Case Studies

Exeter’s No.1 RAID 5 Data Recovery Specialists – Expert Diagnostics, Precision Recovery

At Coventry Data Recovery, we specialise in advanced RAID 5 data recovery for all types of NAS and RAID systems. With over 25 years of experience, our engineers regularly handle critical RAID failures where data appears lost due to drive failure, rebuild errors, or logical corruption. We offer structured, forensically safe recovery methods to retrieve your data in even the most complex RAID 5 failure scenarios.

Case Study: Seagate NAS RAID 5 – 4 x 750GB Hard Drives

A client submitted a Seagate NAS system configured as a RAID 5 array with four 750GB drives. Two drives had failed SMART diagnostics, and the RAID metadata was found to be corrupted. The client admitted they had initiated a rebuild which failed after progressing only 2%. This partial rebuild introduced inconsistent parity across the array, increasing the complexity of recovery.

Step-by-Step RAID 5 Data Recovery Process

Below is a detailed, technical explanation of how Exeter Data Recovery professionally handles this kind of RAID 5 failure:

Step 1: Drive Assessment and Write Protection

• All four disks were removed and write-blocked to prevent any further data modifications.
• SMART data and drive health were evaluated to determine the stability of each disk.
• The two failed drives were flagged as critical for immediate imaging before complete mechanical failure.

Step 2: Full Disk Imaging

• Each drive was cloned sector-by-sector using imaging hardware with error-handling capabilities.
• Bad sectors were logged and retried multiple times using adaptive read techniques.
• Drives were never accessed directly; all recovery work was performed on the images to preserve original data.

Step 3: Metadata and Parity Structure Analysis

• RAID metadata was extracted where intact, including stripe size, drive order, parity rotation (e.g., left-symmetric, left-asymmetric), and block offset.
• The partial rebuild had corrupted parity information, making standard reconstruction impossible.

Step 4: Identification of the Rebuild Impact

• A forensic comparison between the disks revealed that one of the drives had been partially overwritten with a new parity set during the failed rebuild.
• Differences in sector-level data were used to identify inconsistencies introduced after the 2% rebuild point.

Step 5: Reconstruction of Virtual RAID Configuration

• A virtual RAID 5 environment was built using the original disk images.
• The drive suspected of being rebuilt was temporarily excluded from the parity calculation to test for logical consistency.
• Stripe-by-stripe comparisons were used to identify a viable drive order and reconstruct the original parity prior to the rebuild attempt.

Step 6: Custom Parity Correction

• Custom tools were used to regenerate a corrected parity schema by cross-referencing data blocks across the surviving disks.
• Corrupt blocks introduced during the rebuild were excluded using timestamp analysis and known-good stripe alignment.

Step 7: File System Mounting and Data Extraction

• Once a valid virtual RAID configuration was in place, the file system was analysed and mounted in a read-only environment.
• Files were then extracted in full directory structure, with priority given to file types identified as business-critical by the client.
• File integrity was verified using CRC checks and file header validation.

Step 8: Secure Data Delivery

• Recovered data was transferred to a new external drive and encrypted prior to delivery.
• A full recovery report, including drive diagnostics, imaging logs, and the reconstruction method, was provided to the client.

Common RAID 5 Failures We Recover

We regularly resolve issues including:

• Multiple drive failures in a RAID 5 array
• Failed or incomplete rebuild operations
• RAID controller malfunction or configuration loss
• Corrupt or mismatched RAID metadata
• Accidental RAID reinitialisation
• Logical volume corruption within RAID
• Parity inconsistency caused by unstable disk
• Firmware-level faults on individual drives

Supported Systems and Devices

We support RAID 5 recovery on:

• NAS systems: Seagate, Synology, QNAP, Buffalo, WD, Netgear, and more
• RAID controllers: Adaptec, Dell PERC, LSI, Areca, Intel, HP Smart Array
• Custom-built servers and rack-mounted RAID arrays
• File systems: NTFS, EXT3/4, XFS, Btrfs, HFS+, ReFS

Whether your array consists of SATA, SAS, or SSD drives, we apply a system-agnostic approach tailored to the specific controller and architecture involved.

Why Choose Coventry Data Recovery?

• 25+ Years of Experience in Complex RAID 5 Data Recovery
• Custom-Built Recovery Tools for Parity Repair and Virtual RAID Rebuilding
• In-House Cleanroom Facilities for Damaged Drives
• Data Recovery Without Risking Further Corruption
• Free Diagnostic Assessment
• RAID Services Trusted by IT Professionals, SMEs, and Public Sector Clients

Contact Coventry’s RAID 5 Recovery Experts

If your RAID 5 array has failed, avoid running rebuilds or attempting recovery software that may overwrite data. Every action taken after failure can reduce your chances of full recovery.

Contact Exeter Data Recovery today for a free diagnostic assessment. Our RAID engineers will evaluate your system, identify the cause of failure, and deliver a structured recovery plan designed to restore your data securely and efficiently.

Coventry Data Recovery – No.1 RAID 5 Data Recovery Specialists
Technically Precise. Professionally Delivered. Proven Results.