RAID is a virtualization technology used for data storage. RAID 5 is the most robust level of the system, offering better protection against drive failures and errors. It is made up of a minimum of 3 disks. The RAID system 5 relies on two active methods: the RAID array shares the stored files evenly across the linked disks, and this level 5 calculates the parity information corresponding to all of the user’s stored data. Have you just lost important data on your computer? Do you want to format your device? Here are the methods you can use to recover data on RAID 5. 

Recovering data using recovery software

Note that RAID systems (except RAID 0) can guarantee fault tolerance, depending on their configuration. Compared to other RAID levels, RAID 5 uses between 67 and 90% of available space depending on the hard drives you use. If your system fails, you should install the Technician and Toolkit versions of Ontrack EasyRecovery. This is recovery software that lets you recover data easily from devices.

Here are the benefits of using this software. 

• Data recovery: with this version, you can recover your corrupted files from a hard drive, a memory card, or a USB flash drive. 
• Quick and thorough analysis: you can efficiently scan your deleted files or perform a manual scan for the recovery of your documents. 
• RAID volume restoration: this software allows you to rebuild damaged volumes. 
• Ease of use: in the event of a failure, you can carry out the recovery of your documents at your own pace. With this software, you have the option of saving your RAID recovery step and resuming it whenever you have time. 

Follow the same processes as for a normal hard drive failure

A drive failure can cause data loss, corruption, or inaccessibility on your hard drive. In the event of your system failing, here are the recovery procedures for your data. 

• Clone your hard drives to back up your data and to allow recovery of the parity blocks. 
• You must replace the hard drive while respecting the RAID architecture. 
• Proceed with data reconstruction from the parity blocks of the other hard drives. 

Note that RAID 5 uses a fairly large number of disks. At this level 5, the failure of a single disk does not affect the operation of the system. However, if several RAID disks fail, avoid attempting a RAID rebuild. Doing so could damage your device, and you would no longer be able to recover your files.

Complying with recovery procedures

RAID 5 offers greatly improved read, write, and security performance. Despite its storage capacity, this level 5 array fails if: 

• A data loss incident occurs;
• The RAID controller card stops working; 
• Your device is attacked by viruses; 
• There is a change in disk order; 
• There is corruption or loss of the partition table. 

Data recovery on the system is not easy to carry out. In this case, you must follow a procedure to repair the RAID failure. 

• Install your RAID recovery software.
• Analyze the RAID volumes or data that you are going to recover. 

Select an appropriate number of hard drives to rebuild the RAID array. You must check that your RAID controller is operating independently.

Raid 1, mirror or mirroring is a data storage technology that allows information to be duplicated across a number of hard drives. It provides drive mirroring, a system that makes it possible to anticipate raid failures and guarantee the security of the content on the member disk. Raid 1 is made up of two disks, which enables fast reading of information. This reading can be done on both configured disks at the same time. 

If a disk fails, you can still access your content on the second disk. But do you want to know how data recovery works on raid 1? Follow this guide to understand data recovery and the use of various software. 

Starting recovery with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is a recovery software launched in 2004. It is considered the best software, suited to beginners as well as users or professionals alike. It boasts a 99.7% success rate, thanks to its powerful algorithms and continuous updates. 

This software is capable of restoring several types of content, taking into account the following elements: 

• lost or invisible partitions;
• formatting;
• damaged or corrupted media;
• viral attacks;
• etc. 

It can be used to recover content on several devices, such as internal or external hard drives, USB drives, media players, etc. EaseUS can recover up to 2 GB of data and supports more than 1000 file formats. But what should you do if your disk fails completely? Simply select the data storage media, whether internal or external, then run a scan to search for information. 

Previewing lost disk files

Your lost files may be stored among the deleted files on your disk. After the search scan, you need to preview the lost data to check all the content. The software you used will display the scan results. 

The files that can be recovered are organized by format. You will therefore need to open each format and select the desired information. The filter function in the ribbon can help you quickly find files. 

Specifying the location of recovered files from the raid 1 drive

Once the scan and preview are complete, you need to specify a location to save the recovered data. Keep in mind that the raid 1 system is both the best fault-tolerance system and the simplest method for creating storage on the failover disk. 

However, the system costs 50% of the total storage capacity. Data must be extracted from raid 1 to free up space. As such, you should choose a data storage option from among the other raid types. 

