RAID & NAS Data Recovery
Whether your RAID array is damaged by hardware, software, or a combination of both, we offer expert solutions tailored to your situation to safely recover all data from your RAID device.
Professional RAID & NAS data recovery
Have a damaged RAID array and need to recover data? Contact us via our online form or call our 24/7 hotline +420 775 220 440.
Our team rebuilds RAID arrays by first creating bit-level clones of every drive and then reconstructing drive order, stripe size, parity rotation and data offset. We handle hardware controllers (Dell PERC, HP SmartArray, LSI MegaRAID, Adaptec, Areca) as well as software RAID (mdadm, ZFS, Windows Dynamic Disks, Storage Spaces). Free diagnostics, fixed price upfront, no data = no fee.
Most Common RAID Array Problems:
- •Cable failure between controller and disks
- •Damage to one or more hard drives
- •Partially overwritten data
- •Incorrect disk array configuration
- •Controller problems or damage
Supported RAID Configurations:
- •RAID 0 (striping) – data speed optimization by splitting across multiple disks
- •RAID 1 (mirroring) – data mirroring for loss protection
- •RAID 5 (parity) – data protection with efficient disk space utilization
- •RAID 6 (double parity) – enhanced protection allowing up to two disk failures
- •RAID 10 – combination of RAID 0 performance and RAID 1 security
- •RAID-Z – advanced RAID in ZFS system
- •Combined RAID configurations – e.g., RAID 0+1, RAID 50, RAID 60 for balanced performance and reliability
Supported File Systems:
- •Windows (FAT, NTFS, exFAT)
- •Linux (EXT2, EXT3, EXT4, Btrfs, XFS)
- •macOS (HFS, HFS+, APFS)
- •Novell (including NVFS and NSS)
- •Unix (and other advanced systems)
How to Proceed
It doesn't matter if your array was hardware, software, or some other type. If you need to recover data from it, before you call us (+420 775 220 440), prepare as much information about your disk array configuration as you can currently determine.
For severe damage, it helps if you can characterize the type of data stored on the array (regular documents, photos, video, or for example accounting). The best protection against data loss is regular backup.
You may be interested in:
Related Articles:
Why do disk arrays fail and how to recover data?
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a technology combining multiple physical disks into one logical volume. Although disk arrays provide a certain level of data protection, they are not a substitute for backup. Failure can occur for many reasons and data recovery requires specialized knowledge and equipment.
The most common cause of array failure is simultaneous failure of multiple disks. In single parity configurations, failure of a second disk during the rebuild process can mean complete data loss. Double parity tolerates two disk failures, but problems can still occur if a third fails during reconstruction.
Another common problem is a degraded array that continues operating with a faulty disk. Users often don't notice warning signs and further failure leads to data loss. Regular monitoring of disk array status and timely replacement of faulty disks is key to prevention.
Detailed Configuration Overview
Level 0 (Striping)
This configuration distributes data evenly across two or more disks without redundancy. It provides the highest performance, but failure of a single disk means loss of all data. Recovery requires reconstruction of stripe order and size.
Level 1 (Mirroring)
Data mirroring on two disks. Failure of one disk doesn't cause data loss, but if both fail, professional recovery is needed. Recovery is usually easier due to complete data copy.
Level 5 (Parity)
Striping with distributed parity. Requires at least 3 disks and tolerates failure of one. Recovery after two disk failures is complex – requires parity block reconstruction and bad sector repair.
Level 6 (Double Parity)
Extension of level 5 with a second parity block, tolerates failure of two disks. Ideal for larger arrays where multiple failure probability is higher. Reconstruction is computationally intensive.
Level 10 (1+0)
Combination of mirroring and striping – data is first mirrored then striped. Provides high performance and redundancy, but requires at least 4 disks.
Controllers and NAS Systems
Data recovery also depends on controller type. We work with all common controllers:
- • Dell PERC – H730, H740, H840
- • HP Smart Array – P410, P420, P840
- • LSI MegaRAID – 9361, 9460
- • Adaptec – 8405, 81605ZQ
- • Intel – RST, VROC
- • Broadcom –
- • Software arrays – mdadm, ZFS, Windows Dynamic
- • Fake – integrated on motherboard
NAS Storage
Most NAS servers use disk arrays for data protection. We specialize in data recovery from these configurations:
- • Synology – DSM with SHR (Synology Hybrid) and standard configurations
- • QNAP – QTS with all levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10
- • WD My Cloud – personal and business NAS
- • Buffalo, Netgear, Asustor – all configurations
NAS storage uses specific file systems (Btrfs, ext4, XFS) and proprietary metadata. Our tools can reconstruct arrays even without the original device.
RAID array recovery requires specialised knowledge and tools. Our technicians have extensive experience with all common RAID configurations — from simple mirroring (RAID 1) through RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID-Z, combined configurations RAID 50/60, and proprietary vendor systems (Synology SHR, Drobo BeyondRAID, ZFS pools).
RAID arrays are used primarily in business environments on servers, NAS appliances and data storage. Loss of data from a RAID array therefore typically means a critical business outage. Failures most commonly occur due to sequential failure of multiple drives, incorrect controller configuration, failed rebuild processes, or corruption of parity data.
During RAID recovery we first create bit-level clones of every drive in the array (never operating on the originals). We then reconstruct the array configuration — drive order, stripe size, parity rotation and data offset — on specialised hardware and software that supports arrays where two or more drives have failed simultaneously. We work with hardware RAID controllers (Dell PERC, HP SmartArray, LSI MegaRAID, Adaptec, Areca) as well as software RAID (Linux mdadm, ZFS, Windows Dynamic Disks, Storage Spaces).
For businesses we offer express processing to minimise downtime. Diagnostics are free of charge and we quote a fixed price upfront. We arrange €45 pickup of the disk array or complete server across the EU by DPD and return your data on a medium of your choice.
Supported configurations
| RAID levels | RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60, JBOD, RAID-Z, RAID-Z2, RAID-Z3, Synology SHR, Drobo BeyondRAID |
|---|---|
| Controllers | Dell PERC, HP SmartArray, LSI MegaRAID, Adaptec, Areca, Intel RST (hardware) + mdadm, ZFS, Windows Dynamic Disks, Storage Spaces (software) |
| File systems | Windows (NTFS, ReFS, FAT), Linux (ext2–4, XFS, Btrfs, ZFS), macOS (HFS+, APFS), VMware VMFS, Microsoft CSV |
| Vendors | Synology, QNAP, Buffalo, Asustor, Drobo, Netgear ReadyNAS, Thecus, HPE MSA, Dell EqualLogic, IBM Storwize |
What to do on RAID failure
Stop all write activity immediately — further writes can corrupt parity across the array.
Label the drives with their original slot positions before removing any disk.
Contact us before attempting rebuild — rebuild on a degraded array with any read errors can destroy recoverability.
Gather the controller model, array configuration (RAID level, stripe size) and any controller logs — it speeds up diagnostics significantly.
RAID array repair vs. data recovery
When a RAID array fails, the temptation is to "just rebuild it" by replacing the failed drive. For arrays with a single failure and no latent drive errors this can work — but for degraded arrays with multiple bad sectors or two-drive failures, a rebuild typically overwrites recoverable data and makes professional recovery significantly more expensive or impossible.
Our specialisation is data recovery, not array repair. We recover the data, return it on a new verified medium, and leave the decision about rebuilding the production array to you and your IT team. This separation is deliberate — recovery workflows and production-rebuild workflows are fundamentally different, and mixing them risks data loss.
Once we have recovered the data, your admin can safely replace drives, rebuild the array (or migrate to a new one), and restore from the recovered data. If you need emergency operational help during the recovery, we can coordinate with your IT provider and share the recovery schedule.
Do not attempt rebuild on a failed array
The most common mistake after a RAID failure is attempting an automated rebuild by inserting a replacement drive. If any of the surviving drives has latent bad sectors (very common after years of operation), the rebuild will fail mid-way and can overwrite critical parity data, turning a recoverable situation into a total loss.
Do not remove drives from their original slot positions, do not re-initialise the controller, and do not accept "foreign configuration" prompts. Power the server off and label every drive before removal. Contact us first — the initial diagnostic call is free and we can tell you within minutes whether the array is safe to rebuild or requires recovery.
Why choose DataHelp for RAID recovery?
Professional RAID recovery requires deep knowledge of the specific RAID implementation used by your controller or NAS vendor. Each vendor (Synology SHR, Drobo BeyondRAID, ZFS, Dell PERC, HP SmartArray) stores metadata and parity information differently, and a generic recovery tool cannot reliably reconstruct these proprietary formats.
Our team has recovered hundreds of RAID arrays across all major vendors — from small home NAS (2-drive mirrors) up to enterprise 20+ drive arrays and JBODs. We use ACE Lab PC-3000 Data Extractor RAID and R-Studio Technician for reconstruction, backed by our own scripts for vendor-specific formats (Synology SHR variants, LVM on top of mdadm, ZFS pool import from missing drives).
For enterprise customers we offer NDA signing, expedited service with dedicated technician, and coordinated delivery schedule. We have over 35 years of combined industry experience, operate ISO Class 5 laminar flow boxes for disk-level work, and maintain a 10,000+ donor part inventory for drive-level failures within the array.
Frequently asked questions — RAID recovery
Diagnostics are always free. RAID recovery prices depend on the number of drives, array configuration and failure type. Small arrays (2–4 drives): from €259. Medium (5–10 drives): from €499. Large (10–20 drives): individual quote. Enterprise (20+ drives): individual quote. If recovery fails, you pay nothing beyond the pickup fee.
Diagnostics 1–2 days. Standard recovery 1–3 weeks depending on array size and complexity. Express processing available for business continuity — we can prioritise your case and return recovered data within 48–72 hours for an additional fee.
Usually only the drives are needed. If you are unsure about the configuration (drive order, RAID level, controller model), we recommend shipping the entire server or NAS so we can extract the configuration directly from the controller firmware or NAS OS.
Yes. We operate under GDPR, sign NDAs on request, and only authorised technicians access your media. Every recovery is documented and we can provide a chain-of-custody report on request. After recovery, the original drives are either returned or physically destroyed — never reused.
Our Technology & Capabilities
We continuously invest in cutting-edge tools and expand our recovery capabilities
Virtual RAID
Advanced tools for reconstructing virtual RAID arrays from VMware, Hyper-V, and other virtualization platforms.
NAS recovery
Specialization in data recovery from network storage devices Synology, QNAP, WD My Cloud and other manufacturers.
ZFS and Btrfs
Support for modern file systems ZFS and Btrfs used in enterprise NAS solutions.
Trusted by Industry Leaders
Serving enterprises, institutions and organizations across Europe since 1999
Related guides
Useful reading before or after data recovery
The 3-2-1 Backup Rule — Your Data Insurance Policy
The 3-2-1 rule is the simplest proven strategy to protect your data: 3 copies, 2 different media, 1 offsite. Here's how to implement it.
Read guide
How to Clone a Hard Drive — Complete Guide
Step-by-step guide to disk cloning: when you need it, how to prepare, best tools, HDD vs SSD specifics, and troubleshooting common problems.
Read guide
How to Recover Deleted Files — Methods, Risks, and When to Call a Pro
Step-by-step guide to recovering deleted files — from checking the Recycle Bin to using Recuva to professional recovery. Plus the one critic
Read guide