What to Do When Your NAS QNAP TVS-h1288X RAID Array Breaks: Steps for Recovery and Data Retrieval

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS QNAP TVS-h1288X
• 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 data be recovered from a NAS QNAP TVS-h1288X device after a malfunction or data loss event?

If you experience a malfunction or data loss event on a QNAP TVS-h1288X NAS device, there are several steps you can take to recover your data:

1. Identify the cause of the malfunction: Determine whether the issue is hardware-related, such as a failed hard drive, or software-related, such as a corrupted file system or firmware problem.
2. Contact QNAP support: Reach out to QNAP support for assistance. They can provide guidance specific to your device and help troubleshoot the issue. QNAP also offers data recovery services in certain cases.
3. Replace faulty hardware: If the malfunction is due to a failed hard drive, you may need to replace it. QNAP devices usually support hot-swappable drives, allowing you to replace the faulty drive without turning off the NAS. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for replacing the drive.
4. Restore from backups: If you have a backup of your data, restore it to the NAS device. QNAP NAS devices have built-in backup features, such as QNAP Hybrid Backup Sync, which can help you create and restore backups.
5. Use data recovery software: If you don't have a backup, you can try using data recovery software. Connect the malfunctioning NAS device to a computer and use a reputable data recovery tool to scan for and recover lost files. Ensure you select a software that supports QNAP NAS devices.
6. Seek professional data recovery services: If the above steps don't yield satisfactory results, you can consider professional data recovery services. There are specialized data recovery companies that can assist in recovering data from malfunctioning or damaged NAS devices. However, this option can be expensive.

Remember, it's crucial to avoid further writes or changes to the NAS device after data loss to prevent overwriting the lost data.

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

Although the NAS TVS-h1288X 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

Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with QNAP TVS-h1288X. 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

TVS-h1288X has 12 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 50;
• RAID 60;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 5;
• 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 TVS-h1288X 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