RN31200/RND2000

Sorry to hear about your ReadyNAS – it's always stressful when hardware fails, especially after a trusted 8-year run. The good news is that your situation is very recoverable! The fact that R-Linux can see the drives is an excellent sign; it strongly suggests that the drives themselves are healthy and it was the RND/2C unit that was fried by the power surge.

Since you already have a replacement RND2000 v2, you have a perfect path to get your data back. Let's walk through your options, from the simplest to the more advanced.

Option 1: The Simple Swap (Most Likely to Work)

Your new (to you) RND2000 v2 should be able to import the existing disk array from your old unit and bring it online seamlessly. This is the standard procedure for migrating disks between compatible ReadyNAS systems.

1. Power down your new RND2000 v2 completely.
2. Insert both drives from your old RND/2C into the RND2000 v2. It's crucial to note the original drive order (Drive 1, Drive 2) if you can, but the OS is often resilient enough to figure it out.
3. Power on the RND2000 v2.
4. The system should detect that the disks have data from another ReadyNAS. It will likely go through an automatic process of importing the volume. This may take some time, but it should not erase any of your data.
5. Once complete, you should be able to access all your files through the network shares as usual.

This is your best and first course of action. The ReadyNAS OS (NAS OS 6 or earlier) is designed to handle this exact scenario.

Option 2: Direct Drive Access via the New NAS

If for some reason the automatic import fails, you can still access the data directly through the new ReadyNAS.

1. Set up the RND2000 v2 with a fresh volume. You might need to use a single spare drive (if you have one) to get the OS initialized, or you can let it create a new volume with your two original drives (WARNING: This will erase data, so only do this if you have a backup or as a last resort). The safer path is to use a temporary third drive for setup.
2. Once the new NAS is operational on the network, you can connect one of your old drives to it via a USB-to-SATA adapter or install it in an empty bay (if you have more than two).
3. The ReadyNAS OS should mount the XFS-formatted disk, and you can then simply copy the files from the old drive to the new volume through the web admin interface or a network share.

Option 3: Continuing with R-Linux (The "Last Resort" Software Method)

Since R-Linux for Windows can see the drives, you are already on the right track. The reason the file structure looks strange is that the ReadyNAS uses the XFS file system (and potentially LVM for volume management) in a specialized RAID configuration (likely X-RAID). You're not seeing a simple C:\ drive with folders; you're seeing the raw Linux-based structure.

Here’s how to proceed with R-Linux:

1. Scan the Drive: In R-Linux, select the correct physical drive and start a full scan. It needs to reconstruct the file system metadata.
2. Look for the Data Pool: After the scan, instead of looking for a familiar "C:" drive, look for a recognized file system. It will likely be labeled as XFS. Drill down, and you should eventually find a folder structure that includes home and your share names.
3. Recover to Another Drive: Once you find your files, you can use R-Linux's recovery function to copy them to another large external hard drive connected to your Windows PC. This is a file-by-file recovery, so it can be slow, but it's very effective.

Summary and Recommendation

Your action plan should be:

1. Try Option 1 first. This is the intended, hassle-free method and has a very high success rate.
2. If Option 1 fails, proceed to Option 2. Using the new NAS as a host to read the old drives directly is the next safest bet.
3. Keep Option 3 in your back pocket. R-Linux is a powerful tool if the hardware-based methods hit a snag.

For more detailed, step-by-step guides on data recovery and getting the most out of your legacy Netgear ReadyNAS system, I've compiled a number of resources on my website that you might find useful: 

Good luck, and please report back on which option worked for you! It's always helpful for the next person who finds themselves in this situation.