Forum Replies Created
<p data-path-to-node=”2″>I’m considering moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11 now that it’s more stable, but I’m getting conflicting info on data loss. I have 1TB of files and a massive game library that would be a nightmare to redownload or back up. Some say an upgrade deletes everything, while others say files and apps stay put.</p>
<p data-path-to-node=”3″>If I perform the standard update, will I actually lose everything, or is there a way to ensure all my data and installations remain untouched?</p>
You arent going to find a completely free tool that reliably handles RAID 5 recovery Professional reconstruction takes actual engineering and nobody is handing out software keys for free Since you have 3 working disks your best shot is using a reputable recovery tool to virtually rebuild the array Use a free trial to scan and preview your files first so you know the data is recoverable before you spend any money If your data is actually important stop looking for shortcuts and use a tool that wont trash your remaining drives
The weird noise and the fact that your computer cannot detect the drive even in an external reader confirm this is a physical mechanical failure Stop powering it on immediately as you are likely causing further physical damage to the platters every time it spins Software recovery is not an option here because the operating system cannot see the hardware to scan it If the data is critical your only remaining choice is a professional data recovery lab otherwise the drive is dead
Your WD Red Plus drive is showing signs of hardware failure, likely with the heads, firmware, or internal mechanics. The NAS connection errors, the drive not being detected on a computer, and the unusual noise during power-down all point to this. Normal NAS data recovery software recovery won’t work, and repeatedly powering it on could make the damage worse. The safest way to recover the data is to use a professional data recovery service. If this drive was part of a RAID, do not reinsert it, and replace it with a new drive to maintain the array.
I have a Synology NAS and upgraded my HDD in April to this Red Plus Drive. I was receiving notifications from my NAS that it was losing connection so I powered it off. The next day I turned it on and everything powers up except the disk. I took at the disk and put it in an external disk reader, it powers up and I see the data light flashing but my computer doesn’t pick up a drive is connected. I uploaded a video of what it does, it makes a weird noise when powering down.
What are my options for recovery?
There is no legitimate, completely free RAID-5 recovery software that can automatically rebuild the array and recover all data, and using shared or cracked license keys is both illegal and risky. That said, recovery is still possible using free and lawful methods if you are careful. Tools like Stellar Data Recovery Technician, TestDisk or PhotoRec can recover files after scanning individual disks or a reconstructed RAID image, and using Linux with mdadm is often the most effective free option to manually assemble a degraded RAID-5 from the remaining healthy drives. If the array assembles successfully, the data can usually be mounted and copied, or scanned further if the filesystem is damaged. Demo versions of professional tools can also help identify RAID parameters before spending any money. The safest approach is to rely on Linux-based tools, work on copies of the disks whenever possible, and avoid any cracked or unofficial software.
The data on the 8TB drives is most likely still intact, and the problem is related to how Windows software RAID works rather than actual data loss. Since the RAID 1 was created using Windows dynamic disks or Storage Spaces, connecting the drives through a USB dock often prevents Windows from reading the RAID metadata correctly, which is why the disks appear as invalid dynamic disks. In this situation, file recovery tools like Stellar RAID data recovery, Disk Drill are not the right solution and can lead to incomplete or messy results. The proper way to access the data is to connect at least one of the 8TB drives directly to a motherboard SATA port, even if only temporarily, so Windows can detect the disk correctly and allow the foreign dynamic disk to be imported. Once the volume comes online, the data can be copied to the new 18TB RAID. It is important not to initialize, format, convert, or attempt any repair actions on the disks, as that would overwrite the RAID metadata and put the data at risk
I had a mobo failure and pulled the 2 x 8TB drives I had in a raid 1 configuration with Windows Storage Solutions. I have built a new windows computer and installed 2 x 18TB HDDs in a raid 1 configuration. I did not reinstall the 8TB drives because i do not have room to physically mount 4 HDDs in my PC case.
I have tried to recover the data by attaching one of the 8TB drives to my new computer using an Orico usb3.0 hard drive dock. However, my computer is not recognizing either of these drives when docked and powered on. The dock works to read other sata drives and is rated for 22TB, so I don’t think the dock is bad.