• Raid 0: this raid system combines several disks. It provides good read/write performance. However, it offers no fault tolerance for hard drive failures. 
• Raid 5: it improves read/write performance without compromising the integrity of each piece of data. It distributes parity blocks across the smallest disk. 
• Raid 6: it offers good read/write performance, characterized by double parity distribution. 
• Raid 10: thanks to its arrays, it ensures good read/write performance, owing to the raid 1 sub-array. 

Recovering data with other types of raid recovery software

The system is designed to improve data storage reliability. It is often considered a secure system. Yet, it is exposed to the same failures that cause data loss. Recovering this data from raid hard drives can vary depending on the hardware or software. 

Using recovery software is a good alternative, since the data is stored on separate disks. However, hardware should not be overlooked when it comes to data recovery on a disk. Here are a few applications that can facilitate content recovery. 

• DiskInternals: this is automatic software that lets you rebuild multiple arrays, such as a hard drive. 
• Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery: it allows remote data recovery. 
• UFS Explorer RAID Recovery: you can recover data at any level and perform raid configuration.

Of course, the best method remains to contact a data recovery professional!

Technology never stops inventing new strategies to improve the digital world. Since the invention of RAID, the redundant array of independent disks, IT professionals no longer have any concerns about the security of their data, thanks to its optimal performance. But how can data be recovered on this system? What are the procedures? In this article, we will try to give some answers on this topic.

RAID 0: what is it?

Before starting on the definition of the RAID 0 system, let’s first discover its meaning.

RAID

Throughout its existence, RAID has stood out mainly for its ability to bring together several data storage devices, regardless of the number of disks on a motherboard. This grouping offers you performance and high reliability, at a price well below other recovery tools.

The use of such an architecture provides an answer to this issue. In the event of a disk failure, its operation would not be interrupted. However, if your disk fails, the data will be automatically rebuilt on the other disks.

Indeed, this recovery system can help you:

• Reduce your data loss in the event of a disk failure;
• Provide optimal performance;
• Limit the loss of data integrity in the event of failure of one of your disks.

RAID 0

This type of RAID involves combining at least two hard drives. Note that the bandwidth of a RAID 0 is higher than that of a single disk. More specifically, it has enormous capacity, particularly for its read and write speed.

The total capacity of the RAID represents the combined capacities of the RAID array. It equals 3 To for three disks of the same capacity, namely 1 To each. The capacity of the RAID 0 system corresponds to the capacity of the smallest disk multiplied by three: 500 x 3 = 1500 Go.

Performing RAID data recovery

Generally, a RAID fails for various reasons. Before recovery, many factors must be considered.

Please see below the two families of failures:

• Hardware failures: if a disk unit has a physical failure, a RAID 0 system can be considered to have a hardware failure;
• Software failures: in this case, the RAID hard drives must be functional and none of them should contain bad sectors.

The RAID 0 system becomes inoperative when one of the RAID 0 hard drives is inaccessible. You therefore need to restore the data. To do this, regardless of the type of failure, you must base the recovery on solid principles, in particular preserving the source and ensuring data security.

If you wish to carry out a recovery task, please follow these steps carefully.

• Cloning the RAID 0 hard drives: the data must be accessible on the storage media.
• Analyzing the clones: you must absolutely not alter the clones.
• Creating an image of the RAID 0: this image can take the form of a saved file or an image on a disk.
• Extracting useful data: this is the analysis of the created image. This procedure facilitates data recovery.

The possibilities and limitations of the RAID system

As we have seen previously, this type of RAID offers no fault tolerance. Data recovery from a RAID 0 can only be carried out using the RAID’s hard drives. This process is known as “data recovery”.

So, for this recovery to be possible, you need to be aware of two pieces of information: 

• The disk arrangement;
• Block size: stripe size, chunk size and clock size.

If one of the RAID hard drives is completely damaged, it is still possible to recover files. To do this, you need to replace the failed disk with a blank disk to rebuild the RAID 0 array. If you encounter difficulties, you can always use recovery software to minimize data loss.

Like any IT hardware, this system has its limitations. 

• It cannot protect data that has been accidentally deleted.
• It cannot safeguard data against viruses.
• It cannot protect the user from accidents such as power surges, fire, flooding, etc.

Individuals and businesses alike need to store large amounts of data. A single hard drive’s capacity may not be enough in that case. The best solution is to save it on a RAID system. This system is an excellent solution for data storage. But what happens when the drive fails? Here are the answers.

