How to recover data from an inoperable NAS?

My WD My Cloud Mirror NAS don’t turn on. I can`t access the files by just connecting the disks to Windows PC.
How to extract data from hard disks after the NAS device broke down, from an inoperable disk array?

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@MatthiasStout

Do you have a way to connect them to a Linux operating system?

Was your device on Operating System 3 or 5? You are saying you have a My Cloud Mirror but posted your topic under the My Cloud Home sub-forum. A My Cloud Home with two drives is known as a My Cloud Home Duo.

interesting program, thank you. But will it read my disks that were part of raid0?

here is my device:


Since no one helped me solve my problem, I figured it out myself. Here’s how I did it:

I take the disks out of the NAS device and connect them to a Windows computer. The operating system of the computer to which I have connected the disks asks me to initialize or format them. I didn’t do that, because it would make recovery a lot more complicated.

I installed and ran Hetman RAID Recovery. It analyze the disks, read their service information and rebuild the damaged RAID system. The program has rebuilt the damaged RAID and found all the files stored on the network drive.

I understand that this is not the most correct and cheap way, but it suited me at the moment.

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Here are a few alternatives to try to extract records from the hard disks after your WD My Cloud Mirror NAS stopped working:

  • Connect the hard disks directly to a computer. If the disks are not damaged, the computer should be able to detect them and you may be able to access the files directly. However, if the disks were set up in a RAID configuration on the NAS, you may need RAID recovery software to rebuild the array before accessing the files.
  • Use data recovery software. Software like Stellar NAS Data Recovery or Disk Drill can scan the disks and recover deleted files even if the file system is corrupted. This requires connecting the disks to a computer.
  • Send the disks to a professional data recovery service. They have specialized tools and clean room facilities to repair damaged drives and recover data. This is the most reliable but also most expensive option.
  • If you know the RAID configuration used on the NAS, you may be able to buy another compatible NAS device and insert the drives to access the data. The new NAS would need to support the same RAID levels.
  • As a last resort, if the disks are not physically damaged but you cannot access the data, you can format the drives to reuse them, but this will erase all data. So only do this if you’ve exhausted all other options.
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Unable to recover my NAS data. Could anyone suggest some manual solution if possible.

More information is needed: what kind of NAS you have, the type of RAID array, the number of disks, the reason for the data loss, etc.

This thread was mistakenly started in this subforum by an owner of a My Cloud Mirror who is using a completely different processor and operating system (OS3 or OS5) than what every owner in this subforum (My Cloud Home, running OS4) is using. So be aware of the errors that will come up following these suggestions which included some SPAM thrown in for good measure.

It is unlikely that a home user can recover data on their own from a damaged SMR hard disk used in the My Cloud Home if that is what they have.

The only official way of data recovery from the My Cloud Home is clearly described from Western Digital:

My Cloud Home Data Recovery

Data Recovery of a My Cloud Home can only be accomplished by the following Western Digital Data Recovery Partners.


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ountered an issue with their https://statustrends.com WD My Cloud Mirror NAS device not turning on and had difficulty accessing the files. However, they were able to find a solution independently by taking the disks out of the NAS device and connecting them to a Windows computer. While the computer prompted to initialize or format the disks, MatthiasStout wisely chose not to proceed with it to avoid data loss.

If you’re facing a similar situation and need assistance with data recovery from an inoperable disk array, it’s essential to proceed with caution to avoid further data loss. You may consider seeking professional help from data recovery experts or utilizing specialized software designed for data recovery from NAS devices.

When a NAS device like the WD My Cloud Mirror fails and won’t turn on, recovering data from the disk array can be challenging, especially if the disks were part of a RAID configuration. Here are some steps you can take to try to extract data from the hard disks:

  1. Do not connect the disks directly to a Windows PC, as this may cause further data corruption or make recovery more difficult.
  2. Determine the RAID configuration used by your NAS device. The WD My Cloud Mirror likely used a RAID 1 (mirrored) configuration with two disks.
  3. Seek professional data recovery services. Companies specializing in data recovery have the necessary tools, expertise, and a controlled environment to safely extract data from failed RAID arrays and other complex storage systems.
  4. If you prefer to attempt data recovery yourself, you’ll need specialized software and hardware: a. Obtain a RAID data recovery software compatible with your NAS model and RAID configuration. b. Purchase a compatible RAID controller or a USB-to-SATA adapter to connect the disks. c. Create a byte-by-byte disk image of each disk using data recovery software to avoid any risk of further data loss. d. Attempt to reconstruct the RAID array and recover data using the disk images and RAID recovery software.
  5. If one disk in the RAID 1 array is still operational, the recovery process may be simpler, but it’s still recommended to create disk images before attempting any recovery.

Keep in mind that DIY NAS data recovery from a failed RAID array can be risky and may lead to permanent data loss if not done correctly. Consulting professional data recovery experts is often the safest and most reliable option, especially if the data is critical.

I suggest you to read this and find a solution if you need to solve this

Read more: https://www.blrtools.com/nas-data-recovery-tool.html

Hi, I got great software that gave me NAS data recovery in a few steps. So I thought I should share with you… Have you ever tried the BLR NAS data recovery tool. If your answer is not then you should be try first it’s free version. I suggest you to try it’s trial version because in my scenario I just tried it’s free version first then I purchased it’s pro version. Please note data recovery is not guaranteed. Therefore, try it’s trial version first. This software can save lost result data if you buy it. If not, this tool cannot help or assist.

Here you go with this link: BLR NAS Data Recovery Wizard Tool to Retreive Lost NAS Data

These SPAM posts with data recovery software are all the same, they are not able to recover much and they will upsell you to their services as this one MCH Duo user below who can attest.

There is no easy way for a HOME user to do recovery from SMR disk(s) with sector errors. None of the software under $15k can do it and you need adequate knowledge to use it.

So the best policy is to do USB HDD backups and plenty of it if your data is any value to you and don’t use SMR disks such as those that come with the MCH for enterprise or even small business work because their average life span is 2.5 years.

Please read the Western Digital official support position on data recovery here:

The only official way of data recovery from the My Cloud Home is clearly described from Western Digital:

support-en.wd.com

Data Recovery for My Cloud Home

Find detailed answers to your support questions for your Western Digital, SanDisk, WD_BLACK, or WD storage product.

My Cloud Home Data Recovery

Data Recovery of a My Cloud Home can only be accomplished by the following Western Digital Data Recovery Partners.

There are a lot of spam bot posts that listed a lot of useless information unrelated to the My Cloud Home. Just ignore them because WD support appear to be unhelpful in deleting them.

Effective mthod to response

Connecting the disks directly to a Windows PC often doesn’t work effectively, as the drives are configured in a RAID array and may have proprietary file systems. To extract data from the inoperable disk array, you might need to use specialized data recovery software that can handle RAID configurations. It’s important to note that if the drives have suffered corruption, you might encounter errors like “file system verify or repair failed. : (-69845)” when attempting to access them directly https://www.hаndyrecovery.com/fix-corrupted-hard-drive-on-a-mac/. In such cases, consider using tools specifically designed for NAS recovery or consulting a professional data recovery service, as they have the expertise and equipment to recover data from damaged arrays safely. This way, you can maximize your chances of retrieving your important files without further risk to the data.

Nothing says spam bots more than all these congratulatory one line posts about how useful their posts are when they are all posting in the wrong forum.

Read Post #10 above for the official Data Recovery for My Cloud Home link.