NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 RAID Controller Failure: Causes, Recovery Steps, and Consequences

Has your NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 suddenly lost its network drive and you’re unsure what to do next? Did the RAID array collapse, making your files inaccessible? Is the device throwing errors during startup? Perhaps you accidentally rebuilt the RAID array or several hard drives failed at the same time?

NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 RAID Controller Failure: Causes, Recovery Steps, and Consequences
Data Recovery Tool

QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS Data Recovery in 2025

In this step-by-step tutorial, we’ll show you how to rebuild your RAID and recover data from an Turbo Station TS-221. We’ll walk through the most common causes of failure and demonstrate proven methods to restore files from a lost or degraded RAID array.

NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 RAID Controller Failure: Causes, Recovery Steps, and Consequences

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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.

What data recovery services or software options are available for NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 devices?

There are several data recovery services and software options available for NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 devices. Some popular options include:

  1. QNAP Data Recovery Service: QNAP offers its own data recovery service for QNAP NAS devices, including the TS-221. You can contact QNAP support to inquire about their data recovery service.
  2. Stellar Data Recovery: Stellar Data Recovery is a well-known data recovery software that supports NAS devices, including QNAP NAS. It offers a range of features to recover lost or deleted data from NAS devices.
  3. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard: EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is another popular data recovery software that supports QNAP NAS devices. It allows you to recover deleted or lost files from NAS drives with ease.
  4. R-Studio: R-Studio is a comprehensive data recovery software that supports various NAS devices, including QNAP NAS. It offers advanced features for recovering data from RAID arrays and NAS devices.
  5. Ontrack Data Recovery: Ontrack is a professional data recovery service provider that offers services for QNAP NAS devices. They have expertise in recovering data from various storage devices, including NAS drives.

It is important to note that data recovery success may vary depending on the extent of data loss and the condition of the NAS device. It is recommended to consult with a professional data recovery service provider or try different software options to increase the chances of successful data recovery.

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

Although the NAS Turbo Station TS-221 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.

    Go to view
    How to Order Remote Data Recovery

    How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery

Hetman Raid Recovery

This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with QNAP Turbo Station TS-221. 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.

Go to view
How to recover data from a QNAP

How to recover data from a QNAP

Turbo Station TS-221 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.

    Hetman RAID Recovery: Image Creation Wizard

  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.

    Hetman RAID Recovery: Choose a disk or save the image via FTP

Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?

The QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 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

Product Operating system RAID controller support Supported file systems Virtual RAID controller support Data recovery from damaged RAID File preview
Hetman RAID Recovery Windows, Linux, MacOS Yes, over 100 controllers FAT, exFAT, NTFS, ReFS, APFS, HFS+, Ext4, Ext3, Ext2, ReiserFS, Btrfs, VMFS, Hikvision, XFS, UFS, ZFS Yes Yes Yes
DiskInternals RAID Recovery Windows Yes, over 10 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ No Yes Yes
R-Studio Windows, Mac, Linux Yes, over 20 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ Yes Yes Yes
UFS Explorer RAID Recovery Windows, Mac, Linux Yes, over 100 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ Yes Yes Yes
EaseUS Data Recovery Windows Yes, over 20 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ No Yes Yes
ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery Windows Yes, over 100 controllers FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ Yes Yes Yes

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  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 9.08.2022 12:31 #
    If you want to ask a question about data recovery, from NAS Turbo Station TS-221, feel free to leave a comment!
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Vladimir Artiukh

Author: Vladimir Artiukh, Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: Oleg Afonin, Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • What are the steps to set up iTunes on a QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS for media storage and streaming?

    To set up iTunes on a QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS for media storage and streaming, follow these steps:

    1. Connect your QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS to your network and make sure it is powered on.
    2. Open a web browser on your computer and enter the IP address of your QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS to access its web interface.
    3. Log in to the QNAP web interface using your administrator credentials.
    4. Once logged in, navigate to the "App Center" or "App Center Lite" section in the web interface.
    5. In the App Center, search for "iTunes Server" or "iTunes Media Server" and click on the appropriate result.
    6. Click on the "Install" button to install the iTunes Server application on your QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS.
    7. Once the installation is complete, go to the "Control Panel" section in the web interface.
    8. In the Control Panel, click on "Multimedia" or "Media" settings.
    9. Look for the "iTunes Server" or "iTunes Media Server" option and enable it.
    10. Configure the iTunes Server settings according to your preferences, such as setting a server name, enabling or disabling sharing, etc.
    11. Click on "Apply" or "Save" to save the settings.
    12. On your computer, open iTunes and go to the "Preferences" or "Settings" menu.
    13. In the Preferences/Settings menu, go to the "Advanced" tab.
    14. Check the box next to "Share iTunes Library XML with other applications" and click on "OK" or "Apply" to save the settings.
    15. Your QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS should now appear in the "Shared" section of iTunes.
    16. You can now add media files to your QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS by either copying them directly to the NAS or using the QNAP file management interface.
    17. To stream media from your QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS, simply select the media files from the iTunes library and play them as you would with any other iTunes library.

    Note: It is important to ensure that your media files are in a compatible format for iTunes and that they are stored in a location accessible by the QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS.

  • Can the QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS support iTunes Home Sharing for seamless media access across multiple devices?

    Yes, the QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS supports iTunes Home Sharing. It allows you to share your media library across multiple devices, including Apple devices, for seamless access and streaming.

  • Are there any limitations or compatibility issues when using iTunes on a QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS, and how can they be resolved?

    There may be some limitations and compatibility issues when using iTunes on a QNAP Turbo Station TS-221 NAS. Here are a few potential issues and possible resolutions:

    1. NAS Performance: The TS-221 NAS may not have the same performance capabilities as a dedicated computer running iTunes. This could lead to slower response times, especially when dealing with a large library or streaming media. To resolve this, ensure that your NAS has sufficient resources (CPU, RAM, etc.) and consider upgrading if necessary.
    2. iTunes Version: QNAP NAS devices often run a modified version of iTunes, which may not always be the latest version available. This could result in compatibility issues with certain features or devices. Check for firmware updates from QNAP to ensure you have the latest iTunes version compatible with your NAS.
    3. AirPlay Compatibility: AirPlay streaming from iTunes on the NAS to external devices may not work seamlessly due to network configurations or limitations. Ensure that your NAS and the device you're streaming to are on the same network and that AirPlay is enabled and properly configured on both.
    4. Music Library Access: While iTunes on a NAS can store and manage your music library, accessing it from other devices (such as iPhones or iPads) may require additional steps. You may need to configure Home Sharing or use third-party apps to access and stream your iTunes library from external devices.
    5. Third-Party Apps: QNAP NAS devices have a range of third-party apps available, including media servers and music players. These apps can provide alternative ways to access and stream your iTunes library, potentially offering better compatibility and performance. Explore the QNAP App Center for apps that suit your needs.

    It's important to note that compatibility and limitations can vary depending on the specific model of the QNAP Turbo Station NAS and the version of iTunes installed. Review the QNAP documentation, user forums, and support resources for your specific NAS model to find more detailed information and solutions.
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