How to Access Files on a RAID Disk Without NAS Promise VTrak 15110: Practical Steps

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.

How can regular software updates and patches enhance the security and stability of NAS Promise VTrak 15110 devices?

Regular software updates and patches can enhance the security and stability of NAS Promise VTrak 15110 devices in the following ways:

1. Security Vulnerability Fixes: Software updates and patches often include fixes for known security vulnerabilities. By regularly updating the software on the NAS device, you ensure that any identified security flaws are patched, reducing the risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, or other security incidents.
2. Bug Fixes and Stability Improvements: Updates and patches also address any bugs or stability issues identified in the previous versions of the software. By applying these updates, you can improve the overall stability and performance of the NAS device, ensuring it functions optimally and minimizing the chances of crashes or other system failures.
3. Compatibility with New Technologies: As technology evolves, new features and functionalities are introduced. Regular updates and patches ensure that your NAS device remains compatible with the latest technologies, protocols, and standards. This compatibility helps to maintain interoperability with other devices and systems, preventing any potential security or stability issues that may arise due to outdated software.
4. Improved System Resilience: Updating the software on your NAS device helps in maintaining its resilience against emerging threats. By staying up-to-date with the latest security measures and patches, you can proactively protect your device from new attack vectors, malware, or other malicious activities.
5. Enhanced Performance and Efficiency: Software updates often include optimizations and performance enhancements that can improve the speed and efficiency of the NAS device. These updates may include improvements to file transfer speeds, data access times, or overall system responsiveness, leading to a better user experience and increased productivity.
6. Access to New Features: Software updates may introduce new features, functionalities, or management capabilities that can enhance the usability and effectiveness of the NAS device. By regularly updating, you can take advantage of these new features and ensure that your device remains up-to-date with the latest advancements in NAS technology.

Overall, regular software updates and patches are crucial for maintaining the security, stability, and performance of NAS Promise VTrak 15110 devices. By staying current with the latest software versions, you can protect your data, ensure system reliability, and maximize the functionality of your NAS device.

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

Although NAS VTrak 15110 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 VTrak 15110. 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

VTrak 15110 has 15 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 VTrak 15110 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