How to Recover Data from NAS Synology DiskStation DS408 RAID Arrays Due to 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 are the risks of data loss due to firmware or software malfunctions in NAS Synology DiskStation DS408 devices?

There are several risks of data loss due to firmware or software malfunctions in NAS Synology DiskStation DS408 devices:

1. Corruption of data: Firmware or software malfunctions can lead to data corruption, where the stored data becomes unreadable or unusable. This can result in the loss of important files, documents, or media.
2. Inaccessibility of data: Malfunctions can cause the NAS device to become unresponsive or inaccessible, making it difficult or impossible to retrieve the stored data. This can happen if the firmware crashes or if the software fails to properly manage the data.
3. Data integrity issues: Firmware or software malfunctions can also result in data integrity issues, where the stored data becomes incomplete or inconsistent. This can lead to errors or discrepancies in the data, making it unreliable or inaccurate.
4. Disk failure: In some cases, firmware or software malfunctions can cause the NAS device to improperly manage the connected hard drives, leading to disk failures. This can result in permanent data loss if the failed disk contains important data that is not backed up elsewhere.
5. Loss of RAID configuration: NAS devices like the Synology DiskStation DS408 often use RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configurations to provide data redundancy and protection against disk failures. However, firmware or software malfunctions can cause the NAS device to lose the RAID configuration, potentially leading to data loss if the remaining disks are not properly managed.
6. Data deletion or overwrite: Malfunctions can also cause unintended data deletion or overwrite, where important data is accidentally removed or replaced by faulty firmware or software operations. This can result in the permanent loss of data if there are no backups available.

To mitigate these risks, it is important to regularly update the firmware and software of the NAS device to the latest stable versions, maintain proper backups of important data, and implement redundant storage configurations like RAID. Additionally, monitoring the health and performance of the NAS device can help identify any potential issues early on and take necessary actions to prevent data loss.

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

Although NAS DiskStation DS408 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 DS408. 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 DS408 has 4 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR);
• RAID 6;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 10;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 0;
• Basic;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• Btrfs;
• EXT4;
• EXT3 (External Disk Only);
• FAT32 (External Disk Only);
• exFAT (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 DS408 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