Professional Guidance on Recovering NAS Raidon InTANK iT4300-S3 Data from RAID Arrays

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Raidon InTANK iT4300-S3
• 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 data fragmentation impact the read and write speeds, and potential data loss on NAS Raidon InTANK iT4300-S3 devices?

Data fragmentation can have several impacts on read and write speeds, as well as potential data loss, on NAS Raidon InTANK iT4300-S3 devices. Here are some ways data fragmentation can affect these aspects:

1. Read and Write Speeds: When data is fragmented, it is scattered across different physical locations on the hard drive. This can lead to increased seek times as the drive needs to access multiple locations to retrieve or write the fragmented data. As a result, read and write speeds can be significantly reduced compared to when data is stored contiguously.
2. Disk Performance: Fragmentation can also contribute to decreased overall disk performance. The continuous fragmentation of data can cause the disk to work harder to access and process the scattered data. This increased workload can lead to slower read and write speeds, affecting the overall performance of the NAS device.
3. Data Loss: Fragmentation increases the risk of data loss. If a file is fragmented and one of the fragments becomes corrupted or lost, it can result in the loss of the entire file. Fragmented data is more susceptible to errors and data corruption, which can lead to permanent data loss if not properly managed.
4. RAID Rebuild Time: In a RAID configuration, if a disk fails and needs to be replaced, the RAID system needs to rebuild the data from the remaining disks onto the new disk. If the data is heavily fragmented, the rebuild process can take longer as the system needs to access multiple locations to retrieve the fragmented data, impacting the time it takes to restore the redundancy and potentially leaving the system vulnerable during this period.

To mitigate these impacts, it is important to regularly defragment the drives on NAS Raidon InTANK iT4300-S3 devices. Defragmentation rearranges fragmented data and stores it contiguously, improving read and write speeds and reducing the risk of data loss. Additionally, implementing a regular backup strategy can help protect against potential data loss in case of fragmentation-related issues.

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

Although the NAS InTANK iT4300-S3 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 InTANK iT4300-S3. 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

InTANK iT4300-S3 has 4 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• 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 InTANK iT4300-S3 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