- Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
- Key Information About the NAS TerraMaster U16-722-2288
- How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
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 TerraMaster 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 TerraMaster U16-722-2288 devices?
Regular disk health monitoring and analysis can help in preventing potential data loss on NAS TerraMaster U16-722-2288 devices in the following ways:
- Early detection of disk failures: By monitoring the health of the disks regularly, you can identify any signs of potential disk failures. This allows you to take immediate action, such as replacing the failing disk before it completely fails and causes data loss.
- Predictive analysis: Disk health monitoring tools often provide predictive analysis based on various parameters like SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data. These analyses can help identify patterns or indicators of potential disk failures, allowing you to proactively address the issue before it leads to data loss.
- RAID array monitoring: NAS devices like TerraMaster U16-722-2288 often use RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configurations for data redundancy and protection. Disk health monitoring can help ensure that all disks in the RAID array are functioning properly, detecting any degraded or failed disks. This allows you to rebuild the array or replace the faulty disk to maintain data integrity.
- Temperature and environmental monitoring: Disk health monitoring tools can also provide information about the temperature and environmental conditions of the disks. Excessive heat or other environmental factors can contribute to disk failures. By monitoring these parameters, you can take steps to improve ventilation or address any environmental issues that might affect the disk health.
- Data backup and recovery: Regular disk health monitoring can help you ensure that your data backup strategies are effective. By monitoring the health of the disks, you can verify the integrity of your backups and identify any issues that might affect the recovery process. This ensures that you have a reliable backup in case of data loss.
Overall, regular disk health monitoring and analysis provide proactive measures to detect and address disk failures, helping prevent potential data loss on NAS TerraMaster U16-722-2288 devices.
How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
Although the NAS U16-722-2288 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:
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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.
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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.
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Label each hard disk according to its position inside the NAS. The order of the drives is crucial for correct RAID reconstruction.
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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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Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery
This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with TerraMaster U16-722-2288. 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.
How to recover data from a TerraMaster
U16-722-2288 has 16 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:
- RAID 0;
- RAID 1;
- RAID 5;
- RAID 6;
- RAID 50;
- RAID 60;
- JBOD;
NAS supports:
- Ext2;
- Ext3;
- Ext4;
- Btrfs;
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:
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Ensure you have enough free space to store the image. Its size will typically match the size of the original disk.
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In the main window, select the target disk and choose Tools - Save Disk. You can also select multiple disks if needed.
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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.
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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 TerraMaster U16-722-2288 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
| Product | Operating system | RAID controller support | Supported file systems | Virtual RAID controller support | Data recovery from damaged RAID | File preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hetman RAID Recovery | Windows, Linux, MacOS | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, exFAT, NTFS, ReFS, APFS, HFS+, Ext4, Ext3, Ext2, ReiserFS, Btrfs, VMFS, Hikvision, XFS, UFS, ZFS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DiskInternals RAID Recovery | Windows | Yes, over 10 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
| R-Studio | Windows, Mac, Linux | Yes, over 20 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| UFS Explorer RAID Recovery | Windows, Mac, Linux | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EaseUS Data Recovery | Windows | Yes, over 20 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
| ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery | Windows | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The TerraMaster U16-722-2288 is a network-attached storage (NAS) device that supports up to 16 hard drives. The device itself does not impose any specific limitations on the size of data that can be stored or recovered. The maximum capacity of data that can be recovered from the device depends on various factors:
In summary, while the TerraMaster U16-722-2288 NAS device itself does not impose specific limitations on the size of data that can be recovered, the maximum capacity depends on factors such as hard drive capacity, RAID configuration, file system limitations, and network bandwidth.