NAS Synology Diskstation DS115 RAID Arrays: Data Recovery Methods Following Component Wear

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 Synology also introduce some modifications to this process, and that is why data can be written to hard disk in a wide variety of ways.

What data recovery services or software options are available for NAS Synology Diskstation DS115 devices?

There are several data recovery services and software options available for NAS Synology Diskstation DS115 devices. Some of the popular ones include:

1. Synology Data Recovery: Synology offers its own data recovery service for Diskstation devices. You can contact their support team to discuss your specific recovery needs.
2. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard: EaseUS is a well-known data recovery software that supports NAS devices. It can recover deleted files, formatted data, and even data from crashed or inaccessible NAS drives.
3. R-Studio: R-Studio is a comprehensive data recovery software that supports various file systems, including those used by Synology NAS devices. It can recover lost data from RAID arrays, formatted drives, and even disks with damaged partitions.
4. DiskInternals NAS Recovery: DiskInternals NAS Recovery is specifically designed for recovering data from NAS devices. It supports Synology NAS systems and can recover data from both RAID and non-RAID configurations.
5. GetDataBack: GetDataBack is a popular data recovery software that can recover data from NAS devices, including Synology Diskstation. It supports various file systems and can recover data from formatted or corrupted drives.

It is important to note that data recovery success depends on various factors such as the extent of data loss, the cause of data loss, and the condition of the NAS device. It is recommended to consult with a professional data recovery service or contact the software support team for specific guidance in case of severe data loss situations.

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

Although NAS Diskstation DS115 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 Synology Diskstation DS115. 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 Synology

Diskstation DS115 has 1 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• Basic;

NAS supports:

• EXT4;
• EXT3 (External Disk Only);
• FAT (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 Synology Diskstation DS115 network-attached storage keeps DSM (DiskStation Manager) 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