Specialized solutions for NAS data recovery
NAS stands for network attached storage: a small file server with one or more drives that the whole office or household reaches over the network. Inside, the drives are combined into a RAID array for capacity and protection, and the maker's own operating system sits on top.
That layering is what makes NAS recovery specialist work. A typical unit stacks a RAID layer, a volume manager, a file system such as ext4, Btrfs or ZFS, and often encryption, snapshots and an SSD cache. Each layer has to be understood and rebuilt in the right order. A wrong step at the first stage can turn a routine recovery into a difficult one.
NAS systems we recover
- Synology
- DiskStation, RackStation, FlashStation and BeeStation running DSM, with SHR, Btrfs or ext4. Synology recovery.
- QNAP
- QTS units on ext4 and QuTS hero units on ZFS, including thin and thick volumes and storage pools. QNAP recovery.
- WD, Seagate and LaCie
- My Cloud EX and PR series, older Seagate and LaCie network drives.
- Asustor, TerraMaster and UGREEN
- ADM, TOS with TRAID, and the newer UGREEN NASync range.
- Buffalo and Netgear
- TeraStation and LinkStation on XFS. ReadyNAS with X-RAID and Btrfs, now discontinued.
- Drobo
- Drobo closed in 2023 and there is no manufacturer support left. Its BeyondRAID layout is proprietary, so professional recovery is the only route when a Drobo fails.
- TrueNAS, Unraid and home-built
- ZFS pools, Unraid parity arrays, OpenMediaVault and Linux software RAID.
- Professional video storage
- G-Technology and Promise arrays, plus LaCie and OWC units used in post-production.
We also recover older units from D-Link, Lenovo, Iomega, Thecus and Zyxel.
Why NAS units lose data
- Failed or interrupted rebuild
- Rebuilding onto a new 16TB or 20TB drive takes days and reads every sector of the remaining drives. A second drive with weak sectors fails part-way and the volume crashes.
- Several drives dropping out
- A power event, an overheated chassis or a failing backplane knocks out more drives than the RAID level can tolerate.
- Operating system or update failure
- The NAS will not boot after an update, or shows the drives as uninitialized.
- SSD cache failure
- A worn read-write cache drive fails and takes unwritten data and file system metadata with it.
- Accidental deletion or reset
- A shared folder, volume or storage pool is deleted, or the unit is factory reset and re-initialized.
- File system damage
- Btrfs or ZFS metadata corruption after power loss, especially on units without a UPS.
- Ransomware
- NAS units exposed to the internet have been hit by campaigns such as Qlocker, DeadBolt and eCh0raix. We assess what can be recovered from snapshots, deleted originals and unencrypted remnants.
What to do when a NAS fails
Turn the NAS off and call us before trying anything else. Do not rebuild, re-create the volume, or swap drives between bays.
Label each drive with its bay number and send all of them, including any that have failed. We do not always need the NAS enclosure itself and will tell you when we do. If shared folders or the whole volume are encrypted, have the key or password ready.
Models we recover, 2013 to 2026
Examples of the model numbers we see most often, grouped by the years each range was sold. The model number is printed on a sticker on the underside or rear of the NAS, next to the serial number, and usually on the front bezel as well.
| Years | Range | Model numbers |
|---|---|---|
| 2012–2022 | DroboBeyondRAID proprietary layout; Drobo closed in 2023 | Drobo 5N, Drobo 5N2, Drobo 5D, Drobo 5D3, Drobo 5C, Drobo 8D, Drobo B810n |
| 2013–2017 | Seagate and LaCie NASProduct lines discontinued | Seagate Business Storage 4-Bay NAS, Seagate NAS 4-Bay, Seagate NAS Pro 4-Bay, Seagate Personal Cloud 2-Bay, LaCie 2big NAS, LaCie 5big NAS Pro |
| 2013–2018 | Synology DiskStation, 2013 to 2018 models | DS213j, DS214, DS415+, DS216+II, DS916+, DS218+, DS918+ |
| 2013–2019 | QNAP Turbo NAS, 2013 to 2019 models | TS-251, TS-453 Pro, TS-451+, TS-453A, TS-453Be, TVS-872XT |
| 2013–2022 | Netgear ReadyNASReadyNAS OS 6 uses Btrfs on Linux md RAID | RN102, RN104, RN214, RN316, RN424, RN528X |
| 2013–2025 | WD My Cloud | My Cloud EX2, My Cloud EX4, My Cloud EX2 Ultra, My Cloud EX4100, My Cloud PR2100, My Cloud PR4100 |
| 2013–2026 | Buffalo LinkStationXFS file system on Linux md RAID | LS210D, LS220D, LS420D, LS520D, LS720D |
| 2013–2026 | Buffalo TeraStationXFS file system on Linux md RAID | TS1400D, TS3400D, TS3410DN, TS5410DN, TS3420DN, TS5420DN, TS6400DN |
| 2015–2026 | AsustorADM operating system; ext4 or Btrfs volumes | AS6204T, AS6404T, AS5304T, AS6604T, AS6704T, AS5404T, AS6804T, FS6712X |
| 2018–2026 | TerraMasterTOS operating system; Btrfs or ext4 volumes | F2-210, F4-210, F2-221, F4-422, F4-423, F4-424 Pro, F4-425 |
| 2019–2026 | Synology DiskStation, 2019 to 2025 modelsPlus models support Btrfs as well as ext4 | DS1019+, DS220+, DS920+, DS923+, DS224+, DS925+, DS1825+ |
| 2020–2026 | QNAP, 2020 to 2025 modelsTS-h and TVS-h models run QuTS hero with ZFS | TS-453D, TS-473A, TS-464, TVS-h674, TS-432X, TS-462A |
| 2024–2026 | UGREEN NASyncUGOS Pro; Btrfs or ext4 volumes | DXP2800, DXP4800 Plus, DXP6800 Pro, DXP8800 Plus, DH2300, DH4300 Plus |
Not listed? These are examples, not limits. If your model is missing we almost certainly still recover it. Give us the number when you start a case.
How we work on a NAS
Every drive is imaged first, including repair of any that have physically failed, so the originals are never put under further load. We then rebuild the RAID layout, volume and file system from the images, extract the data and check it. Virtual machines, iSCSI LUNs, databases and surveillance recordings stored on the NAS are recovered as part of the same job.
RMLD operates from Temecula, California and serves local and nationwide customers. Our stock of donor parts means physically failed NAS drives can be repaired quickly. Speak to our team on (951) 595-8065 or start a case.