NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-210 RAID Controller Failure: Causes, Recovery Methods, and Consequences

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-210
• 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 storage tiering or caching strategies impact data availability and potential loss on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-210 devices?

Storage tiering and caching strategies can have a significant impact on data availability and potential loss on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-210 devices. Here are a few key points to consider:

1. Data Availability: Storage tiering and caching strategies aim to improve data availability by optimizing data placement and access. By using high-speed cache devices or tiering data across different storage media (e.g., SSDs and HDDs), frequently accessed data can be stored on faster storage tiers, ensuring quicker access and improved availability.
2. Performance: Caching strategies, such as using SSDs as a cache layer, can significantly enhance read and write performance. This can lead to faster data retrieval and improved overall system performance, ensuring data availability.
3. Data Loss Potential: While storage tiering and caching strategies can enhance performance, there is a potential risk of data loss. If the cache or tiering mechanism fails, there is a possibility of losing data that has not been fully written to the primary storage. It is crucial to have appropriate backup and redundancy mechanisms in place to mitigate this risk.
4. Backup and Recovery: Implementing a robust backup strategy is essential to ensure data availability and protect against potential loss. Regularly backing up data to external storage, cloud storage, or another NAS system helps to safeguard against any issues with caching or tiering mechanisms.
5. Data Placement Policies: Properly configuring the storage tiering and caching policies is crucial to optimize data availability. For example, frequently accessed data should be placed on faster storage tiers, while less accessed data can be stored on slower tiers. It is important to understand the data access patterns and set up appropriate policies accordingly.
6. Monitoring and Maintenance: Regular monitoring and maintenance of the storage tiering and caching mechanisms are necessary to ensure optimal performance and data availability. This includes monitoring cache utilization, health checks, and firmware updates to address any potential issues or vulnerabilities.

Overall, implementing storage tiering and caching strategies can greatly enhance data availability and performance on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-210 devices. However, it is essential to carefully plan and configure these strategies, implement proper backup mechanisms, and regularly monitor and maintain the system to minimize the risk of data loss.

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

Although the NAS Turbo Station TS-210 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-210. 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-210 has 2 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• EXT4;
• EXT3;
• 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-210 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.

RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison