RND2000 ReadyNAS Duo : data recovery help needed even linux not recognising the drives

[farazfastian]

Hi All, 

I'm trying to recover my whole life from ReadyNAS duo rnd2000, have tried reading it via linux reader on windows and ubunto as well using sata adapter but both not recognizing the hard drives. It's just showing the SATA bridge but no information about the drive. Weird thing is that few weeks ago I was able to read the data via Linux reader via same SATA adapter but now it's not, please note readynas is off since then so don't know what's changed.

Any suggestions what I can do next? Do you think connecting them directly to a desktop computer will help?

Thanks

Faraz

[mdgm-ntgr]

We do sell software data recovery services. We do this with the disks in place in a ReadyNAS unit. Obviously if the disks can't even be detected then we can't do anything. We don't do physical repairs to disks.

If you like you could try connecting the disks directly to a desktop computer. If the disks still are not detected then the problem is probably not your SATA adapter.

[farazfastian]

well disks are spinning for sure and I can't believe that it's a hardware failure on both discs in just a few weeks time when ReadyNAS wasn't even on?

The issue i had on my readnas was that the fan was constantly spining at high speed the way it does for few seconds normally at boot time, and disks shows green lights in readynas but shows 0MB. Do you think putting disks in wrong order in readynas would wipe the data?

Thanks,

Faraz

[StephenB]

If you hot-inserted the disks then they would be wiped.  Though the OS partition should still be visible with Linux Reader.

I suggest using vendor diags to test the disks on the PC (seatools for seagate, lifeguard for western digital), and then post back the results.

[farazfastian]

No i didn't hot insert them, but i might have put them in wrong order before turning nas but its also very unlikely.

I'll try investigating hard disks and also try connecting them on desktop direct and post the results.

I assume even if data is wiped we should still be able to retirve it at sector/block level? 

Thanks,

Faraz

[StephenB]

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@farazfastian wrote:

I assume even if data is wiped we should still be able to retirve it at sector/block level? 

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I don't know what the odds of successful recovery would be - it depends on exactly what happened.  If the vendor diags don't recognize the disks, then either the SATA adapter went bad, or something fried the SATA interface on both drives.

Were there any unexpected power cuts (or surges)?

[farazfastian]

No nothing of my aware. Here's what happened: 

few months ago I wasn't able to access media folder so I restarted the NAS server and after a restart it kept spinning the fan with fast speed and loud noise. When I looked into the console it showed both drives with a  green light and with normal capacity. I turned it off and didn't turn back on for a long time, then 3 months ago I turned it on and same behaviour but this time, capacity was shown 0mb. I connected one of the drive to Linux reader via SATA and I was able to browse all of my data. I left it off for past 3 months as I was busy in house move etc, now last week I turned it on once more to see if it might work magically but same behaviour so I connected it with Linux reader and ubuntu but both not able to show disc anymore. 

You can see I don't think I did anything which should fry or wipe out the data, the only mistake I would have done is put disks in the wrong order.

Thanks

faraz

[StephenB]

But you did move the NAS to a new house?  Did it ever work normally in the new location?

[farazfastian]

yes last week it was the first time i moved it to the new house and turned it on just for few minutes then turned off as it was in the same state, hence started looking in to recovering my data.

Is there a way i can check in the NAS server to see if data or discs are still ok? just for my peace of mind.

Thanks

[StephenB]

You can try RAIDar.

It does seem odd that neither disk is responding in the PC. I'd also pick up a new SATA->USB 3 adapter kit, to rule out any issue with the SATA connection in the PC.  I have a Sabrent kit, but there are several other choices out there.  They provide power and a separate sata->usb adapter.

[farazfastian]

Finally found someone with desktop computer and i connected my drives to it directly.

- one hardrive is not even recognised even on the desktop, i don't know why 😞

- other hardrive is recognised but it's showing unallocated whole 1TB drive. Both linux reader on windows and ubuntu not able to get inside.

for some reason if i connect it via  SATA USB Adaptor it's still not able to read it, although same har drives were working via SATA few months ago. 

Looks like my last hope is the other unallocated drive, could you suggest tools to read data from it? My whole life is in there 😞

Thanks,

Faraz

[StephenB]

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@farazfastian wrote:

- one hardrive is not even recognised even on the desktop, i don't know why 😞

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 "Directly" meant using the internal SATA port on the desktop?

I suspect that one has failed.

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@farazfastian wrote:

- other hardrive is recognised but it's showing unallocated whole 1TB drive. Both linux reader on windows and ubuntu not able to get inside.

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Normally you should be able to see the OS partition on the parity drive, but there is no data partition.  You are saying you see no partitions at all with either linux reader or ubuntu?

[farazfastian]

yes connected directly to computer motherboard, and yes the other harddrive just saying 1TB unallocated and no partitions.

Does this mean the partitions are wiped? if yes then how can i recover them?

Thanks 

Faraz 

[StephenB]

The drive that isn't detected is likely a goner.

You would need to try RAID recovery (either as a service or RAID recovery software) to get the data back.  There are no guarantees it will work, and generally fees are not refundable.

If you use a service, make sure you research it first.  

Seagate runs its own data recovery service, WDC lists several partners on their web site.  And you can also contract with Netgear since your duo is still functioning.  Netgear normally would work remotely, the others likely require you to ship your disks to them.

[farazfastian]

if partitions are wiped on one disk and other disk is failing, do you still think netgear will be able to recover data remotely?

Also shall i try popping hard disks back in readynas to check how it shows disks in the radiator ?

Thanks,

Faraz

[StephenB]

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@farazfastian wrote:

if partitions are wiped on one disk and other disk is failing, do you still think netgear will be able to recover data remotely?

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Honestly, I don't know.  But I am thinking that the odds are against you with any recovery service.  If the data is precious (which it apparently is) it still might be worth trying.

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@farazfastian wrote:

Also shall i try popping hard disks back in readynas to check how it shows disks in the radiator ?

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Definitely not.

If the partitions are truly gone on drive 2, then the duo will format it.  That will just do more damage.

[farazfastian]

you know what this is exactly what whould have happened. after my house move, i turned on NAS again just to see if it's still in the same state and kept it on for 5-10 mins. First drive failure would have wiped out the second too. So now my only option is some serious data recovery.