Data Recovery After RAID Array Format on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-453BT3 / TS-453BU: Step-by-Step 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.

Are there any recommended practices for regular testing and validation of data backups to prevent potential loss on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-453BT3 / TS-453BU devices?

Yes, there are recommended practices for regular testing and validation of data backups on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-453BT3 / TS-453BU devices to prevent potential data loss. Here are some best practices you can follow:

1. Regular Backup Schedule: Set up a regular backup schedule to ensure that your important data is backed up at regular intervals. This can be done daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on the frequency of data changes.
2. Multiple Backup Copies: Maintain multiple backup copies of your data. This can include having onsite backups on the NAS device itself and offsite backups stored in a different location or on cloud storage.
3. Verify Backup Integrity: After each backup, verify the integrity of the backup files. QNAP NAS devices often provide options to perform data verification to ensure that the backup files are intact and can be restored if needed.
4. Test Data Restoration: Periodically test the restoration process by restoring a sample of your backed-up data. This will help ensure that the backup files are valid and can be successfully restored in case of a data loss event.
5. Use RAID or Data Redundancy: Configure your QNAP NAS device with RAID or other data redundancy options to protect against disk failures. This will help prevent data loss in case of a hardware failure.
6. Monitor Backup Status: Monitor the backup status and logs regularly to ensure that backups are running as expected and there are no errors or failures. This will help you identify any issues early on and take appropriate action.
7. Keep Firmware Updated: Keep your QNAP NAS firmware up to date to ensure that you have the latest bug fixes and security patches. This will help maintain the stability and reliability of your backup system.
8. Regularly Review Backup Strategy: Periodically review and reassess your backup strategy to ensure it aligns with your data protection needs. As your data grows or changes, you may need to adjust your backup schedule or storage capacity accordingly.

By following these recommended practices, you can minimize the risk of potential data loss and ensure the reliability of your backups on QNAP Turbo Station TS-453BT3 / TS-453BU devices.

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

Although NAS Turbo Station TS-453BT3 / TS-453BU 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-453BT3 / TS-453BU. 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-453BT3 / TS-453BU has 4 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 10;
• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• ZFS;
• 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-453BT3 / TS-453BU network-attached storage keeps QTS (QuTS hero) 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