Understanding this technology

This technology is an effective solution for data storage. The term describes a storage unit containing several hard drives. Combined into an array, these devices reduce the risk of file loss in the event of a failure.

Using RAID arrays offers many advantages. They allow you to rely on a reliable and secure system. They also offer a high file write speed.

This configuration is made up of several levels. They range from 0 to 6.

• Level 0 allows data storage by spreading it across the different hard drives in the RAID array;
• Level 1 copies the information before distributing it across the storage spaces;
• Level 2 has the same characteristics as RAID 0 but has become obsolete and has been replaced by a RAID controller that helps avoid copy or write errors;
• Level 3 is a safeguard that preserves data. In the event of a failure, it can recreate lost information using the data on the other drives;
• Levels 4 and 5 have functions similar to level 3;
• Level 6 is a recent addition to the system’s configuration. It stores data on 2 drives simultaneously to prevent any risk if 2 drives fail at the same time.

Learning about RAID configuration

Once you understand how RAID works, choose from the different types of RAID available. RAID 0 is ideal for improving a system’s performance. It uses 2 hard drives, and half the capacity of the first holds the data while the remaining 50% is sent to the other.

RAID 1 relies on a system that secures data across 2 drives. RAID 5 uses a parity system. As a result, you won’t find all the data on the main drive. It is distributed across the other drives in the system.

RAID 10 is the most widely used today. In fact, it combines RAID 1 and RAID 0 systems (hence RAID 10 = RAID 1+0). It uses 2 RAID arrays. The first array (RAID 0) shares the data with the second array (RAID 1). There is also a reverse configuration of RAID 10, known as RAID 01 (0+1). Here, the distribution runs from the array with a level 1 system to the other array.

Everything you need to know about RAID 10

It is highly regarded. It ensures optimal accessibility to all stored data. It is especially valued for the high level of security it provides. So if one of the drives in the RAID 10 or its copy fails, the information is not lost.

This system offers many advantages. Keep in mind that this system is very lightweight. It therefore does not require a demanding configuration. This RAID system is recommended for machines running calculations over long periods. The RAID 10 configuration is an alternative to RAID 5. The potential problem with this setup is a drive failing at the wrong moment. RAID 10 data can then be lost. It is essential to carry out a data recovery.

Knowing the right recovery methods

Generally, it ensures your data is backed up. However, in the event of technical problems, it can be erased. In that case, you need to carry out its recovery.

There are various solutions for retrieving lost data. The simplest is to use recovery software. Remo Recover is a solution against data loss. Its recovery process is simplified. Simply run its advanced scanning engine. It rebuilds erased partitions, putting an end to your data loss problem.

This recovery software is very effective and easy to use. You can find tutorials online explaining how to use this application to recover your folders. This tool works with different types of media. It allows data recovery from internal or external hard drives. It also supports hardware from various brands. With Remo Recover, recovering damaged or formatted files is no longer a problem.

For more delicate operations, it is best to call on a professional. Contact a recovery service that specializes in this system. This type of provider has the right expertise to carry out the recovery of your files. Indeed, recovering your files can be complicated. The failure of one of the hard drives can lead to further issues. A professional knows all the methods to resolve this. They also have twice the chance of successfully completing a RAID recovery compared to attempting it yourself.

Working with certain hardware brands is also difficult. A professional has the expertise needed to work around this problem. Once their service is complete, you can be assured that the recovery of all your files is guaranteed.

The Synology NAS (Network Attached Storage) server is a data storage system that lets you manage and protect your files, wherever you are, by connecting to it from home. The NAS operates via a home network and enables file transfer and backup to remote drives. But it can happen that your Synology-built NAS fails and you need to recover your data from your damaged hard drive. Can data loss be avoided? Unfortunately, these systems are not fault-free and often need to be handled by IT experts specialising in data storage. Here is some advice on repair.

How can I recover data from my Synology NAS?

Why are my files on the Synology NAS no longer accessible?

This may be a problem with the partitioning of your file systems. Partitioning a hard drive is actually the result of a physical format, ahead of a logical format. Partitions are delimited zones located on the drive that prevent data from mixing randomly. Several operating systems (Windows, Linux, Mac) can be installed on the same hard drive, but on different partitions.