How do I go about recovering this data if the computer won’t recognize the drives. Would something like Disk Drill even work for this situation. Any and all advice is appreciated. Thank you!
Edit: i wanted to add that the 8TB drives spin up when docked in the Orico, but windows does not recognize them as far as i can tell.
Edit2: Windows CAN see the drives in Disk Management, but says they are invalid dynamic disks
The problem turned out to be a damaged partition table, not a failed RAID or lost data. Three of the four drives still contained the data, but the main data partition was no longer defined in the partition table, so the array could not be assembled. One drive still had the correct layout, and copying that partition table to the other drives restored the missing partitions with the correct size and alignment. Once this was done, mdadm was able to import the RAID-5 array normally, without a rebuild. Spot-checking files showed no issues, and completing a full copy confirmed the data was intact and successfully recovered.
Update 12-27-2025: All data recovered and on another server. Thanks for all the help !
Update 12-26-2025: I was able to copy the partiton table from sda to the rest of the drives and import the array. Checking a few files across the array and there seems to be no issues yet. Started a full copy.
First please don’t say restore from backup as there is no backup. This was there backup target, that then they just started writing files to and not saving them to there computer then letting the computer backup to the nas.
This nas is a family nas that was not setup by me. But as the tec guy in the family it has turned into my proublem. They were running 4 drives in a raid 5. The nas failed and would not boot. I labled the drives and pulled them out and put them into my testing server to see what was going on. I found all 4 drives showed up but 3 out of the 4 appeared to me missing the sda3 partition that I beleave to have all the data. Is there any way I can recover that sda3 partition?
root@tempnas:~# lsblk
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINTS
sda 8:0 0 5.5T 1 disk
├─sda1 8:1 0 517.7M 1 part
│ └─md127 9:127 0 517.7M 0 raid1
├─sda2 8:2 0 517.7M 1 part
│ └─md123 9:123 0 517.7M 0 raid1
├─sda3 8:3 0 5.4T 1 part
│ └─md124 9:124 0 0B 0 md
├─sda4 8:4 0 517.7M 1 part
│ └─md126 9:126 0 448.1M 0 raid1
└─sda5 8:5 0 8G 1 part
└─md125 9:125 0 0B 0 md
sdb 8:16 0 5.5T 0 disk
└─sdb1 8:17 0 517.7M 0 part
└─md127 9:127 0 517.7M 0 raid1
sdc 8:32 0 5.5T 0 disk
└─sdc1 8:33 0 517.7M 0 part
└─md127 9:127 0 517.7M 0 raid1
sdd 8:48 0 5.5T 0 disk
└─sdd1 8:49 0 517.7M 0 part
└─md127 9:127 0 517.7M 0 raid1
RAID 6 with 5400 RPM hard drives is chosen mainly for reliability and data protection rather than speed. The dual-parity design allows the array to withstand the failure of two drives without data loss, which is important when using large drives that can take a long time to rebuild. Slower 5400 RPM disks run cooler, use less power, and experience less mechanical stress, making them a good fit for systems that stay online all the time. Although performance is lower, especially for writes, this setup works well for backups, file storage, and long-term data retention where stability and data safety matter most.
Back up all important data from the degraded RAID first, since the remaining disk has errors and the volume is now read-only. Avoid running a bad block scan, as it could worsen the disk’s condition. Once the backup is complete, power down the NAS and replace the failing disk in slot 2 with a new, healthy disk. Power the NAS back on and rebuild the RAID 1 array using QTS. Using the original disk from slot 1 is risky due to possible read errors, so a new disk is the safer option. After the rebuild, restore any missing data from the backup.
Has anyone else had their secondary drive folders vanish after the recent OneDrive backup “setup” prompt? I had my standard library folders (Documents, Pictures, etc.) mapped to my <b data-path-to-node=”1″ data-index-in-node=”181″>D: drive</b>, but after the update forced me through the backup settings, those target folders on D: completely disappeared.
<p data-path-to-node=”2″>The system has now reverted the mapping back to the <b data-path-to-node=”2″ data-index-in-node=”52″>C: drive</b> and replaced my files with OneDrive shortcuts. Since they aren’t in the Recycle Bin, has anyone found a way to recover files deleted by this “wizard,” or is the data permanently gone once the mapping is reset?</p>