Professional Advice for Recovering NAS Raidon GT2660-TB3 Data from RAID Arrays

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Raidon GT2660-TB3
• 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 Raidon 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 disk health monitoring and analysis help in preventing potential data loss on NAS Raidon GT2660-TB3 devices?

Regular disk health monitoring and analysis can help in preventing potential data loss on NAS Raidon GT2660-TB3 devices in the following ways:

1. Early detection of disk failures: Disk health monitoring tools can provide real-time information about the health and performance of individual drives in the NAS device. By regularly monitoring the SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data of each disk, you can identify any signs of impending failure, such as increasing bad sectors, high temperature, or abnormal noise. Early detection allows you to replace the failing disk before it completely fails and causes data loss.
2. RAID array monitoring: NAS devices like Raidon GT2660-TB3 usually use RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configurations to provide data redundancy and protection against disk failures. Disk health monitoring tools can also monitor the status of the RAID array, ensuring that all disks are functioning properly and no errors or inconsistencies are detected. This helps to prevent data loss by identifying and resolving RAID issues promptly.
3. Predictive analysis: Disk health monitoring tools often include predictive analysis capabilities that use historical data and statistical algorithms to estimate the remaining lifespan of each disk. By analyzing factors such as the age of the disk, the number of operating hours, and past performance, these tools can provide an estimate of when a disk is likely to fail. This allows you to proactively replace disks nearing the end of their lifespan, minimizing the risk of data loss due to sudden failures.
4. Data backup reminders: Regular disk health monitoring can also serve as a reminder to regularly back up your data. If you notice any signs of potential disk failure or degradation, it can prompt you to take immediate action and ensure that your important data is backed up to a separate storage device or cloud service. This redundancy can protect your data in case of a catastrophic disk failure.
5. Performance optimization: Disk health monitoring tools can also provide insights into the overall performance of your NAS device. By monitoring metrics such as read/write speeds, latency, and disk utilization, you can identify any performance bottlenecks or inefficiencies that may impact the reliability and availability of your data. Addressing these issues can help prevent data loss caused by poor performance or system instability.

In summary, regular disk health monitoring and analysis on NAS Raidon GT2660-TB3 devices can help prevent potential data loss by detecting disk failures early, monitoring the status of RAID arrays, predicting disk failures, reminding you to back up your data, and optimizing system performance.

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

Although the NAS GT2660-TB3 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.

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   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 Raidon GT2660-TB3. 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.

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How to recover data from a Raidon

GT2660-TB3 has 2 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• APFS / HFS+;
• Ext2 / Ext3 / Ext4;

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 Raidon GT2660-TB3 network-attached storage keeps OS Linux 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