and helps train new staff members.
8. Regularly Review Backup Strategy: Periodically review and reassess your backup strategy to ensure it aligns with your organization's changing needs and data growth. This can help identify any gaps or areas for improvement.

By following these recommended practices, you can minimize the risk of potential data loss and ensure the reliability of your backups on NAS Promise Vess 1840f devices.

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

Although NAS Vess 1840f 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 Promise Vess 1840f. 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 Promise

Vess 1840f has 16 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 1E;
• RAID 3;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 30;
• 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 Promise Vess 1840f 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