RAID systems are widely used by companies of any size and even by personal users, such as gamers and creative professionals. These expansive systems often bring questions about them. One common question is: how does the RAID data recovery process work?The benefits of RAID’s multi-drive configuration include expanded capacity, reliability, and fault tolerance compared to a single-drive storage system. Unfortenelly, RAID systems are not error-free. And you may need help to recover your RAID data.If you lost your data due to RAID failure you can restore your files with data recovery software or RAID data recovery service.

Top Summary: In this article, you can learn the steps of the RAID data recovery process used by recovery engineers to restore your data from a failed RAID drive. You will learn about the step-by-step process of data recovery for common RAID types including RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10, and RAID 50.

How does the RAID recovery process work?

RAID data recovery services have a protocol to follow to guarantee your data will be restored securely.The RAID data recovery process starts when recovery engineers identify the type of RAID system you’re using. They will use specialized software to determine the status of your array and inspect its components.Then, they will create a clone or image of each hard drive to access the data without risking further damage to the disks. From there, recovery specialists can begin extracting files from your drives and rebuilding them in an exact copy of their original form.Once all data is recovered, the specialists perform a verification process that ensures your files are properly restored before delivering them back to you.

The step-by-step RAID data recovery process

There are six essential steps to the RAID data recovery process that recovery engineers must follow to increase their chances of full recovery.

Step 1. Initial analysis. First, the recovery engineer will review all available information about your RAID system and diagnose the cause of failure. Including checking for any physical damage. This helps to set the best approach.Step 2. Drive imaging. The data recovery specialist then creates a clone of each drive to access data without risking further damage. It’s an identical copy of every data on the failed system.Step 3. Data extraction and rebuilding. The engineers extract all files from each drive, rebuild them into their original form, and store them on a secure storage device or server.Step 4. Use the filesystem to locate data. The filesystem will identify your RAID files to keep them in the same organization, structure, and folders. It’s the location of the damaged or lost data. In other words, the filesystem on RAID is like a map of the files.

Important: If the filesystem is damaged as well, then it’s very likely you’ll get your full data back, but organized by file type ( PDF, JPEG, WORD, etc.).

Step 5. Extraction and saving on a new device or system. Here information gathered during the initial analysis is very important. That’s because different RAID types work on their own specification to save data. Such as RAID redundancy, mirroring, and striping.With this knowledge, the recovery engineer can securely extract all of your available files. Then these files are transferred to a secure storage space.Step 6. Verification. Finally, they perform a verification process. This ensures all files are properly restored and are free from corruption before delivering them back to you.

What should you do if your RAID system fails?

If your RAID system fails, the best thing to do is contact a RAID professional data recovery service. SalvageData recovery experts offer a free evaluation of your RAID and can help to build an emergency recovery plan.Data recovery specialists have the expertise and specialized tools needed to retrieve your data from a failed RAID system. They can also provide additional services such as backing up data on an external storage device or performing regular maintenance checks on your RAID drive.

How does RAID fail?

There are several reasons why RAID systems can fail. Common causes include:

• Unexpected power outage
• Physical damage to one or more drives
• Firmware issues
• Logical errors
• Multiple disks failure
• Faulty controllers
• Malware - learn how you can protect your RAID

In the event of a failure, it’s important to contact a RAID professional data recovery service as soon as possible to maximize the chances of successful recovery.SalvageData recovery experts have decades of combined experience securely recovering RAID data from different systems. Contact us 24/7 to discuss the best approach to your needs and guarantee your RAID data full recovery.

How much do RAID recovery services cost?

RAID drives are reliable but not infallible, and recovering data from a failed RAID system requires experience and proper tools.

If you’ve experienced a RAID failure, it’s important to contact a professional data recovery service as soon as possible to maximize the chances of successful recovery.

SalvageData experts have extensive experience performing RAID recoveries using cutting-edge tools and techniques. Our engineers will diagnose your array and determine the best course of action before cloning each drive and extracting any recoverable data. They also perform a verification process that ensures all files have been properly restored before delivering them back to you in no time.However, each case has a different approach due to its difficulty. After a free evaluation of your case, you’ll receive a detailed list of savable files and the possible recovery actions to restore them. This document also contains the approximate cost of your RAID recovery service.

RAID data recovery process FAQ

Which is the best RAID data recovery software?There are several data recovery software online you can try. This is a list of the top 5 software so you can restore your RAID data on your own.

Warning: data recovery software can’t always restore your files. In case of physical damage to your RAID array or to a disk, only a recovery expert, in a cleanroom, can restore your files.

Some of the best data recovery software you can find are:

• SalvageData data recovery software tool
• DiskInternals RAID Recovery
• Stellar Data Recovery Technician
• DiskGenius
• Zero Assumption Recovery

Is it possible to recover data from a failed RAID system?Yes, you can recover data from a failed RAID system.You can try to do it on your own, using data recovery software. However, it’s not recommended. The best approach would be to contact a data recovery service. Other than backups, recovery service is the most secure and guaranteed way to restore lost files.Is it possible to rebuild failed RAID without losing data?Yes, you can rebuild a failed RAID system and keep your data. Read the full steps in our in-depth article about How to Rebuild a Failed RAID Without Losing Data.