Extracting Data from a RAID Disk When NAS ZyXel NAS540 Does Not Activate: Step-by-Step Guide

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 ZyXel 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 regular system monitoring and alerting help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS ZyXel NAS540 devices?

Regular system monitoring and alerting can help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on ZyXel NAS540 devices in the following ways:

1. Performance Monitoring: By monitoring system performance metrics such as CPU usage, memory utilization, and network traffic, you can identify any abnormal behavior that could indicate a potential data loss event. For example, sudden spikes in CPU or network usage may indicate a malware attack or unauthorized access.
2. Storage Capacity Monitoring: Monitoring the available storage capacity on the NAS device can help you identify situations where the storage is running low or nearing its limit. This can prevent data loss due to insufficient storage space.
3. RAID Health Monitoring: ZyXel NAS540 devices support RAID configurations for data redundancy. Regular monitoring of the RAID health status, including disk health, disk synchronization, and RAID rebuild status, can help detect any potential hardware failures or data corruption issues.
4. Network Connectivity Monitoring: Monitoring the network connectivity of the NAS device can help detect any network-related issues that could lead to data loss. For example, frequent network disconnections or high packet loss rates may indicate network infrastructure problems that need to be addressed promptly.
5. Backup Monitoring: If you have configured regular backups of your data on the NAS device, monitoring the backup process and verifying the integrity of backups can ensure that you have a reliable copy of your data in case of a data loss event.
6. Event Logging and Alerting: Enabling event logging and configuring alerts for critical events can help you stay informed about any potential data loss events. These alerts can be sent via email, SMS, or other notification methods, ensuring that you can take immediate action to prevent or mitigate data loss.

By regularly monitoring and receiving alerts about system performance, storage capacity, RAID health, network connectivity, backup status, and critical events, you can proactively detect and prevent data loss events on ZyXel NAS540 devices, minimizing the risk of data loss and ensuring the integrity of your data.

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

Although NAS NAS540 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 ZyXel NAS540. 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 ZyXel

NAS540 has 4 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

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

NAS supports:

• Ext2;
• Ext3;
• Ext4;

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 ZyXel NAS540 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