RAID Array Recovery on NAS QNAP ES1686dc: What to Do When It’s Not Working

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 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 regular software updates and patches enhance the security and stability of NAS QNAP ES1686dc devices?

Regular software updates and patches can enhance the security and stability of NAS QNAP ES1686dc 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 your NAS device, you ensure that any identified security flaws are addressed, reducing the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches.
2. Bug Fixes and Stability Improvements: Updates and patches also address software bugs and stability issues. These fixes can help improve the overall performance and reliability of the NAS device, minimizing the chances of system crashes, data corruption, or other stability-related problems.
3. Compatibility with Newer Technologies: As technology evolves, new features and functionalities are introduced. Regular updates ensure that your NAS device remains compatible with the latest technologies, protocols, and security standards. This compatibility is crucial for maintaining the device's security posture and ensuring seamless integration with other systems.
4. Security Feature Enhancements: Updates may introduce new security features or enhancements to existing ones. These can include improvements in encryption algorithms, access controls, authentication mechanisms, or additional security options. By keeping your NAS device up to date, you can take advantage of these enhanced security features to strengthen the overall security of your data.
5. Protection Against Emerging Threats: Cyber threats are constantly evolving, and attackers are always discovering new techniques to exploit vulnerabilities. Regular updates help protect your NAS device against emerging threats by patching known vulnerabilities and implementing security measures to counter new attack vectors.
6. Compliance with Industry Standards: Many industries have specific security and compliance requirements that organizations must adhere to. Regular updates ensure that your NAS device remains compliant with the latest industry standards and regulations, providing assurance to auditors and regulators that appropriate security measures are in place.

It is essential to regularly check for updates and patches provided by QNAP for your specific NAS model and apply them promptly to ensure the security and stability of your device.

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

Although NAS ES1686dc 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 QNAP ES1686dc. 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 QNAP

ES1686dc 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:

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 QNAP ES1686dc 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