- 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 conducting regular backups on external storage devices mitigate data loss risks for NAS QNAP TES-3085U(QES) devices?
Conducting regular backups on external storage devices can mitigate data loss risks for NAS QNAP TES-3085U(QES) devices in the following ways:
- Redundancy: By backing up data on external storage devices, you create a redundant copy of your important files and data. In case of any data loss or corruption on the primary NAS device, you can restore the data from the external backup, ensuring its availability and integrity.
- Disaster Recovery: External backups provide a means to recover data in case of a catastrophic event like hardware failure, natural disasters, or ransomware attacks. By regularly backing up data, you can restore the entire system or specific files and folders to a previous state, minimizing downtime and ensuring business continuity.
- Protection against Human Errors: Accidental deletion, overwriting, or modification of important files can happen due to human errors. By having backups on external storage devices, you can retrieve the previous versions of files or restore them entirely, mitigating the risk of permanent data loss.
- Off-site Storage: Storing backups on external devices allows you to keep them off-site, away from the primary NAS device. This protects your data from physical damage, theft, or other local incidents that may affect the primary device. Off-site backups provide an extra layer of security and ensure that your data is safe even if the primary NAS device is compromised.
- Versioning and Point-in-Time Recovery: Some backup solutions offer versioning and point-in-time recovery features. This allows you to restore specific versions of files or recover data from a specific point in time, which can be crucial in case of data corruption or accidental changes.
- Flexibility and Portability: External storage devices provide flexibility in terms of storage capacity and portability. You can choose the appropriate size of the external device based on your backup needs and easily transfer the backups to different locations if required.
It is important to establish a regular backup schedule, ensure the integrity of the backups, and periodically test the restoration process to guarantee the effectiveness of your backup strategy.
How to take hard disks out of the NAS and connect them to a PC?
Although NAS TES-3085U(QES) 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 TES-3085U(QES). 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.
How to recover data from a QNAP
TES-3085U(QES) has 30 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 TES-3085U(QES) 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 |
Data recovery from a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device like the QNAP TES-3085U(QES) can be a complex process and often requires professional assistance. Here are a few reasons why professional help may be necessary:
While some individuals with technical expertise and experience may be able to perform basic data recovery tasks on a NAS device, it is generally recommended to consult professional data recovery services for more complex cases or situations where the data is critical.