This type of formatting, such as switching to Linux, is sometimes the cause of file corruption on Synology-branded NAS servers.

Check your NAS’s power supply

As with many other devices, it is necessary to carry out a physical restart by powering off your Synology unit for a moment. Try removing your hard drives one by one and turning your server back on by powering it up again.

Recover your files via the USB port or by direct connection

Has your Synology home network broadcast by the NAS disappeared, so you can no longer transfer your files via a wireless connection to your storage device? In that case, first try plugging your hard drives into a tower or a computer to check whether your data can be recovered that way. Otherwise, you can try to retrieve your files using the USB port dedicated to transfer on your enclosure. If you find that neither of these two solutions is effective in accessing the data on your hard drives, a specialist company must be called in to help you. 

Recovering files from Synology NAS units: an area of expertise

Examination and symptoms: anatomy of the Synology NAS

First, it must be determined whether one or several of your hard drives are damaged. To do this, a careful physical examination must be carried out. This involves testing the hardware to understand why the files are no longer detectable and what the source of the failure is. Experts are able to determine whether they can handle this problem and recover all or part of the NAS data.

Diagnostics and types of failure for data recovery

• Configuration issues: Your server may have been misconfigured at startup, or your NAS settings may have been changed.
• Physical issues: Your NAS enclosure may be experiencing a circuit-related problem, or the RAID controller may be corrupted through natural wear.
• Logical issues: A failure may point to a system formatting problem or an accidental reset on your part rather than the Synology unit itself.

Recovering your data using a spare drive

Fixing a data problem on a NAS requires advanced knowledge of storage systems, particularly Synology’s. Indeed, it all depends on the type of machine:

• If it consists of two or more drives (RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6 type, among others), check that your system has data protection. If you manage to connect to your NAS after the power-off steps, go to the Recover your data with your PC section.
• Please note, should your storage system be a RAID type without data protection (such as RAID 0 made up of a single drive, among others), you must make sure that one drive bay remains empty before moving on to the power-off step.

In any case, to proceed with the repair process, complex procedures must be considered by teams of experts to recover everything, if you are still unable to connect to the Synology server.

A Synology NAS is a storage device you can use for home use. Indeed, this smart storage system lets you keep all your personal files. In business, it connects to the local network and stores all important documents. The advantage of the Synology NAS is the ability to access its files via a browser or an application. It is the file system that guarantees you optimal security. For this purpose, it uses two disks. These can fail after prolonged use. Its LED indicator is still on, but you can no longer access the data? How do you go about recovering your files in this case? The answer is in this article.

A reminder about this storage device

The Synology NAS is not just a simple networked hard drive. It plays the role of a server perfectly and offers many features. First, it acts as a download station, a private cloud, or a media server.

Raid 1 allows hard drives to be mirrored in pairs. Each pair contains identical information. Data stored on the first is copied onto the second. This system is aimed mainly at people seeking better data security. Raid 1 also benefits from perfect redundancy. Thus, when one disk in a pair fails, the user is able to recover the data.

The Synology NAS server: popular with small organizations and individuals

The NAS server is a storage medium where data is accessible over a network. Some servers offer access via a USB port. However, its operation relies mainly on the network. This feature allows it to manage data centrally.

It is mainly used by small organizations such as SMEs, associations, and schools. In all cases, it suits organizations where a NAS is used as a data storage space. Using a Synology NAS server helps secure data on the network, free up storage space on individual computers, and save time managing storage space.

A Synology NAS in Raid 1 can fail

Admittedly, disk failures are rare. However, in some cases, users can no longer access the disk on the network. This phenomenon occurs with no apparent reason. Generally speaking, it can fail for the following reasons:

• The integrity of the enclosure is compromised;
• The NAS operating system has malfunctions;
• The files stored on the NAS are corrupted;
• The hard drives show signs of damage.

It is rare for a Synology Raid 1 to fail. However, it can happen. Rest assured, there are several solutions for recovering your files on the hard drive(s).

First method: the simplest solution

Recovering files from a Synology Raid 1 can be done in the simplest way. Indeed, all you need to do is buy the same Synology NAS model. Then, simply replace the disks in the enclosure and restart the server.

After restarting, the NAS switches to migration mode. After a few minutes, you will find all your data and files on the network again. Note that this solution is costly despite its simplicity. Therefore, if your budget does not allow it, there are other solutions available to you.

