RAID Array Recovery on NAS Thecus N3200XXX: Recovery Tips for 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 the NAS Thecus N3200XXX device's CPU or processing power affect data transfer and potential loss?

The CPU or processing power of the NAS Thecus N3200XXX device can have an impact on data transfer and potential data loss in several ways:

1. Data Transfer Speed: The CPU is responsible for handling the data transfer between the NAS device and connected devices. A more powerful CPU can process data faster, resulting in higher data transfer speeds. A slower CPU may struggle to handle multiple concurrent data transfers, leading to slower transfer speeds and longer wait times.
2. Network Traffic Management: The CPU also manages network traffic, including data packets coming in and going out of the NAS device. A powerful CPU can efficiently handle network traffic and prioritize data transfers, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted data transfer. A weak CPU may struggle to manage network traffic, leading to packet loss, delays, or even dropped connections.
3. Data Integrity and RAID Rebuild: The CPU plays a crucial role in ensuring data integrity and RAID rebuild processes. In case of a disk failure in a RAID setup, the CPU is responsible for reconstructing the data from the remaining disks. A powerful CPU can handle this process quickly and efficiently, minimizing the risk of data loss. A weaker CPU may take longer to rebuild the RAID array, increasing the vulnerability to data loss during the rebuild process.
4. Data Encryption and Compression: Some NAS devices support data encryption and compression to enhance data security and save storage space. These operations require significant processing power. A powerful CPU can handle encryption and compression tasks efficiently, minimizing the impact on data transfer speed. In contrast, a weaker CPU may struggle to perform these operations, resulting in slower data transfer speeds and potential data loss if the device is unable to keep up with the workload.

It is important to consider the CPU specifications and capabilities of a NAS device when evaluating its performance and potential impact on data transfer and data loss.

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

Although NAS N3200XXX 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 N3200XXX. 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

N3200XXX has 3 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• 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 N3200XXX 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