- 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?
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 data redundancy techniques such as mirroring or replication enhance data availability and protect against loss on NAS Thecus N4510U devices?
Data redundancy techniques such as mirroring or replication can enhance data availability and protect against loss on NAS Thecus N4510U devices in the following ways:
- Mirroring: Mirroring, also known as RAID 1, involves creating an exact copy (mirror) of data on multiple drives. In the case of Thecus N4510U, it supports RAID 1 configuration. If one drive fails, the mirrored drive can take over seamlessly, ensuring uninterrupted access to data. This redundancy technique enhances data availability as the system can continue to function even if one drive fails.
- Replication: Replication involves creating multiple copies of data on different NAS devices or locations. Thecus N4510U supports various replication methods such as Rsync, real-time remote replication (RTRR), and cloud backup. By replicating data to another NAS device or off-site location, it provides an additional layer of protection against data loss. If one NAS device fails, the replicated data can be accessed from the backup location, ensuring data availability.
- Hot-Swappable Drives: The Thecus N4510U supports hot-swappable drives, which means that failed drives can be replaced without shutting down the system. This feature enhances data availability by reducing downtime during drive replacement and ensuring continuous access to data.
- Data Recovery: In the event of data loss or corruption, Thecus N4510U devices provide data recovery mechanisms. These include features like snapshot backup, which allows you to restore data to a previous point in time, and data recovery software like Thecus Data Guard, which helps recover lost or accidentally deleted files.
- High Availability (HA): The Thecus N4510U supports High Availability (HA) clustering, where two identical NAS devices are connected to provide redundancy. If one NAS fails, the other takes over seamlessly, ensuring uninterrupted access to data. This redundancy technique enhances data availability by eliminating single points of failure.
Overall, by implementing data redundancy techniques like mirroring, replication, hot-swappable drives, data recovery mechanisms, and High Availability clustering, Thecus N4510U devices can enhance data availability, protect against loss, and ensure continuous access to critical data.
How to take hard disks out of the NAS and connect them to a PC?
Although NAS N4510U 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:
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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.
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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.
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Make sure to mark each hard disk in accordance with how they were installed inside the NAS.
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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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Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery
This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Thecus N4510U. 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.
N4510U 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:
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Make sure that you have enough free space to save the image. The image file size usually equals the disk size.
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Select the disk in the main window, and choose from the menu Tools – Save Disk. You can select multiple disks to be saved.
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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.
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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 N4510U 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
Product | Operating system | License type | RAID controller support | Supported file systems | Virtual RAID controller support | Data recovery from damaged RAID | File preview |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hetman RAID Recovery | Windows | Paid | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
DiskInternals RAID Recovery | Windows | Paid | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
R-Studio | Windows, Mac, Linux | Paid | Yes, over 200 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
UFS Explorer RAID Recovery | Windows, Mac, Linux | Paid | Yes, over 1,000 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
EaseUS Data Recovery | Windows | Paid | Yes, over 20 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery | Windows | Free | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Yes, it is possible to recover data from a NAS device that has been affected by file system corruption or partition errors. However, the success of data recovery depends on the extent of the damage and the actions taken to recover the data.
Here are some steps you can take to attempt data recovery from a NAS device:
Remember, it is always recommended to have a backup of your important data to avoid such situations.