Second method: less expensive, but more complex

Synology NAS devices on the market run mainly on Linux. This is why the RAID 1 system is standardized. To recover the files, you need to connect your hard drive to a PC via a USB dock or directly inside your tower.

When the PC starts up, Windows will ask you to format the disk. You must decline this step. To access the data on the disk, all you need to do is use dedicated software. By doing a bit of research online, you can find paid or free tools such as Linux Reader.

Recovery requires very little in the way of resources, and can even be free. However, this method only works with systems such as Raid 0 and Raid 1.

Third method: highly difficult, but free

The third solution consists of recovering the files on the disks by connecting them to a computer running Ubuntu. With this method, mounting the disks remains easy under Linux. You will find your data again after running three to four commands.

So, when a Synology NAS fails, there is no need to panic. You have several solutions at your disposal to recover your files. You can buy a new NAS and recover your files via Linux, or use Windows with the help of specialized software (such as Hexascan).

If you encounter difficulties with these various methods, you can also contact us.

Replacing a failed hard drive is a delicate operation. During this process, your data can easily be compromised. Thanks to the deployment of a RAID system, your information will be secure. All you’ll need to do is set up daily backup measures to keep access to it. The tool alone boosts your PC’s performance. Find out how to carry out this replacement!

RAID: what is it?

A RAID system is a computer system designed to spread information across drives, in order to strengthen a PC’s security and reliability. Its ability to combine several storage devices thereby increases the performance of the data they contain.
The different types of RAID systems 

To replace a failed hard drive, the volume of the deployed RAID must be substantial. The most commonly used are:

RAID 0

This is a system that uses the method known as “striping“. Here, data is spread across two or more drives present. It thereby increases their performance and achieves a high level of read and write speed. 

RAID 1 system

This system is geared toward pure data backup. To do this, it uses the technique known as “mirroring”, which shows how you can protect yourself against redundant failures. Its operation is simple. It duplicates onto the two-drive array all the data contained on your PC. 

RAID 5 system 

The most commonly used system, it can work across at least three drives. It shows how  to distribute data across them while saving on storage volume. 

To secure your data, it uses parity blocks. In the event of a failure, none of your information disappears. The advantage of this system is that it improves read and write performance on a drive. 

RAID 6 system

Thanks to this system, all your data is secure. It uses double parity and provides information on how to store and restore all your files. This utility works on at least four physical drives!

Its main strength is that it withstands a double failure well in the event of a system failure. To store your vital data, the utility lets you use SATA drives. 

How to replace a failed hard drive in RAID ?

To replace a failed hard drive in RAID, you must follow certain steps. How do you proceed ? Here’s what you need to do :

Step 1

Most of the time, when a failure occurs, you receive an alert. You must therefore note this alert and initiate the appropriate procedures to stop it. Before replacing your failed hard drive, check that the storage volume level of the RAID receiver is accessible. Then, back up your data to avoid losing it.

Step 2

The second step is to replace the faulty failed hard drive. This is the riskiest process because it can lead to loss if handled improperly. Whatever RAID system you use, here’s how to replace your storage media :

• Turn off your PC and check that all cables connected to your device have been unplugged.
• Next, remove the cables at the back of your failed hard drive that power it.
• Then insert the RAID 5 into the bay of the removed failed hard drive, and secure it.
• Afterward, reconnect all the cables you disconnected from your device.
• Start your device and click on the “start menu”, then on “computer.” 
• Click “manage” and choose the  “disk management” option. Then click on the failing partition.
• Finally, click on the “repair volume” option. All the data contained on your old faulty failed hard drive will be copied to the RAID.

Step 3

This step involves rebuilding on the system the data contained on the failed hard drive being replaced. It involves several write operations to the new location. 

This is a very delicate phase, as this configuration procedure can be interrupted by a system failure. This is why we recommend anticipating failures in order to ensure a smooth data transfer. 

How to anticipate a failure on a RAID system ?

Most of the failures encountered on a RAID server begin during drive configuration. They can therefore lead to permanent data loss. How can this damage be limited ? The best option is to cut power to the drives in question. 

If  one of them isn’t working normally during file rebuilding, you can easily lose your information. Don’t hesitate to call on data recovery professionals in this case. 
Replacing a failed hard drive in RAID is a lengthy process involving several operations. Before carrying out any procedure, always take care to back up your data. This will help you avoid losing it permanently in the event of a failure or accident.