Data Recovery After RAID Array Format on NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC880 Pro / TS-EC880U: Essential Tips

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 the number of drives in a NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC880 Pro / TS-EC880U device's RAID array impact data recovery and potential loss?

The number of drives in a NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC880 Pro / TS-EC880U device's RAID array can significantly impact data recovery and potential loss. Here are a few factors to consider:

1. RAID Level: The RAID level chosen for the array determines the level of data redundancy and performance. Common RAID levels include RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, and RAID 10. Each RAID level has different capabilities in terms of data protection and recovery.
2. Data Redundancy: RAID arrays with higher levels of data redundancy (such as RAID 5 and RAID 6) can withstand the failure of one or more drives without losing data. This means that even if a drive fails, the data can be rebuilt from the remaining drives in the array. However, if multiple drives fail simultaneously, the chances of data loss increase.
3. Rebuilding Time: When a drive fails in a RAID array, the system needs to rebuild the data onto a new drive. The time it takes to rebuild the data depends on the number and size of the drives in the array. With larger arrays, the rebuilding process can take longer, increasing the vulnerability to potential data loss during the rebuild.
4. URE (Unrecoverable Read Error) Risk: During the rebuilding process, the remaining drives in the RAID array are heavily stressed. In larger arrays, the likelihood of encountering an Unrecoverable Read Error (URE) increases. If a URE occurs during the rebuild, it can lead to data loss as the system may not be able to reconstruct the data correctly.
5. Backup Strategy: Regardless of the RAID level and the number of drives, having a reliable backup strategy is crucial. RAID arrays are not foolproof, and they cannot protect against all types of data loss scenarios, such as accidental deletion, file corruption, or catastrophic events like fires or floods. Regular backups to an external storage or cloud service can provide an additional layer of protection.

In summary, while increasing the number of drives in a NAS QNAP Turbo Station TS-EC880 Pro / TS-EC880U device's RAID array can enhance data redundancy and performance, it also introduces certain risks. It is essential to choose an appropriate RAID level, regularly monitor the health of the drives, and maintain a robust backup strategy to minimize the potential for data loss and facilitate data recovery if needed.

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

Although NAS Turbo Station TS-EC880 Pro / TS-EC880U 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-EC880 Pro / TS-EC880U. 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-EC880 Pro / TS-EC880U 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);

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-EC880 Pro / TS-EC880U 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