Home NAS QNAP VS-8140 Pro+ Data Recovery: Features and Options

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS QNAP VS-8140 Pro+
• 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 system monitoring and alerting help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS QNAP VS-8140 Pro+ devices?

Regular system monitoring and alerting can help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS QNAP VS-8140 Pro+ devices by providing the following benefits:

1. Proactive monitoring: Regular system monitoring allows administrators to monitor the health and performance of the NAS device. By monitoring key metrics such as CPU usage, memory utilization, disk health, and network traffic, administrators can identify any abnormal behavior or potential issues that may lead to data loss.
2. Resource utilization monitoring: Monitoring resource utilization helps administrators identify any spikes or unusual patterns in CPU or memory usage. This can indicate potential issues such as malware infection or unauthorized access attempts, which can lead to data loss.
3. Disk monitoring: Monitoring the health of the NAS disks is crucial in preventing data loss. Regular monitoring can help identify early signs of disk failure or degradation, such as bad sectors or increasing read/write errors. By detecting these issues early on, administrators can take necessary actions such as replacing the faulty disk or initiating data backup and restoration processes.
4. RAID array monitoring: NAS devices often use RAID configurations for data redundancy and protection against disk failures. Monitoring the RAID array ensures its integrity and identifies any issues that may impact data availability. For example, monitoring can detect a failed disk in a RAID array and trigger automatic rebuild processes to prevent data loss.
5. Network monitoring: Monitoring network traffic and access logs can help identify any suspicious activities or unauthorized access attempts. This can help administrators detect potential security breaches or data breaches, allowing them to take immediate actions to prevent data loss.
6. Alerting mechanisms: Setting up alerting mechanisms, such as email notifications or SMS alerts, can notify administrators in real-time when any abnormal behavior or critical events occur. This allows them to respond promptly and take necessary actions to prevent data loss.

By implementing regular system monitoring and alerting, administrators can proactively detect and prevent data loss events on NAS QNAP VS-8140 Pro+ devices, ensuring the safety and availability of critical data.

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

Although the NAS VS-8140 Pro+ 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 VS-8140 Pro+. 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

VS-8140 Pro+ has 8 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 VS-8140 Pro+ 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