How to Get Back Deleted Files from NAS Seagate Black Armor STCT200 Storage

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Seagate Black Armor STCT200
• 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 Seagate 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 storage tiering or caching strategies impact data availability and potential loss on NAS Seagate Black Armor STCT200 devices?

Storage tiering and caching strategies can have a significant impact on data availability and potential loss on NAS Seagate Black Armor STCT200 devices. Here are some ways these strategies can affect the device:

1. Improved Performance: By implementing storage tiering and caching strategies, the device can enhance its performance by automatically moving frequently accessed data to faster storage tiers or caching it in high-speed memory. This improves data availability as users can access their data quickly and efficiently.
2. Reduced Latency: Caching frequently accessed data in high-speed memory can significantly reduce data access latency. This ensures that users can retrieve their data without experiencing delays, enhancing data availability.
3. Enhanced Data Protection: Some storage tiering strategies prioritize data protection by automatically moving critical data to more reliable and redundant storage tiers. This reduces the potential loss of data in case of hardware failures or disasters.
4. Efficient Resource Utilization: Storage tiering allows organizations to optimize resource utilization by automatically migrating less frequently accessed data to lower-cost storage tiers. This ensures that valuable resources are allocated effectively, reducing the risk of potential data loss due to insufficient storage capacity.
5. Data Loss Risks: However, if not properly implemented, storage tiering and caching strategies can introduce potential risks of data loss. For example, if critical data is cached and not adequately protected, a power outage or system failure might result in data loss. Similarly, if data migration is not handled correctly, there is a risk of data corruption or loss during the process.

To mitigate these risks, it is crucial to implement proper backup and disaster recovery strategies, regularly monitor the health of storage tiers, and ensure data integrity during migration processes. Additionally, organizations should carefully plan and test their storage tiering and caching strategies to minimize the potential for data loss and maximize data availability on NAS Seagate Black Armor STCT200 devices.

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

Although the NAS Black Armor STCT200 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 Seagate Black Armor STCT200. 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 Seagate

Black Armor STCT200 has 2 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• exFAT, VFAT, FAT 12 / 16 / 32;
• NTFS / ReFS;
• APFS / HFS+;
• Ext2 / 3 / 4 / ReiserFS / XFS / UFS / ZFS / Btrfs;
• VMFS / HikvisionFS;

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 Seagate Black Armor STCT200 network-attached storage keeps Seagate NAS OS 4 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