How to recover data from QNAP Turbo Station TS-119 / TS-119P II / TS-119P+ NAS

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 user training or education help in minimizing data loss incidents on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-119 / TS-119P II / TS-119P+ devices?

User training and education can help minimize data loss incidents on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-119 / TS-119P II / TS-119P+ devices in the following ways:

1. Understanding Backup and Redundancy: Users should be educated about the importance of regular backups and implementing redundancy measures. They should learn how to set up and schedule backups to external devices or cloud storage, ensuring that critical data is always protected.
2. Security Awareness: Users should be trained on basic security practices, such as creating strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and regularly updating firmware and software. They should also be made aware of common security threats like phishing attacks and social engineering, which can lead to data loss.
3. Access Control and User Permissions: Users should understand how to properly manage access control and user permissions on the NAS device. This includes creating individual user accounts, assigning appropriate access rights, and regularly reviewing and updating permissions to prevent unauthorized access or accidental deletion of data.
4. RAID Configuration and Maintenance: Users should be educated about the different RAID configurations available on their NAS device and how to choose the appropriate one based on their needs. They should also learn how to monitor the health of RAID arrays, replace faulty drives, and rebuild RAID configurations to prevent data loss in case of drive failures.
5. Firmware and Software Updates: Users should be trained on the importance of regularly updating the firmware and software on their NAS device. These updates often include security patches and bug fixes that can help prevent vulnerabilities and potential data loss incidents.
6. Data Recovery Procedures: Users should be familiarized with the data recovery procedures provided by QNAP for their specific NAS model. This includes understanding how to perform data recovery from backups, utilizing QNAP's recovery tools, or seeking professional assistance if required.

By providing comprehensive training and education on these aspects, users can become more aware and proactive in safeguarding their data, thus minimizing the risk of data loss incidents on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-119 / TS-119P II / TS-119P+ devices.

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

Although NAS Turbo Station TS-119 / TS-119P II / TS-119P+ 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 Turbo Station TS-119 / TS-119P II / TS-119P+. 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

Turbo Station TS-119 / TS-119P II / TS-119P+ has 1 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• Q-RAID 1;

NAS supports:

• EXT4;
• EXT3;
• 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 Turbo Station TS-119 / TS-119P II / TS-119P+ network-attached storage keeps QTS 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