How to recover data from QNAP TX-500P NAS

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.

Are there any recommended steps to take after detecting or suspecting data loss on a NAS QNAP TX-500P device?

If you suspect or detect data loss on a QNAP TX-500P NAS device, here are some recommended steps to take:

1. Stop all read/write operations: Immediately stop any further read or write operations to the affected NAS device. This prevents any new data from overwriting or corrupting the existing data.
2. Verify the data loss: Double-check and verify that data loss has indeed occurred. Ensure that it is not a connectivity issue or a problem with the network. Check if the data is accessible from other devices or users.
3. Check the device health: Inspect the QNAP device for any hardware or software issues. Look for any error messages, disk failures, or abnormal behavior. Ensure that the device firmware and all installed applications are up to date.
4. Contact QNAP support: Reach out to QNAP technical support for assistance. Provide them with detailed information about the issue, including the symptoms, any error messages, and the steps you have taken so far. QNAP support can provide guidance specific to your situation and help troubleshoot the problem.
5. Perform data recovery: If the data loss is confirmed and critical, consider engaging a professional data recovery service. They have specialized tools and expertise to recover data from failed or damaged storage devices. QNAP may also provide suggestions or recommend data recovery partners.
6. Restore from backups: If you have a backup strategy in place, restore the lost data from your backups. Ensure that your backup files are intact and accessible. Regularly test your backup and restore processes to ensure they are working correctly.
7. Prevent future data loss: After recovering or restoring your data, take steps to prevent future data loss. This includes implementing a robust backup strategy, regularly monitoring the health of your NAS device, keeping firmware and applications up to date, and implementing redundancy and RAID configurations for data protection.

Remember, data loss can be a complex issue, and it is essential to seek professional assistance if you are unsure of the steps or lack the technical expertise.

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

Although NAS TX-500P 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 TX-500P. 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

TX-500P has 5 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• 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);

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 TX-500P 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