How to recover data from Uniview VX1636-C NAS

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

Can natural disasters such as floods or fires result in data loss for NAS Uniview VX1636-C devices?

Yes, natural disasters such as floods or fires can result in data loss for NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices like Uniview VX1636-C. NAS devices are physical storage systems that store and manage data, and they are susceptible to damage from environmental factors.

Floods can cause water damage to the NAS device, leading to hardware failure and data loss. Water can corrode the internal components and render the device inoperable.

Fires can also destroy NAS devices, as they are typically made of plastic and metal components that can melt or get damaged by heat. The intense heat generated during a fire can cause irreparable damage to the device, resulting in data loss.

To mitigate the risk of data loss due to natural disasters, it is important to take preventive measures such as:

1. Offsite backup: Maintain a backup of your data in a different physical location or on cloud storage. This ensures that even if the NAS device is damaged, the data can be recovered from the backup.
2. Fireproof and waterproof storage: Consider storing the NAS device in a fireproof and waterproof safe or cabinet. This can provide some level of protection against fire and water damage.
3. Redundancy and RAID: Configure the NAS device with redundancy options like RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks). RAID setups distribute data across multiple drives, providing fault tolerance and allowing data recovery even if one or more drives fail.
4. Insurance: Consider insuring your NAS device and the data stored on it. This can help cover the costs of replacement or data recovery in case of damage due to natural disasters.

Overall, it is crucial to have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in place to protect your data from potential loss caused by natural disasters.

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

Although NAS VX1636-C 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 Uniview VX1636-C. 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 Uniview

VX1636-C has 36 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

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

NAS supports:

• exFAT, VFAT, FAT 12 / 16 / 32;
• NTFS / ReFS;
• APFS / HFS+;
• Ext2 / 3 / 4 / ReiserFS / XFS / UFS / ZFS / Btrfs;
• VMFS / HikvisionFS;

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 Uniview VX1636-C 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