What to Do When Your NAS Thecus N8200XXX RAID Array Breaks: Recovery Tips

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Thecus N8200XXX
• How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
  • Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery
  • How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images
  • Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?
  • RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison

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 Thecus 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 data verification or checksum processes help maintain data integrity on NAS Thecus N8200XXX devices?

Regular data verification or checksum processes can help maintain data integrity on NAS Thecus N8200XXX devices in the following ways:

1. Detecting data corruption: Regular data verification processes involve checking the integrity of data stored on the NAS device. By comparing the checksums or hashes of the data against the original values, any corruption or alteration in the data can be detected. This ensures that the data remains intact and has not been tampered with.
2. Preventing silent data corruption: Silent data corruption refers to the situation where data gets corrupted without any indication or error message. Regular data verification processes can help identify such silent data corruption by comparing the checksums or hashes of the data. If any discrepancies are found, it indicates that the data has been corrupted and appropriate actions can be taken to rectify it.
3. Ensuring data reliability: Data verification processes help ensure that the data stored on the NAS device is reliable and can be trusted. By regularly verifying the integrity of the data, any inconsistencies or errors can be identified and corrected. This enhances the overall reliability of the data stored on the device.
4. Early detection of hardware issues: Regular data verification processes can also help in early detection of any hardware issues on the NAS device. If the data verification process consistently reports errors or discrepancies, it could indicate a problem with the hardware components such as hard drives or memory modules. Prompt action can then be taken to address these issues before they lead to data loss or further corruption.
5. Maintaining data consistency: By performing regular data verification or checksum processes, organizations can ensure that the data stored on multiple Thecus N8200XXX devices remains consistent. This is particularly important in scenarios where data is replicated or synchronized across multiple devices. Any discrepancies in the checksums or hashes can indicate inconsistencies in the data, allowing for appropriate measures to be taken to restore data consistency.

Overall, regular data verification or checksum processes play a vital role in maintaining data integrity on NAS Thecus N8200XXX devices. They help in detecting and preventing data corruption, ensuring data reliability, detecting hardware issues, and maintaining data consistency.

How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC

Although the NAS N8200XXX 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:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Label each hard disk according to its position inside the NAS. The order of the drives is crucial for correct RAID reconstruction.

4. 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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   How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Thecus N8200XXX. 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.

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How to recover data from a Thecus

N8200XXX has 8 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• RAID 50;
• RAID 60;
• RAID 10;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• EXT3;
• EXT4;
• XFS;

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:

1. Ensure you have enough free space to store the image. Its size will typically match the size of the original disk.

2. In the main window, select the target disk and choose Tools - Save Disk. You can also select multiple disks if needed.

3. 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.

   

4. 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 Thecus N8200XXX 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