✓ What you should do
- Shut the system down and leave it switched off
- Note down or photograph the order of the drives before you remove anything
- Photograph error messages and LED status
- Call – you reach me directly: +49 711 3588558
✗ Never do this
- Don't start a rebuild – it is the most common cause of permanent data loss
- Don't initialize or format, even if the system "suggests" it
- Don't test the drives individually or put them into another computer
- Don't unleash recovery software on the array
Your RAID or NAS in good hands
Benjamin Riedel
You call, I answer.
Your RAID array has failed or your NAS won't start anymore? Then one thing matters most right now: don't rush anything. In my specialist workshop for data recovery in Stuttgart-Sillenbuch I reconstruct RAID arrays, NAS boxes and company servers from all common manufacturers – personally, locally and transparently. Your drives stay in Stuttgart and are never passed on to anonymous large labs.
Which RAID levels I recover
From a simple mirror to a nested array – what matters is that the reconstruction happens on copies of the original drives, never on the originals themselves:
- RAID 0Striping – no redundancy, every drive counts
- RAID 1Mirroring – even when both sides are defective
- RAID 5Parity – the classic in an office NAS
- RAID 6Double parity – two drives may fail
- RAID 10Stripe + mirror – the server standard
- JBOD / SHRAlso Synology Hybrid RAID & single volumes
NAS and server systems from all manufacturers
Network storage devices are small Linux servers – the data usually sits in ext4, Btrfs or proprietary volumes, often additionally nested via LVM. Among others, I reconstruct:
- Synology (DiskStation, RackStation, incl. SHR and Btrfs)
- QNAP (incl. QTS volumes and encryption, provided the key is available)
- Western Digital My Cloud / My Book Duo
- Buffalo LinkStation / TeraStation
- Netgear ReadyNAS as well as company servers and self-built systems (mdadm, ZFS on request)
Typical failure scenarios
- Two drives in a RAID 5 fail shortly after one another (drives of the same age often die together)
- A rebuild aborts or was started with the wrong drive
- The RAID controller is defective and the configuration is lost
- The NAS or server was damaged by a power cut or surge (thunderstorm!)
- A firmware update failed and the volume is shown as "not initialized"
- A volume was accidentally deleted or created anew
Why a rebuild is so dangerous
A rebuild writes to all drives in the array. If a second drive is already weakened – which is very common once the first one has failed – it gives out for good under the rebuild load, and a solvable problem turns into a total loss. That is why, after a failure, a RAID has to be read out first (sector-by-sector copies of all drives) and only then reconstructed. That is exactly how I work.
How the RAID recovery works
- Free initial consultation by phone – I clarify the setup, the symptoms and how urgent it is
- Diagnosis in my specialist workshop: every drive is checked individually and imaged sector by sector
- Cost estimate: you decide before any costs arise
- Reconstruction: the array parameters (drive order, stripe size, parity) are determined from the copies and the volume is reassembled virtually
- Handover: your data, checked, on a new drive – with advice on a fail-safe backup concept if you like
On site in Stuttgart – no mandatory shipping
A server outage at your company? In the greater Stuttgart area I also pick RAID systems up directly from you by arrangement – from Bad Cannstatt to Vaihingen, from Esslingen via Ludwigsburg, Böblingen and Sindelfingen to Waiblingen. You are just as welcome to bring your system to Gosheimer Weg 11, 70619 Stuttgart (Sillenbuch, free parking right outside) in person – or to send it in well padded if you live further away. Please always send a RAID in complete: all drives, if possible with the enclosure and controller, and with the installation order noted down.
Frequently asked questions about RAID & NAS data recovery
What does RAID or NAS data recovery cost?
That depends on the number of drives, the type of damage and the urgency. This is why you first get a diagnosis from me and then a binding cost estimate – you decide before any costs for the recovery arise. The initial phone consultation is free.
How long does the recovery take?
Imaging large drives sector by sector takes time – a few days, depending on capacity and condition. For companies whose operations are at a standstill, I discuss prioritized handling right away on the phone.
Two drives in my RAID 5 have failed – is everything lost?
Not necessarily. Often one of the two drives failed "silently" quite a while ago and only the second one failed recently. If one of them can be made readable in my specialist workshop, the array can frequently be reconstructed. Important: no experiments beforehand – they only worsen the chances.
My NAS is encrypted – is anything possible at all?
Yes, provided you have the key or passphrase. The reconstruction then runs in two steps: first the RAID array, then the decryption of the volume. Without the key a serious recovery is not possible – any reputable provider will tell you the same.
Does my data stay confidential?
Yes. Your drives stay in my Stuttgart specialist workshop and are not passed on to third parties. On request I sign a confidentiality agreement – a matter of course for medical practices, law firms and companies handling personal data.
The NAS still runs but reports "degraded" – what now?
Right now you hold the best cards: back up the most important data to an external medium immediately, before you change anything on the array. After that I advise you whether a controlled drive replacement or an imaging job in my specialist workshop is the safer route.