How to Recover Data After RAID Array Format on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP: Recovery Best Practices

Has your NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP 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?

How to Recover Data After RAID Array Format on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP: Recovery Best Practices
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QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP 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-453DU / TS-453DU-RP. We’ll walk through the most common causes of failure and demonstrate proven methods to restore files from a lost or degraded RAID array.

How to Recover Data After RAID Array Format on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP: Recovery Best Practices

RAID Recovery™ 2.8
Recover data from damaged RAID arrays inaccessible from a computer.
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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.

How does a NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP device store and manage data?

The QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP is a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device that is designed to store and manage data in a centralized location. Here's how it stores and manages data:

  1. Storage Capacity: The TS-453DU comes with four drive bays, allowing you to install up to four hard drives or solid-state drives (SSDs). The device supports various RAID configurations (RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60, or JBOD) to provide data redundancy and improve performance.
  2. File System: The TS-453DU uses the QTS operating system, which supports multiple file systems such as ext4, NTFS, and FAT32. These file systems allow the device to store and manage different types of data, including documents, photos, videos, and more.
  3. Data Access: The NAS device provides various methods to access and manage data. It supports file sharing protocols like SMB/CIFS, AFP, and NFS, enabling seamless file sharing across different operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux). Additionally, it supports FTP, SFTP, and WebDAV protocols for remote access to files.
  4. Data Protection: The TS-453DU offers multiple data protection features. It supports snapshots, which allow you to take point-in-time copies of your data, ensuring quick recovery in case of accidental deletion or data corruption. It also supports data encryption to protect sensitive information stored on the device.
  5. Data Management: The device comes with a web-based management interface called QTS, which provides a user-friendly dashboard to manage your data. QTS offers various features like file/folder management, file search, file sharing, and user access control. It also supports backup and synchronization options to ensure data redundancy and easy data management.
  6. Additional Features: The TS-453DU offers additional features like multimedia streaming, virtualization support, surveillance station, and app center. These features allow you to stream media files to different devices, run virtual machines, set up a surveillance system, and install additional applications to extend the functionality of the NAS.

Overall, the QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP provides a robust storage solution with data protection, easy management, and various features to meet the storage needs of individuals and small businesses.

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

Although the NAS Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP 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-453DU / TS-453DU-RP. 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-453DU / TS-453DU-RP 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);

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-453DU / TS-453DU-RP 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.

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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Comments (1)

  • 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-453DU / TS-453DU-RP, 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 is SSH and how does it work in the context of network security?

    SSH stands for Secure Shell, and it is a cryptographic network protocol used for secure remote login, command execution, and file transfer between computers over an insecure network. It provides a secure channel over an unsecured network by encrypting the data that is being transmitted.

    In the context of network security, SSH plays a crucial role in ensuring secure communication between a client and a server. It uses public-key cryptography to authenticate the remote computer and allow the user to securely log in. Here's how it works:

    1. Authentication: When a client initiates an SSH connection, the server presents its public key to the client. The client then verifies this key and generates a session key to encrypt the communication.
    2. Encryption: Once the authentication is successful, SSH establishes an encrypted connection between the client and server. All data transmitted over this connection is encrypted, ensuring confidentiality.
    3. Data Integrity: SSH also ensures data integrity by using cryptographic hash functions. It generates a hash of the transmitted data and sends it along with the encrypted data. The receiving end verifies the integrity of the data by comparing the received hash with its own calculation.
    4. Port Forwarding: SSH allows secure port forwarding, also known as SSH tunneling. It enables a user to securely access services on a remote server through an encrypted connection. This feature is widely used to secure access to services like databases, web servers, and other network resources.

    Overall, SSH provides a secure and encrypted communication channel, protecting sensitive data from eavesdropping, tampering, and unauthorized access. It is widely used in network security to secure remote administration, file transfers, and other network services.

  • How does the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP utilize SSH protocol for remote access and secure file transfer?

    The NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP utilizes the SSH (Secure Shell) protocol for remote access and secure file transfer in the following ways:

    1. Secure Remote Access: SSH provides a secure and encrypted channel for remote access to the NAS. Users can connect to the NAS using SSH clients, such as PuTTY or OpenSSH, and securely manage the NAS remotely.
    2. Secure File Transfer: SSH also enables secure file transfer between the NAS and remote devices. Users can use SCP (Secure Copy) or SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) to transfer files securely over the SSH connection. These protocols encrypt the data during transit, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of the transferred files.
    3. Authentication and Encryption: SSH uses public-key cryptography for authentication, ensuring secure access to the NAS. Users can generate SSH key pairs and upload their public keys to the NAS for authentication. This eliminates the need for passwords and provides a more secure authentication method. Additionally, SSH encrypts the data exchanged between the NAS and remote devices, protecting it from eavesdropping or tampering.
    4. Port Forwarding: The NAS also supports SSH port forwarding, which allows users to securely access other services or devices within the local network through the SSH tunnel. This feature enhances security by enabling encrypted access to services that may not natively support encryption.

    Overall, the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP leverages the SSH protocol to provide secure remote access and file transfer capabilities, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and authentication of data exchanged between the NAS and remote devices.

  • Can you explain the advantages and benefits of using SSH protocol in the QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP NAS system?

    The SSH (Secure Shell) protocol offers several advantages and benefits when used in the QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP NAS system:

    1. Secure remote access: SSH provides a secure and encrypted channel for remote access to the NAS system. It ensures that the communication between the client and the NAS is protected from eavesdropping or tampering by unauthorized entities.
    2. Enhanced data security: By using SSH, all data transferred between the client and the NAS is encrypted, preventing any potential interception or data breaches. This is particularly important when accessing sensitive or confidential information stored on the NAS.
    3. Secure file transfers: SSH protocol supports secure file transfers through protocols like SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) and SCP (Secure Copy Protocol). These protocols allow you to transfer files securely between the NAS and remote devices, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of the data being transferred.
    4. Remote management and administration: SSH enables remote management and administration of the NAS system. With SSH access, administrators can securely configure, monitor, and troubleshoot the NAS from anywhere, without the need for physical access to the device.
    5. Command-line access: SSH provides command-line access to the NAS system, allowing administrators to execute various commands and perform advanced configurations. This gives more flexibility and control over the system compared to web-based interfaces.
    6. Automation and scripting: SSH can be used to automate tasks and create scripts for managing the NAS system. This allows administrators to streamline repetitive tasks, schedule backups, and perform other operations programmatically.
    7. Compatibility and interoperability: SSH is a widely adopted protocol and is supported by various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. This ensures compatibility and interoperability when accessing the QNAP Turbo Station NAS from different client devices.

    Overall, using SSH in the QNAP Turbo Station TS-453DU / TS-453DU-RP NAS system enhances security, enables remote management, facilitates secure file transfers, and provides flexibility and automation capabilities.
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