NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-364 RAID Controller Failure: Causes, Recovery Strategies, 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 a NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-364 device's cache settings impact data loss risks?

The cache settings on a QNAP Turbo Station TS-364 device can impact data loss risks in the following ways:

1. Write Cache: The device may have a write cache feature that temporarily stores data before writing it to the hard drives. If the write cache is enabled, it can improve performance by allowing the device to acknowledge write operations faster. However, if there is a power outage or system failure before the data is written to the hard drives, the cached data may be lost, leading to potential data loss.
2. Read Cache: The device may also have a read cache feature that stores frequently accessed data in faster cache memory for quicker access. While read cache generally improves performance, it can introduce a risk of data loss if the cache becomes corrupted or if there is a failure in the cache memory. In such cases, the data stored in the cache may become inaccessible or lost.
3. RAID Configuration: The NAS device may support RAID configurations for data redundancy and protection against drive failures. However, enabling cache settings on a RAID configuration can increase the risk of data loss. If the cache is not properly synchronized with the RAID array, it can result in data inconsistencies or loss during a failure or rebuild process.

To mitigate data loss risks with cache settings, it is important to:

• Regularly backup critical data to an external storage device or cloud storage.
• Use a reliable uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to protect against power outages.
• Ensure that the NAS device's firmware is up to date to benefit from bug fixes and performance improvements.
• Monitor the device's health and performance regularly to identify any potential issues with the cache or hard drives.
• Follow best practices recommended by the manufacturer, such as disabling write cache during critical operations or configuring cache settings according to the specific needs of your environment.

It is always advisable to consult the user manual or contact QNAP support for specific guidance on cache settings and data loss risks for your particular model of Turbo Station NAS device.

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

Although NAS Turbo Station TS-364 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-364. 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-364 has 3 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 5;
• 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-364 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