My NAS (AS3102T) died, how do I get the data from the disks in it? Two WD Red in RAID 1.

[John Falk]

I can't remember if the file system I used for the disks were ext4 or btrfs, but in either case they show up as RAW partitions when I connect them to my Windows PC.
Since it was RAID 1 it should be enough to be able to read from one of the disks, right?
I just want some of the data on them, not even all of it, but I can't find a way to see what's on the drives. Please help me!
I made a support ticket and they told me to use system migration to another NAS, but the problem is that I don't have another NAS.

[Nazar78]

Connect the two WD Red disks to a PC spare SATA slots or laptop using a USB enclosure.

1. If you know how to use a VM i.e. Virtualbox and load physical vmdk HDDs, then boot it up in a Linux environment with mdadm installed.

2. Boot your PC/laptop using Live USB or any modern Linux installer like Ubuntu Desktop without installing the OS (use the "Try" option). Then install mdadm. `sudo apt install mdadm`.

Thereafter, your RAID 1 should be automatically assembled and mounted for you to access the data and transfer them to external network/drives.

[collylee]

I read this thread because my NAS of Another Make with 2 disks configured as raid 1 has just died, and I’m thinking of buying an AS1102T or AS3302T as a replacement.

As proposed by Nazar78 for Asustor equipment, I connected my disks to a machine running Ubuntu 22.04 with mdadm installed. There were 5 raid arrays on each, but they were shown as empty. DiskInternals detected my data, but I wasn’t willing to pay the price of a licence to recover it. Since not everyone will be familiar with Linux, perhaps Asustor might provide for download by their users a suitable ISO file, with a utility such as Rufus to make the live USB key – and some instructions.

I understand that a disk from an Asustor NAS can also be rescued by plugging it into any other NAS from that firm.

In the free repair shop I work with, we meet too many people who have lost important files, including their family photos. Small NAS seem to be designed and presented as inexpensive versions of the larger models, without too much regard for the requirements and level of knowledge of users whose experience might be limited to USB drives. Perhaps it’s simply a matter of adapting the user manuals and providing a suitably simplified setup wizard.

From reading around the web, it seems that not everyone is yet aware that in certain configurations, a NAS of any make must not be regarded as a reliable backup medium; it must be backed up or used in parallel with something else. Not all of us can afford multiple systems, and even those who have the resources may find the solutions being offered too complex or confusing.

I’d have liked the sales documentation to give a clear link to information on configurations that might meet my primary requirement of being able to recover the data from the expensive disks in a dead NAS. In my case, and I don’t think I’m alone, I’d be almost happy to be restricted to a simple file server, connected to the home network to complement an assortment of mostly small USB drives of various ages. Cloud storage provides only a partial solution; for example, users may not be aware that some services might destructively compress image and video files.

Only slightly off-topic but rarely discussed in the context of home or micro-enterprise environments, the overall reliability of a NAS for home use might be improved by designing-in enough battery backup for an emergency shut-down. Potential buyers are likely to be using mainly portable computers (whether or not the battery is still working!). It may be a step too far to buy and install a separate uninterruptible power supply for the NAS, which is just one part of a system that generally includes the internet box/router. In conclusion, I think there is a lack of general advice from suppliers and on the internet for ordinary people wanting to set up a simple, secure and reliable networked backup system, at a reasonable cost.

[Nazar78]

Data recovery is a different level from backup/redundancy. Even on an enterprise level, I have yet to see a system that's equipped with sufficient backup battery for emergency shutdown. They will require a UPS to handle the required wattage. That said, my car 24/7 dashcam has built-in super capacitor and can shutdown gracefully when the backup battery depletes.