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

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Promise VTrak 15110
• How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
  • Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery
  • How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images
  • Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?
  • RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison

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 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 Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC

Although the NAS VTrak 15110 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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Label each hard disk according to its position inside the NAS. The order of the drives is crucial for correct RAID reconstruction.

4. 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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   How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Promise VTrak 15110. 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.

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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;

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:

1. Ensure you have enough free space to store the image. Its size will typically match the size of the original disk.

2. In the main window, select the target disk and choose Tools - Save Disk. You can also select multiple disks if needed.

3. 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.

   

4. 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 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.

RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison