Tip 1: Recovering data from a RAID array

Tip 1: Recovering data from a RAID array


Data recovery from RAID of different levels. What to do if the RAID "fell apart", or the disks fail and the array will not be rebuilt anymore. What works are carried out by the specialists of the Laboratory "Inter" to restore data from RAID arrays.



Recovering data from a RAID array


You will need



  • RAID controller not configured for operationwith an array; HEX-editor; any program designed for data recovery, which supports the type of array you are going to restore.


Instructions


1


We connect all available disks to the controller. Disks should be defined in the system as separate devices! If there is more disk failure than the redundancy of the array allows (for RAID5 - one, for RAID6 - two), then from the missing disks, you need to restore data in the form of disk clones.


2


Open all the disks in a hex editor(any HEX-editor), we analyze their contents. We determine the type of RAID array, the block size, the direction of rotation of the parity blocks (XOR, Reed-Solomon Code), the order of changing blocks with data, the presence of delays and offsets for all members of the array.


3


We launch the program for data recovery,create a virtual RAID array in it, set its configuration. If all parameters are defined correctly, create a clone of the entire array (if necessary), or open the necessary partitions and copy data from them to a specially prepared disk.



Tip 2: How to choose a data recovery company


How to choose the right company for restorationdata, so as not to pay for uncompleted work, save time, money and nerves? The article is intended to help those who for the first time faced the problem of data recovery



Laboratory "Inter"


You will need



  • Internet access, telephone.


Instructions


1


Correctly formulate your request: for example, "data recovery from the hard disk" or "external hard drive is not detected," "the computer does not see the USB flash drive," etc.


2


Try to remember under what circumstancesdata was lost: formatted the flash drive, dropped the hard drive, or the disk first started to work very slowly, and then ceased to be detected on any computer. If you have a RAID array, remember its approximate configuration: RAID0, RAID1, RAID10, RAID5, RAID6, how many participants were in the array, whether there were HotSpare disks, etc.


3


Type your search query in anysearch engine, for example, Yandex. In the extradition received, select several sites that interest you and carefully study them. Signs of companies, professionally engaged in data recovery (which you can safely entrust their data): the company is engaged in ONLY data recovery (no repairs to laptops and televisions, installations of pirated software, etc.); the company offers free diagnostics and courier delivery, the company does not sell computers; printers, etc .; for "transparent" companies, non-cash payment is possible (to the accounts of the organization on the current account); payment only positive result and no payment for gigabytes of recovered data. And the most important: serious companies do not send their specialists to restore data in your home (or remotely), except for rare cases when a specialist leaves for large companies where the removal of carriers for the territory is prohibited by the security service. Why - in paragraph 5!


4


Try to call the company and talk tospecialist. If you accurately describe your problem, call the drive model, you should, at least, get at least a preliminary diagnosis. Of course, it is impossible to determine the cost without diagnostics, but the wording "all works from 500 rubles." should alert.


5


Find out if there is a laboratory (and datarestore in the laboratory) the necessary equipment: a clean room, laminar boxes, hardware and software systems. Qualitatively, you can not recover data without such equipment, and no one can bring it to your home. A serious data recovery laboratory must have all of the above, although this is quite expensive.




Tip 3: How to use R-Studio


The R-Studio program is designed forrecovery of deleted data and information that was lost as a result of damage or formatting of the file system. The software package is compatible with hard disks, memory cards, flash cards and other storage media, as well as with RAID arrays. Understand how the R-Studio program works by the forces of even an unsure PC user.



How to use R-Studio


You will need



  • Computer, software soft R-Studio, removable media, Internet.


Instructions


1


If you have an installation disc for thisprogram, insert it into the drive and wait for the automatic start. If you downloaded the software from the Internet, then installing the program, boldly start working with it. By the way, you can learn how to use R-Studio with video lessons that are freely available in the Internet space. Carefully study everything that the program tells you. Hasty action can cost you dear!


2


Run the R-Studio program and study it.disk panel, it displays all the devices connected to the computer, as well as complete information about them. Select the media from which the files were deleted and which requires further recovery. If the media is not displayed, take a closer look at the USB jacks: do not forget to connect the USB flash drives or removable hard drives to the computer, make sure that the computer sees them in principle.


3


Create a disk image and further actionsconnect only with it, it will help to save existing files or to avoid their damage. Be careful and attentive, although the program is easy to use, but rash and hasty actions can lead to sad results. Please note that your PC must have the necessary free memory. It is necessary that it be equal to the amount of data that is on the media and requires restoration.


4


Click Create Image. This button is in the upper right corner. In the window that opens in front of you, you need to specify the storage location for this image. When the image is created, go to the main window and the Open Image button. Specify the path to the created file.


5


Proceed to scan the disc. Click "Scan", then click "Advanced" and select the type of scan. This type depends on the volume of the device you want to check. If this is a small medium, choose "Detailed View", so the program displays a table of sectors and all information about the detected files. When checking the hard drive, choose "Simple View", so the test will be faster. Click "Scan" and wait for the results.


6


At the end of the test, you will see a list offound files, which you can restore either completely, or selectively. Specify the location where you want to save the recovered files and again expect the result, the transfer of the selected files will take a lot of time.




Tip 4: How to repair a raid array


The main purpose of RAID-arrays - This is to prevent data loss and increase the processing speed of data from hard drives. Unfortunately, the failure of one element of the array often leads to a complete loss of all important data.



How to repair a raid array


You will need



  • - RAID controller;
  • - RAID Reconstructor.


Instructions


1


Before working with an incorrect RAID array, create copies of the disks you are using. To do this, use Acronis Disk Director. Write the DOS-version of this utility to disk.


2


Connect the required amount to the motherboardNew hard disks on which copies of array elements will be located. Start Acronis Disk Director and perform the necessary operations to copy the hard drives.


3


Now download Acronis Disk Director. It has enough for the successful operation of a set of functions. To successfully use this utility, you will need to know the features of the recoverable array.


4


Run the program and expand the RAID Type menu. Select the type of array to continue working with. In the Drivers field, enter the number of hard drives that are part of the RAID array.


5


Fill in the fields in the Name column. Select those hard disks that belong to the array being processed. Pay special attention to the Block Size field. Enter the size of the block that was used earlier. If you are not sure of the choice, do not change the value in this field.


6


Now click the Open Drives buttonand Analyze. In the new window, highlight Run the Differential Entropy and click Next. In the next menu, set the drive sequence and enter the search size value.


7


Click Next, wait for the programwill select the algorithm for assembling the array. Click the Restore button and wait until the utility finishes running. It is important to note that it may take several hours to completely restore the array.


8


Remember that there are also hardware recovery methods arrays. Do not use them if you do not have a full set of information about the previous state of the RAID array. Most often, such attempts lead to a complete loss of data.