Mechanical and Logical Failures in NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-1635 RAID Arrays: Recovery Tips and Strategies

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-1635
• 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.

Are there any recommended practices for regular testing and validation of data backups to prevent potential loss on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-1635 devices?

Yes, there are several recommended practices for regular testing and validation of data backups on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-1635 devices to prevent potential data loss. Here are some best practices:

1. Regular Backup Schedule: Set up a regular backup schedule to ensure that your data is backed up at frequent intervals. This can be done daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on your data usage and criticality.
2. Multiple Backup Copies: Maintain multiple backup copies of your data. This can include both onsite and offsite backups. Onsite backups can be stored on separate hard drives or RAID arrays within the NAS device, while offsite backups can be stored in a different physical location or on cloud storage services.
3. Verify Backup Integrity: After each backup, verify the integrity of the backup files. QNAP Turbo Station TS-1635 devices provide data verification options such as CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) and MD5 checksum. Use these features to ensure that the backup files are not corrupted.
4. Regular Restore Tests: Perform regular restore tests to ensure that your backups are working correctly. Select random files or folders from the backup and restore them to a different location or a test machine. This will help identify any issues with the backup process or backup media.
5. Monitor Backup Status: QNAP Turbo Station TS-1635 devices provide monitoring and notification features. Enable notifications for backup completion, failures, or any other critical events. Regularly review the backup logs and status to ensure backups are running smoothly.
6. Offsite Backup: Consider setting up an offsite backup solution. This can involve using cloud storage services or replicating data to another QNAP NAS device located in a different physical location. Offsite backups provide an additional layer of protection against physical damage or theft.
7. Regular Firmware Updates: Keep your NAS device's firmware up to date. Firmware updates often include bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements. Regularly check for firmware updates and apply them as recommended by QNAP.

By following these recommended practices, you can minimize the risk of data loss and ensure that your data backups on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-1635 devices are reliable and effective.

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

Although the NAS Turbo Station TS-1635 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 Turbo Station TS-1635. 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

Turbo Station TS-1635 has 16 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);

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 Turbo Station TS-1635 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