Because most NAS appliances run a standard Linux-based RAID behind a closed interface, most of the time a dead unit will be a better prospect than it looks. It means your disks are fine, but you have a problem with your appliance. We capture all images from each member of the array, and rebuild the entire array, pool and filesystem outside of the unit.
If a unit has lost a disk, the disk itself may still hold the majority of its data. However, putting it back into the unit can cause a resync to happen in the wrong direction. This could overwrite the good copy of the data with the old (or bad) copy, and when an array is degraded, there is no redundancy to catch that.
Therefore “not accessible” could have up to 4 meanings and they require opposing reactions.
A dead NAS is usually going to be a better option than what you initially thought.
Most NAS devices (Synology, QNAP, Buffalo, Netgear, Terramaster, etc.) use traditional open-source Linux software RAID using mdadm with an LVM pooling layer above it and then ext4 or Btrfs on top. There’s nothing proprietary here; once we image your disks, we’ll understand how to rebuild them and remove the NAS unit from consideration altogether.
It is useful to name the exceptions: SHR on Synology is an mdadm layering scheme which requires reassembly of layers in the correct order. Thin provisioning can be added by QNAP that includes metadata that needs to be traversed to determine true extents. BeyondRAID by Drobo is indeed proprietary and will require derivation from your image(s). They all can be recovered but you must have the layers taken in the appropriate order. Guide: QNAP NAS data recovery.
The above unit will never be asked to repair, rebuild or mount anything.
Bay order is key to reconstruction. If it has previously been lost then we are usually able to determine it through our analytical process; however labelling helps save both time and money.
Including any disks that were ejected by this unit, which frequently still contain usable data.
Chunk size, member order, parity layout and data offset derived directly (versus using superblock information that may be outdated).
LVM, SHR layering and/or thin-provisioning metadata walked in order to identify the actual extent(s) where your data is located.
The file system (ext4 or Btrfs) was rebuilt from the assembled volume and verified by opening each file, not simply counting them.
Pricing is based upon the time taken to reconstruct your data, not how many GB you have lost.
A 48-hour diagnostic will be performed free of charge. Once we determine what needs doing to recover all your NAS/RAID/server, that price will start at £500 +VAT. We take a 50% payment up front when performing physical drive level recovery and do not ask for the remaining amount until your data has been successfully recovered.
Send the hard drives (disks) in labelled with their bay order; we need the internal disks removed if possible. Model of unit, RAID configuration (if known), and if you have tried rebuilding/recovery on any disk should be included. Full reports: a Drobo with two dead disks and a grinding noise; QNAP Recovery: RAID 5 Reconfigured as RAID 0 & Synology RAID 5 Recovery: Two Drives Grinding. In addition, a Buffalo LinkStation shedding sectors.
The NAS disks are sent to us for the free diagnostic, removed from the unit if possible. In this case, send us the disks along with the make, number of bays, and RAID configuration. An engineer will then evaluate the disks and provide you with a written quote prior to commencing any work on your NAS.
Prior to shipping or dropping off your NAS to us, please call or use our web-based form to obtain a quote. We need the internal disks removed if possible; once we have received all of its individual disk drives we can begin retrieving your data, so pack them securely. Include a note detailing their original order (bay number). Always include your contact information. We will conduct the free diagnostic and confirm your quote in writing prior to beginning any work on your NAS.
Posting it? We would suggest using a tracked and insured delivery method. Want to drop it off? That’s okay too. Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5:30pm is good; no appointment necessary: simply prepare the item as described above.
Want a custom quote? List what type of NAS you have (RAID level, number of bays), how bad the failure was, and fill out our quote form for a custom quote based on your needs by a data recovery engineer.
We’ll be in touch shortly. If it’s urgent, call 01865 593000.
These are the types of questions we get asked most about when trying to recover data from a network attached storage system (NAS).
Make sure to copy all of your files as soon as possible, prior to making any attempts at repairing the NAS. When a volume is “degraded” this simply means that there has been a loss of communication between a single drive and the rest of the NAS. However, as long as the overall data integrity remains intact, that represents the least expensive way to perform data recovery. Do not begin rebuilding the RAID until you have made copies of all of your important data somewhere else.
Usually easy. Most systems run some version of RAID using the standard Linux operating system and use an LVM pool on top of the RAID. Once all of the disks are imaged, the RAID configuration can be restored completely outside of the NAS itself. In many cases data recovery from a dead NAS is actually easier than it appears.
Yes, if possible; we need the internal disks removed. Please label each disk as per your bays. The order of how you have labelled these bays will also affect how we can put it back together. Do not insert a disk that was previously ejected from this device, nor should a rebuild process begin prior to our examination.
Yes, both of these types of RAID configurations (QNAP’s thin provisioning & SHR) will need their respective layers reassembled in the proper order so that we may recover them properly. These are recoverable however, because once we have identified each layer of the RAID configuration we can walk through the RAID layer by layer to find the true extent of each individual disk and recover data accordingly.
Possibly not at all. Many units were “orphaned” when Windows disabled SMBv1 which caused many older devices to appear as though they had failed when in fact they are functioning perfectly. It would be wise to see if the admin interface loads properly before making any conclusions about whether or not the device has failed completely.
The cost of recovery will start at £500 + VAT and will be clearly outlined in a formal quote after completing a complimentary 48-hour diagnosis. If a member requires us to perform physical drive level repairs on one or more drives there will be a 50% deposit required prior to beginning work on the repair. Once completed, the remaining balance will only be due upon successful completion.
Free diagnosis to get your data back. We price on a clear tier from £500 and in most cases you only pay if we recover your data; whatever the badge, Synology, QNAP or otherwise, we bring it off the box. Start recovery today.