As good IT experts, we have created a RAID array using two or more disks together or inserting the disks inside a NAS, so that we can save all our personal files in redundancy and quickly recover them in case of errors or in the event of sudden failures.
Unfortunately, once the disks are tied in RAID they are not easily accessible: we can access it only using the device that created the RAID, which makes it a bit difficult to recover the files stored inside in case of problems.
Fortunately, the gods are available programs dedicated to the recovery of custodians of files in RAID, which we can use whenever necessary. In this guide we will show you all the steps to follow to recover files from a damaged RAID, so you don’t lose a single personal file.
How to recover files from a Damaged RAID
To recover files from a damaged RAID or one of the surviving RAID components, we will have to use a powerful paid program (available with a limited free trial), the only one capable of easily accessing all types of RAID whatever the state. of the disk.
Obviously, we will first have to move the disk where the files are present to a fixed working PC, using a SATA cable or a suitable hard disk cage. If we have never heard of RAID, we recommend that you read the guide How to combine multiple disks into one.
How to connect the disk to recover
If we have a SATA mechanical disk, remove it from the server, NAS or PC where it was used for the RAID and connect it to another desktop PC with Windows 10 operating system, using a SATA cable, a USB SATA adapter or an HDD case .3, 5 inches.
Once the disk is connected, we will have to act quickly, especially if it is damaged or with some sectors blocked: these errors can amplify and damage the disk over time, so every minute lost could make it impossible to recover files or reduce the amount of files that can be recovered.
If we have a 2.5-inch RAID disk to recover, we recommend using one of the HDD cases seen in the guide How to connect drives to PC via USB: SATA adapters, cases and docking stations.
How to recover files from RAID
After connecting the disk we avoid formatting it or proceed with any recovery system provided by Windows 10 and immediately download the program RAID Recovery Explorer, accessible from the official website.
- On the program page we click on Free download and start installing the software on our computer to which the RAID disk to be recovered is connected.
- Before proceeding with the purchase of the license we open RAID Recovery Explorer and, on the screen that will appear (it may take a few minutes), click on the RAID disk from which we want to recover the files on the left side.
- If the RAID disk does not appear, press Start Scan to start a search for all supported disks and partitions.
- After selecting the disk or partition to access (we usually recognize it as the largest partition or partition Lapse that Mirror ) press the button at the bottom right Explore;
- After a few minutes, we will have access to the entire RAID file system, with the various folders organized in a tree and all the files within them.
- Now it is possible to proceed with the recovery of the files: we open the path of the folder or folders in which our personal files are present, click on them with the right mouse button and choose to Save this object; if we want to save the folder directly, we press the right button on it and choose the item Save this object.
- In the new window, we choose the path to save the recovered files (any folder on the PC that we are using) and continue until we recover all the material. Obviously, we avoid using the same folders as the RAID, to avoid further damage or accidental deletion.
With the free version of the program we can get everything back files with a maximum size of 800 KB – If we all have very small files, this version may be enough to recover files from a damaged RAID.
If we only have one files larger than 800 KB we will have to buy the user license of the program: currently, it is possible to buy a user license for € 79.95 directly from the official website.
Conclusions
Of all the programs we have tried to recover files from a crashed or damaged RAID Recovery Explorer RAID is undoubtedly the best option.
It is the only one capable of rebuilding the RAID even without having to use the boot device and showing all the folders inside it in a few minutes, even in case of bad sectors or errors in the file system (in this case, some files may not be recoverable, especially if it is present in damaged areas).
This program allows you to extract small files for free (great to test its potential) and, by paying for a license, we will have a quick and practical tool to recover files from a RAID without having to pay for a data extraction laboratory in the clean room.
If the program in question does not have access to the RAID or the recovery of the file appears to be compromised, we can try as a last resort some of the recovery programs reported in our guides.
Recovering files from a broken disk or dead computer that How to recover deleted files on PC from hard drive or SSD.
If you have also had a similar experience, we strongly recommend that you save your very important documents in the cloud, using for example OneDrive.