RAID Controller Failure on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-253 Pro / TS-253Be: Data Recovery Steps and Consequences

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-253 Pro / TS-253Be device's RAID array impact data recovery and potential loss?

The number of drives in a NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-253 Pro / TS-253Be device's RAID array can impact data recovery and potential loss in the following ways:

1. Data redundancy: RAID arrays are designed to provide data redundancy by distributing data across multiple drives. The more drives you have in the array, the higher the level of redundancy and protection against data loss. For example, a RAID 1 array with two drives mirrors data between them, offering a higher level of redundancy than a single drive. If one drive fails, the other drive can still provide access to the data.
2. Fault tolerance: The number of drives in a RAID array affects its fault tolerance. Different RAID levels offer varying degrees of fault tolerance, and the number of drives can impact this. For example, RAID 5 requires a minimum of three drives, where one drive can fail without losing data. Adding more drives can increase the fault tolerance further. If multiple drives fail in a RAID array without sufficient fault tolerance, data loss can occur.
3. Rebuilding time: When a drive fails in a RAID array, the remaining drives need to rebuild the data onto a replacement drive. The number of drives impacts the time required for this rebuilding process. With more drives, the rebuild time can be longer, increasing the vulnerability to data loss during the rebuild process. If another drive fails during this time, it can lead to permanent data loss.
4. Performance impact: The number of drives in a RAID array can also affect the performance of the NAS device. Different RAID levels distribute data and workload differently across the drives, impacting read and write speeds. Adding more drives can increase the overall performance of the array, but it also introduces more complexity and potential points of failure.

In summary, having more drives in a NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-253 Pro / TS-253Be device's RAID array generally provides better data redundancy, fault tolerance, and performance. However, it also increases the complexity and potential risks of data loss during drive failures or rebuild processes. It is essential to choose the appropriate RAID level and regularly backup data to mitigate the potential risks.

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

Although NAS Turbo Station TS-253 Pro / TS-253Be 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-253 Pro / TS-253Be. 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-253 Pro / TS-253Be 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-253 Pro / TS-253Be 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