Steps to Recover Your NAS Thecus 1U4200XXX RAID Array When It Breaks

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

How can conducting regular backups on external storage devices mitigate data loss risks for NAS Thecus 1U4200XXX devices?

Conducting regular backups on external storage devices can mitigate data loss risks for NAS Thecus 1U4200XXX devices in the following ways:

1. Redundancy: By regularly backing up data to external storage devices, you create redundant copies of your important files. In case of any data loss event on the NAS device, you can restore the lost data from the backups.
2. Protection against hardware failure: NAS devices like Thecus 1U4200XXX can experience hardware failures such as hard drive crashes or controller malfunctions. Regularly backing up data to external storage devices ensures that even if the NAS device fails, your data remains safe and accessible.
3. Protection against data corruption: Data corruption can occur due to various reasons like software bugs, power surges, or malware attacks. By regularly backing up your data to external storage devices, you can minimize the risk of data corruption. If the data on the NAS device gets corrupted, you can restore the clean backup copies.
4. Disaster recovery: In the event of a natural disaster like fire, flood, or theft, the NAS device and the data stored on it may be damaged or lost. Conducting regular backups to external storage devices allows you to have an off-site copy of your data, ensuring that you can recover your files even if the NAS device is destroyed or stolen.
5. Easy data migration: If you need to upgrade or replace your Thecus 1U4200XXX device, having regular backups on external storage devices simplifies the data migration process. You can easily transfer the backed-up data to the new device, minimizing the risk of data loss during the transition.

To ensure effective mitigation of data loss risks, it is essential to follow best practices for backups, such as performing regular backups at scheduled intervals, verifying the integrity of backups, and storing the external storage devices in a secure location.

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

Although NAS 1U4200XXX 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 Thecus 1U4200XXX. 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 Thecus

1U4200XXX has 4 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 10;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• EXT3;
• EXT4;
• XFS;

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 Thecus 1U4200XXX 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.

Comparison of software for RAID recovery