NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-1263U RAID Arrays: Recovering Data from Mechanical and Logical Failures Step-by-Step

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-1263U devices?

User training or education can help in minimizing data loss incidents on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-1263U devices in the following ways:

1. Understanding data backup: Educating users about the importance of regular data backups and demonstrating how to set up and schedule backups on the QNAP Turbo Station can help prevent data loss incidents. Users should be trained on configuring backup jobs, selecting the appropriate backup destination, and verifying the backup process.
2. Security awareness: Users should be educated about the risks of data loss due to security breaches, such as malware attacks or unauthorized access. Training should cover topics like strong password practices, enabling two-factor authentication, and keeping the firmware and applications up to date to mitigate security vulnerabilities.
3. RAID configuration: Users should be trained on the different RAID configurations available on the QNAP Turbo Station and their impact on data redundancy and protection. Understanding RAID levels, such as RAID 1 or RAID 5, can help users choose the appropriate configuration to minimize the risk of data loss in case of drive failures.
4. File system management: Educating users on file system management best practices can help prevent accidental data loss. Users should be trained on proper file organization, avoiding unnecessary file deletions, and using features like file versioning or recycle bins to recover accidentally deleted files.
5. Disaster recovery planning: Users should be trained on disaster recovery planning, including creating and implementing a comprehensive plan for data recovery in case of catastrophic events like hardware failures, natural disasters, or ransomware attacks. Training should cover topics like off-site backups, data replication, and recovery procedures.
6. Regular maintenance and monitoring: Users should be educated about the importance of regular maintenance tasks like firmware updates, disk health monitoring, and regular system checks. Training should emphasize the significance of proactive monitoring and alert systems to identify potential issues before they lead to data loss incidents.

By providing comprehensive training and education to users, they can become more aware of the potential risks and take appropriate measures to prevent data loss incidents on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-1263U devices.

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

Although NAS Turbo Station TS-1263U 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-1263U. 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-1263U has 12 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 50;
• RAID 60;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• 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 Turbo Station TS-1263U 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