NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-231 / TS-231+ / TS-231K RAID Controller Failure: Causes, Effects, and Recovery

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 the number of drives in a NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-231 / TS-231+ / TS-231K device's RAID array impact data recovery and potential loss?

The number of drives in a NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-231 / TS-231+ / TS-231K device's RAID array can have a significant impact on data recovery and potential loss. Here are a few factors to consider:

1. Redundancy: RAID arrays are designed to provide redundancy by distributing data across multiple drives. The more drives you have in your RAID array, the higher the level of redundancy and fault tolerance. For example, a RAID 1 configuration with two drives can tolerate the failure of one drive, while a RAID 5 with three or more drives can tolerate the failure of a single drive. If you have fewer drives in your array, the loss of a single drive can result in data loss.
2. Performance: The number of drives in a RAID array can also impact performance. In general, more drives can provide higher read and write speeds, as the workload is distributed across multiple drives. However, the performance gain may not be linear, and there can be diminishing returns beyond a certain number of drives.
3. Rebuild Time: When a drive fails in a RAID array, the data from the failed drive needs to be rebuilt onto a replacement drive. The larger the RAID array, the longer it takes to rebuild the data. During the rebuild process, the remaining drives are under increased stress, which can increase the risk of additional drive failures. If multiple drives fail during the rebuild process, it can result in data loss.
4. Cost: The number of drives in a RAID array also impacts the overall cost. More drives mean higher upfront costs, as you need to purchase additional drives. Additionally, the cost of maintaining and replacing drives in the future also increases with the number of drives in the array.

In summary, while having more drives in a NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-231 / TS-231+ / TS-231K device's RAID array can provide higher redundancy and performance, it also increases the risk of data loss during drive failures and longer rebuild times. It is important to carefully consider your data protection needs, budget, and performance requirements when deciding on the number of drives in your RAID array.

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

Although NAS Turbo Station TS-231 / TS-231+ / TS-231K 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-231 / TS-231+ / TS-231K. 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-231 / TS-231+ / TS-231K 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);

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-231 / TS-231+ / TS-231K 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