How to Recover Data from NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-RP RAID Arrays: Mechanical and Logical Failures Guide

Has your NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-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 from NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-RP RAID Arrays: Mechanical and Logical Failures Guide

QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-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-EC1679U-SAS-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 from NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-RP RAID Arrays: Mechanical and Logical Failures Guide

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.

Can the use of snapshot or versioning features on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-RP devices aid in data recovery after data loss?

Yes, the use of snapshot or versioning features on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-RP devices can aid in data recovery after data loss.

Snapshots are essentially point-in-time copies of the data on the NAS. They capture the state of the data at a specific moment, allowing you to revert to a previous version of the data if it becomes corrupted, deleted, or modified incorrectly. With snapshots, you can easily recover files or folders that were accidentally deleted or modified.

Versioning features, on the other hand, allow you to keep multiple versions of the same file. This can be useful in situations where you need to recover an earlier version of a file or compare different versions to identify changes or discrepancies.

By utilizing these features, you can significantly improve your chances of recovering data after a loss event, such as accidental deletion, malware attack, or hardware failure. It is important to regularly create snapshots or enable versioning to ensure you have multiple restore points to choose from in case of data loss.

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

Although the NAS Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-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-EC1679U-SAS-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-EC1679U-SAS-RP has 16 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.

    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-EC1679U-SAS-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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  • 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-EC1679U-SAS-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 (Secure Shell) and how does it work as a network protocol?

    SSH (Secure Shell) is a network protocol that provides a secure way to access and manage remote systems over an unsecured network. It is widely used in the field of system administration and allows users to securely log into remote systems, execute commands, transfer files, and tunnel network connections.

    SSH works by establishing an encrypted connection between the client and the server. This encryption ensures that the data transmitted between the two ends is protected from eavesdropping, tampering, and other security threats. The encryption is achieved using cryptographic algorithms, such as symmetric encryption for data confidentiality and public-key cryptography for key exchange and authentication.

    When a client initiates an SSH connection to a server, the server presents its public key to the client. The client verifies the authenticity of the server's public key using a pre-established trust relationship or by prompting the user to confirm the fingerprint of the key. Once the server's identity is verified, the client generates a session key and encrypts it using the server's public key. The encrypted session key is sent to the server, which decrypts it using its private key. Both the client and server then use the session key to encrypt and decrypt the data transmitted during the SSH session.

    SSH also supports various authentication methods, including password-based authentication, public-key authentication, and two-factor authentication. These methods provide an additional layer of security by ensuring that only authorized users can access the remote system.

    Overall, SSH provides a secure channel for remote access and management of systems, protecting sensitive data and preventing unauthorized access or interception of network traffic.

  • How does the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-RP utilize SSH for secure remote access and management?

    The NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-RP utilizes SSH (Secure Shell) for secure remote access and management by implementing a secure communication protocol between the client and the server. Here's how it works:

    1. Authentication: SSH uses public-key cryptography to authenticate the client and the server. The NAS generates a pair of cryptographic keys (public and private). The public key is stored on the NAS, while the private key remains with the client.
    2. Encryption: SSH ensures secure communication by encrypting all data transmitted between the client and the server. This prevents unauthorized access to sensitive information, such as login credentials or data being transferred.
    3. Secure Shell Protocol: The NAS runs an SSH server that listens for incoming connections. When a client wants to establish a secure remote connection, it initiates a connection request to the NAS.
    4. Handshake: During the connection establishment, the client and the server perform a handshake process to negotiate the encryption algorithms, exchange keys, and verify the authenticity of the server.
    5. Secure Remote Access: Once the connection is established, the client can securely access the NAS remotely using the SSH protocol. This allows users to execute commands, transfer files, or manage the NAS's settings without the need for physical access.

    Overall, SSH provides a secure and encrypted channel for remote access and management of the NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-RP, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of the data being transmitted.

  • What are the key benefits and features of using SSH protocol in the QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-RP for secure file transfers and data access?

    The key benefits and features of using the SSH protocol in the QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-RP for secure file transfers and data access are:

    1. Secure Communication: SSH (Secure Shell) provides a secure and encrypted communication channel between the client and the Turbo Station. It ensures that data transferred between the two is protected from unauthorized access and eavesdropping.
    2. Secure File Transfers: SSH allows for secure file transfers between the client and the Turbo Station. This means that sensitive data can be transferred without the risk of interception or tampering.
    3. Remote Access: SSH enables remote access to the Turbo Station, allowing users to securely access and manage their files and data from anywhere in the world. This is particularly useful for remote workers or those who need to access their files while on the go.
    4. Command Line Access: SSH provides a command-line interface to the Turbo Station, allowing users to execute commands and perform various administrative tasks remotely. This gives users greater flexibility and control over their Turbo Station.
    5. Strong Authentication: SSH uses public-key cryptography for authentication, ensuring that only authorized users can access the Turbo Station. This adds an extra layer of security and prevents unauthorized access.
    6. Port Forwarding: SSH supports port forwarding, which allows users to securely access services running on the Turbo Station from external networks. This is useful for accessing web applications, FTP servers, or other services hosted on the Turbo Station.
    7. Compatibility: SSH is a widely supported protocol and is compatible with various operating systems and devices. This means that users can securely access and transfer files to and from the Turbo Station using a wide range of devices and platforms.

    Overall, the SSH protocol in the QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC1679U-SAS-RP provides a secure and convenient way to access and transfer files, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of the data.