- 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 QNAP 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 the NAS QNAP EJ1600 device's CPU or processing power affect data transfer and potential loss?
The CPU or processing power of the NAS QNAP EJ1600 device can affect data transfer and potential loss in several ways:
- Data transfer speed: The CPU plays a crucial role in handling data transfer requests and managing network traffic. A more powerful CPU can process these requests faster, resulting in higher data transfer speeds. Conversely, a slower CPU may cause delays in data transfer, especially when dealing with large files or multiple concurrent transfers.
- RAID calculations: The NAS device uses RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) technology to provide data redundancy and protection against disk failures. The CPU performs various calculations related to RAID, such as parity calculations for RAID 5 or RAID 6. A faster CPU can perform these calculations more efficiently, reducing the time required for RAID operations and improving overall data transfer performance.
- Data integrity checks: The CPU is responsible for performing data integrity checks, such as checksum calculations or error correction codes (ECC). These checks ensure that data transferred to and from the NAS device remains intact and error-free. A more powerful CPU can handle these checks more quickly and accurately, reducing the chances of data corruption or loss during transfer.
- Network protocol processing: The CPU also handles the processing of various network protocols, such as TCP/IP, SMB, NFS, or FTP. Efficient processing of these protocols is essential for smooth data transfer and optimal network performance. A faster CPU can handle protocol processing more efficiently, reducing latency and potential data loss during transfer.
- Concurrent user access: The CPU's processing power determines the number of concurrent users or connections the NAS device can handle effectively. If the CPU is underpowered, it may struggle to handle multiple users accessing and transferring data simultaneously. This can lead to slower transfer speeds, increased latency, and potential data loss due to congestion or resource limitations.
In summary, a more powerful CPU in the NAS QNAP EJ1600 device can significantly improve data transfer speeds, reduce latency, enhance data integrity checks, and handle concurrent user access more efficiently. These factors collectively contribute to a lower risk of potential data loss during transfer.
How to take hard disks out of the NAS and connect them to a PC?
Although NAS EJ1600 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:
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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.
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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.
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Make sure to mark each hard disk in accordance with how they were installed inside the NAS.
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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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Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery
This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with QNAP EJ1600. 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.
EJ1600 has 16 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:
- RAID 50;
- RAID 60;
- RAID 6;
- RAID 5;
- RAID 10;
- RAID 0;
- RAID 1;
- JBOD;
NAS supports:
- ZFS;
- EXT4;
- EXT3;
- exFAT;
- FAT32 (External Disk Only);
- NTFS (External Disk Only);
- HFS+ (External Disk Read Only);
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:
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Make sure that you have enough free space to save the image. The image file size usually equals the disk size.
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Select the disk in the main window, and choose from the menu Tools – Save Disk. You can select multiple disks to be saved.
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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.
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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 QNAP EJ1600 network-attached storage keeps QTS (QuTS hero) 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 |
Recovering data from a NAS device that has been affected by a natural disaster such as flooding or earthquake can be challenging, but it is not impossible. Here are a few steps you can take to attempt data recovery:
Remember, the success of data recovery depends on the extent of the damage and the severity of the natural disaster. It is always recommended to have regular data backups to minimize the risk of losing important data in such situations.