RAID short for Redundant Array of Independent Disks is an efficient way of storing the same data/information on different hard disks to protect data from being lost or damaged in the case of a drive failure or any other problem. RAID 5 is the most common RAID setup used to store data generally in small businesses and other organizations. It requires at least 3 drives to build the setup and can work with up to 16 drives. Data blocks are striped across the drives in RAID 5 setup.
Like other data storage setups, RAID 5 can also be corrupted or damaged, resulting in a massive data loss. Here in this blog, we will help you understand why RAID 5 server gets failed and how you can recover data from a damaged RAID 5 setup.
Why does RAID 5 fail?
Before heading towards the solution, let’s analyze the problem and why does it happen.
- Failure of 2 drives at once – As already said before, RAID required at least 3 drives to work. Failure of 2 drives can simultaneously result in RAID failure leading to severe data loss.
- Missing RAID partition – Missing RAID partitions can be due to errors in the logical structure of the hard disk drive, causing one or more partitions to go missing. The missing partition can result in data loss.
- Sudden power surge – Sudden power surge can damage drives burning the components which will make the drive unreadable, resulting in a data loss.
- Virus/malware attack – Corrupt files and documents can infect the whole drive making the files unrecoverable, leading to permanent data loss. Although an updated antivirus can avoid such scenarios, it could be a serious problem for a RAID
Once you find that your RAID setup is corrupt or damaged, you can recover data manually by doing simple steps if the damage is not serious.
Recover data from failed RAID 5
In most cases of RAID 5 failure, data recovery is possible and easy if you act quick and take care of a few things. To help you through the process of recovering data from RAID 5, here are some quick steps you can follow:
- As advised, you should stop using the computer and shut it down. The reason behind it is that while 2 of the RAID disks have already gone (leading to the failure), your RAID controller might still be working and might perform writes on the other drives causing them to fail too. The main reason being this could be a software issue as well. The RAID controller could still access your disks and think it’s in its old RAID configuration. It will raise the risk of overwriting on those disks which will make data recovery from failed RAID 5 setup nearly impossible.
- A spare PC, preferably NAS, will be required to conduct the process of data recovery. The PC must have enough space to hold the data equal to the total size of the original RAID disks. A UPS will also be required to ensure no power cut could interrupt the recovery process. Further, an external HDD mount will also be required. An external USB3 HDD dock is a safe bet, and not too expensive.
- Disassemble all the drives from the setup one by one, and check their physical condition by running your drive vendor’s checking utilities. By doing this, you need to identify the failed drives and note down the names/numbers and other parameters of the disks that have failed.
These steps are to be done only to analyze the severity of the problem. We suggest NOT to attempt to repair disks as it is a highly complex process and require professional assistance to be completed successfully.
Data Recovery Mumbai is one of the most credible names when it comes to recovering data from failed RAID 5. We provide the most professional and reliable data recovery services pan India at affordable rates. What will you get when you hire us as your data recovery partner:
Expertise
With our team of professionals, we offer expert data recovery solutions to almost every problem. We follow a systematic approach to deal with every problem keeping customer satisfaction as our utmost priority. Therefore, we understand every aspect of the problem before through call, so you don’t have to worry at all.
Instant services
We have more than 1 million customers across the nation. And this proves our integrity and ability to solve data recovery problems users face in day to day scenarios. The solutions we offer are prompt and suitable to customer’s deadline, so you don’t have to wait for your data to be recovered. Instant services are certainly one of the plus points when you hire us as your data recovery partner.
Security
Security could be a concern for many when it comes to choosing a data recovery company for RAID 5. We ensure the safety and security of your data at every stage of the process. It is our duty to recover your data while maintaining the security standards throughout the data recovery process.
Affordability
While offering expert data recovery solutions for RAID 5, we understand that affordability is one of the concerns of our esteemed users. That is why we keep our charges low and constantly check that no errors or overlapping of steps occur to avoid any extra charges.
Losing data from a failed RAID 5 could be disastrous. The intensity multiplies when you are a business as your data becomes extremely crucial. That is why always keep a backup to fight such situations. For the rest, Data Recovery Mumbai is there to help you recover your data. Contact us at +91 9323287758 and talk to one of the representatives now. We don’t charge you for the consultation. Dial now!