How to Recover Data from NAS QNAP NMP-1000P RAID Arrays: Mechanical and Logical Failures

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS QNAP NMP-1000P
• 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 QNAP 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 a NAS QNAP NMP-1000P device's network throughput or bandwidth capacity affect data transfer and potential loss?

The network throughput or bandwidth capacity of a NAS QNAP NMP-1000P device can have a significant impact on data transfer and potential loss. Here are a few ways it can affect these factors:

1. Transfer Speed: The network throughput determines the maximum speed at which data can be transferred between the NAS device and other network devices. If the network throughput is low, it will result in slower data transfer speeds, leading to longer transfer times for large files or data sets.
2. Latency: Network throughput also affects the latency or delay in data transfer. Higher network throughput allows for faster data transmission, reducing the latency and improving the overall responsiveness of the NAS device.
3. Concurrent Connections: The network throughput capacity determines the number of concurrent connections the NAS device can handle effectively. If the capacity is limited, it may result in slower data transfer or even connection drops when multiple users or devices are accessing the NAS simultaneously.
4. Data Loss: Inadequate network throughput can increase the chances of data loss during transfer. Insufficient bandwidth may cause packet loss or corruption, leading to incomplete or corrupted files on the destination device.
5. Performance Bottleneck: If the network throughput of the NAS device is lower than the network capacity of other devices on the network, it can become a performance bottleneck. This means that even if the NAS device itself has high-speed storage and processing capabilities, the network throughput limitation will restrict the overall data transfer performance.

To mitigate these issues, it is essential to ensure that the NAS device has sufficient network bandwidth capacity to handle the expected data transfer requirements. This can be achieved by using high-speed network interfaces (e.g., Gigabit Ethernet or higher) and optimizing the network infrastructure to support the desired throughput.

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

Although the NAS NMP-1000P 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 QNAP NMP-1000P. 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 QNAP

NMP-1000P has 1 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• Q-RAID 1;

NAS supports:

• FAT32 (External Disk Only);
• NTFS (External Disk Only);
• HFS+ (External Disk Read Only);

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 QNAP NMP-1000P 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.

RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison