NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-864eU-RP RAID Array Format Recovery: What to Do After Format

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-864eU-RP
• How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
  • Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery
  • How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images
  • Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?
  • RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison

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 can regular performance monitoring and optimization help in preventing data loss on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-864eU-RP devices?

Regular performance monitoring and optimization can help in preventing data loss on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-864eU-RP devices in the following ways:

1. Early detection of hardware issues: By monitoring the performance of the NAS device regularly, you can identify any hardware problems that might lead to data loss. For example, if you notice a sudden increase in disk errors or high temperature readings, you can take immediate action to prevent further damage.
2. RAID health monitoring: QNAP Turbo Station TS-864eU-RP devices typically use RAID configurations for data redundancy. Regular monitoring allows you to check the health of RAID arrays, identify any degraded or failed disks, and take appropriate actions such as replacing the faulty drives before data loss occurs.
3. Backup verification: Performance monitoring can help ensure that your backup processes are running smoothly and effectively. You can monitor the backup jobs, check for any errors or failures, and verify the integrity of the backed-up data. This helps in preventing data loss by ensuring that your backups are up-to-date and reliable.
4. Network and connectivity monitoring: Regularly monitoring the network and connectivity of the NAS device helps in identifying any issues that might disrupt data transfer or access. For example, if you notice high latency or packet loss, you can investigate and resolve the network issues promptly to prevent data loss during file transfers.
5. Performance optimization: By monitoring the performance of the NAS device, you can identify any bottlenecks or performance issues that might affect data availability or access. Optimizing the performance by adjusting settings, upgrading hardware, or optimizing network configurations can help prevent data loss due to slow or unresponsive systems.
6. Security monitoring: Regular performance monitoring can also include monitoring for security-related events and vulnerabilities. By staying updated on the latest security patches, monitoring for any unauthorized access attempts or unusual activities, and implementing security best practices, you can prevent data loss due to security breaches or data theft.

In summary, regular performance monitoring and optimization of NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-864eU-RP devices can help in early detection of hardware issues, monitoring RAID health, verifying backups, ensuring network connectivity, optimizing performance, and enhancing security measures. These proactive measures significantly reduce the risk of data loss and improve the overall reliability of the NAS device.

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

Although the NAS Turbo Station TS-864eU-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.

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   How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with QNAP Turbo Station TS-864eU-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.

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How to recover data from a QNAP

Turbo Station TS-864eU-RP has 8 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 50;
• RAID 60;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 10;
• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• ZFS;
• EXT4;
• EXT3;
• exFAT;
• 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.

   

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.

   

Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?

The QNAP Turbo Station TS-864eU-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