How to Recover Raid Partitions

[RedZot]

RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks. This type of system was created to increase the security of the data, which doubles to be stored in two units simultaneously, and transfer rate, depending on the type of approach based on the protocol type of RAID you use each system. Except in the case of the RAID 0 (stripping ) marks the fact that this type of system has more security than conventional storage systems. Because of this it is being recommended for companies or users to store and manipulate data of some value that makes them valuable data that cannot afford to lose.

For instance, it is possible that one of the hard drives connected in RAID stop working . You can replace the failed drive without causing any loss of files, and in some cases server ready for it, can be carried out replacement without even having to shutdown. That can be done manually or with the help of any specialized tool. There is software to recover data in such systems, but when dealing with a complex problems. For novice it is recommended that a professional company take care of everything process. Depending on the type of RAID you are using, the chances of success vary, but most professional companies have great technical and human resources capable of solving any problem, whether hardware or software.

Levels in Raid Array
There are several different RAID levels available. It is important to understand each level to learn about your data risk. It also plays an vital role in data recovery and other open up other options :

• RAID 0 - data striping (no data protection). The advantage of this system is that it offers the highest performance.
• RAID 1 - Disk Mirroring (provides data protection by duplicating all data from a primary drive secondary drive in). The advantage of this system is it offers the highest data protection.
• RAID 0/1- This combines both RAID 0 and 1. The benefit here is highest performance + as high as possible data protection.
• RAID 5 - Data Striping with distributed parity (a form of data protection to reconstruct the data drive failed in a disk array). This system offers the best cost performance for multi-drive environments.
• Making a RAID system installed can provide peace of mind. With RAID installed you can rest assured that even in case of system failure your important data safe.

Common reasons due to which RAID does not work :

RAID array is an composite device, so the problems are multiple and complex. The easiest way to divide them into two classes.

The first problems can associate with mechanical malfunction of some parts of the array like :

• broken single disc or multiple discs
• burned array controller
• bent, torn data cable or power cable
• broken backplane
• water, physical damage to the server

and second can be due to following :

• controller is not broken, but the initialization fails due to lost disks, logical volumes, configuration, etc.
• bad sectors in your hard drive
• initialized array / moved the hard disk space
• improper start up after rebuild checkdisk, fsck, etc.
• reformatted or re-install the OS, deleted files, viruses, etc.

Quick Steps to recover data

If the raid array works but does not shows any data, no checkdisk then try to rebuild, initialization, rebuild the array. The data lose here cannot to reverted.

Make sure you know exactly what the problem is. This is very important to analyze the issue and using the most appropriate solution.
Go on some tech forums and have advice for your issue. Explain everything, with images if possible to get most proper free suggestions. Or approach any professional data recovery service.

If you have very important data on that array, then the best answer is do nothing refer to specialists.

Recovering RAID drives :

The main way to recover data from RAID is a software build an image of the array. That can be done by a specialized software. The order of blocks in the array depends on the location on the disk channels and the algorithm of the controller. Before you start, should create clones of all the disks in order to protect themselves from wrong actions. Copies can be made in the form of files or directly to other drives. Work with copies or originals - you decide. I strongly recommend using a paper copy as if the source media are unreadable or volatile sector, working with such a disk can significantly worsen their condition or lead to complete failure.

To build the array, you need to know the parameters with which it was created. This is the block size and the sequence of drives. If you know them, we can assume that half the work is already done, and we saved a lot of time for other, more pleasant matters. If not, you'll need to pick up. You can do that by tool like RaidREconstructor.

[RedZot]

DATA Recovery

The first thing to do when you realize you just lost important data is not to touch anything and to learn. A hard drive is fragile, especially if one of its components is not in perfect condition. A sudden movement or inadequate work could complicate data recovery. The opening and closing of the computer or the installation of new software can also have an opposite effect to that desired future and reduce the chances of recovering your data intact.

There are two main types of failures that could lead to a loss of computer data: Logical failures that refers to the software failure and the second one is mechanical failures. A mechanical failure may ultimately occur because of a disaster such as a fire or flood. The hard disk is sensitive to many factors and intense heat or exposure to excessive moisture can cause failure. It is common for companies specializing in data recovery must deal with hard drives half burned. Logical failures are more common than hardware failures. They are not caused by failures of physical hard disk, floppy disk or the unit of storage used, but a disorder program. The classic example of a data loss is accidental deletion of a file. This case can occur, for example, when two identical files and delete the wrong one.

Using an DATA Recovery Software

Several programs were created in order to retrieve data erased or lost. This software can be extremely useful when the problem is a software and it was impossible to recover the lost file by a manual investigation. To summarize the process used by the vast majority of these programs, it is to ignore the index created by the operating system and to explore the hard drive directly. The software is able to detect the presence of a file without using the index. This means that even if the file was deleted from the index (by accident or on purpose), the file data is still present on the hard drive and these programs are potentially able to read them.

You can now understand why it is necessary to be careful the operations performed when a data loss is detected. Indeed, since the operating system is more aware of the existence of the file, it may at any time decide to write new data on the hard disk where the file was lost. Once new data recorded over the original data file lost, it will be impossible to find this file, at least not entirely.

Raid Recovery :

a modern tool for data recovery from all types of RAID arrays, dynamic disks, embedded and external systems, distributed information storage. The product supports a wide range of hardware, embedded controllers and software RAID, including controllers, embedded in modern motherboards with chipsets Intel, NVIDIA and VIA.

Recover corrupted RAID arrays in a fully automatic mode. DiskInternals Raid Recovery is the first tool to automatically detect the type of the original RAID array while still allowing for fully manual operation. Raid Recovery is no doubt a highly valuable tool for users of all types of RAID arrays, whether hardware, native, or software. The drag-and-drop user interface allows for easy operation by anyone.

RAID Reconstructor :

Raid Reconstructor allows you to recover data lost or corrupted hard disk RAID level 0 (2 storage units) or level 5 (3 to 14 units of storage). The application scans the disk and retrieve the necessary parameters such as block size or direction of rotation, for example. Then you will be able to copy the disk sector by sector, or to create a usable image with the other recovery software GetDataBack.

[gimmytalks]

There are many program which can recover files from failed raid arrays.

Usually there are three types on RAID that you may know

Freeware - some free ones does not has the ability since RAID is much complicated than its capability
Shareware - Some are good and they can recover files from failed raid
even better recovery programs - they can reconstruct raid array more than just recovering lost raid files.

[Sara757]

One thing I want to add here: It is really important to make clone of all the hard drives before diagnosis to avoid further damage. And all inaccessible devices are repaired in clean environment of Class 100 Clean Room. After cloning data recovery experts process RAID data recovery.