What Causes RAID Failure and How to Recover From It

Regardless of one's experience with computers, RAID failure makes the heart skip a beat (or two). Information that has been lost on one or more discs is no doubt information that is important to you on either a personal or business level or sometimes both. What once was thought to be impossible is now possible. Lost information can be recovered from a RAID failure and many times it is possible regardless of the reason for the failure.

RAID failure can bring a business to a virtual halt so bringing the information back and secured on the computer is important. RAID failure recovery is possible from the computer itself and there is also software available to help get that information back so you can get it copied and running on a working volume.

Many people were misled to think that information on RAID could not be lost. It can come as quite a shock to find out that it can be. Information CAN be lost from one or more discs and either professional or professional software may be necessary to regain that lost information.

When one hard disk fails, very often, there is no ready standby. Consequently, the raid array is running on degraded mode. While waiting for the replacement drive which may take a day or two, there is an increased likelihood that another disc will fail. Some reasons for RAID failure include:
  • Virus attack
  • Data deletion
  • Missing RAID partition
  • Loss of RAID configuration settings or system registry
  • Loss of RAID disk access after system or application upgrade
  • Power surge
  • Malfunctioned Controller
Unless one happens to be an IT tech, the thought of "fixing" Raid failure can be very daunting. Like any other issues dealing with computers, RAID failure often leaves the computer owner feels helpless and miserable! BUT... There are things that can be done, however. You may have to go to a professional to get the lost information recovered but often you can use a software program that will help you to do it yourself. The important thing is to get the data back and onto a working volume. Because RAID failures can happen for so many reasons, it is best to have a plan on what to do should it occur.

Be warned though. There are many "quick fixes" typically used by clients attempting to restore a failed RAID that actually cause more harm than good. If you have a RAID failure, it is best if you do not try to recover the RAID yourself using "quick fix" techniques or "off-the-shelf" data recovery software. Never leave computer issues to unknown people or products. There are some reliable RAID recovery programs but be sure it is one that comes highly recommended.

Believe me, RAID failure is never easy to deal with. It can be costly and it is always inconvenient. There are times when the computer may be down for several days while the issue is being resolved. Luckily, there are ways to recover the data.



 Product Highlights
Promise Technology FASTTRAK TX2300 2-Port SATA RAID PCI AdapterPromise Technology FASTTRAK TX2300 2-Port SATA RAID PCI Adapter
2 Serial ATA 3Gb/s Ports for support of up to 2 drives, Native Command Queuing (NCQ), SATA Tagged Command Queuing (TCQ), Large LBA support for drives above 137GB, Combine with the SuperSwap 1100 for an advanced internal storage system.
Addonics ADST114 4-Port 66Mhz SATA RAID Controller CardAddonics ADST114 4-Port 66Mhz SATA RAID Controller Card
The Addonics SATA 4-Port RAID controller makes adding RAID storage to any computers easy and affordable. Together with the Addonics optional Disk Array system, high performance and reliable data storage system can be added to any computer at less than half of the cost of traditional SCSI or IDE solution.
The Backup Book: Disaster Recovery from Desktop to Data CenterThe Backup Book: Disaster Recovery from Desktop to Data Center
Detailing what can go wrong in backup and recovery and how this applies to the various backup methods available, this book couples that information with recovery and business continuity tactics played out over the backdrop of various real-world scenarios.

 More on Raid Recovery

What Causes RAID Failure and How to Recover From It
Information that has been lost on one or more discs is no doubt information that is important to you on either a personal or business level or sometimes both. Lost information can be recovered from a RAID failure and many times it is possible regardless of the reason for the failure.

Recover Data From A Broken RAID Level 5 or 0 Array With RAID Reconstructor
Runtime's RAID Reconstructor will help you to recover data from a broken RAID Level 5 Array consisting of 3 to 14 drives, RAID Level 0 Array (Striping) consisting of 2 drives.

Read This Before Attempting to Recover Your RAID 0 Data
Most RAID recovery systems use an algorithm where an exhaustive scan of the drive is performed to locate lost volumes. It recovers data from corrupted RAID configuration, failed/ bad Controller card, damaged/ deleted/ corrupted volumes even from initialized disks. In the case of RAID 0, the information is not repeated on another disc so it is vital to be able to recover all of the information that was lost.

Recovery for RAID 5 - A Quick Guide
When RAID 5 is implemented, redundant information is used across an array of discs which would leave one to assume that if information is lost from one disc, it is obtainable from another but that is not the case. Information can and is lost from RAID 5 arrays but the good news is that the information is recoverable.

Choosing A RAID Recovery Service for Your RAID System
A RAID recovery service should be chosen based on your particular circumstances and needs. If you do not know what the problem is you should never attempt to recover the information yourself. When it comes to computers, things happen - and always at the most inopportune times.