OT : Help retrieving files off a Linux drive �

[formica]

Totally unrelated to audio... My NAS (network attached storage) crashed... and both drives which were in RAID appear as “failed”. Given the unlikelihood of both drives failing within a couple of days of each other, I suspect that it’s the NAS controller (HDD or RAID) that’s failed. Hopefully I’ll be able to retrieve the files off the drives, but I don’t know at this time.

I do have a backup of my important data on a separate external drive, but I never bothered backing up any media (pictures, music, films)... and therefore I’d like to attempt a recovery attempt. Unfortunately I did not have time to get the files off after the failure of the first drive yet before the failure of the second one.

The NAS is / was a iOmega Storcentre, with a couple of Seagate SATA drives I believe are formatted in Linux Ext3. I don’t have any Linux machines, nor any working knowledge with the OS, but I do have a Windows XP desktop kicking around with a couple of spare SATA inputs.

What I was wondering, is there an easy way to read the info off Linux drive in the Windows machine, and temporarily transfer the files over? I was considering a software like DiskInternals Linux Reader… or are there any other better alternatives?

I’m hoping for something quick and easy... but who isn’t?…[]
Thanks in advance...
ROb

[mustang guy]

It is not unlikely to have both drives crash if you had a lightling strike. If that did not happen, then it may be the controller card. If it was a raid 1, then you have two copies of everything. If it is a raid 0, you may be kicking yourself. Personally, I like raid 5, but it takes a minimum of 3 drives for that.

You can download an image of many different Linux ISO's, and simply boot to Linux from a computer on the network. You should then be able to mount network drives, or attached drives to your sata inputs. If you do it that way, just mount the windows drive in the Linux bootup, and copy the files to it. Linux can read Windows stuff fine. Windows chokes on Linux.

Ubuntu, Red Hat, Open Suse, and Fedora all have bootable ISO's. I think you can even boot Linux from the web with a floppy.

In short, just burn a bootable Ubuntu Linux CDROM, connect the drive(s) to your Windows computer, boot to the CD, access the drives if they aren't fried. Copy what you want to the Windows disks.

edit: Just found this link. It's a few years old, but it tells how you can mount linux ext2 and 3 parts from windoze. http://www.aboutlinux.info/2007/03/mount-ext2-or-ext3-partition-in-windows.html

[formica]

Thanks... I hadn't noticed the LiveCD version of Ubuntu when i glanced over their website... I will give it a try and post back on here. They also have a "data recovery" page, but i haven't had a chance to read over it (work has been keeping me toooo busy)...

As far as i know, there haven't been any major "power" issues in my area... so i've still got my fingers crossed...

ROb

[Jay481985]

Is it a raid 1?

[Jay481985]

It is not unlikely to have both drives crash if you had a lightling strike. If that did not happen, then it may be the controller card. If it was a raid 1, then you have two copies of everything. If it is a raid 0, you may be kicking yourself. Personally, I like raid 5, but it takes a minimum of 3 drives for that.

You can download an image of many different Linux ISO's, and simply boot to Linux from a computer on the network. You should then be able to mount network drives, or attached drives to your sata inputs. If you do it that way, just mount the windows drive in the Linux bootup, and copy the files to it. Linux can read Windows stuff fine. Windows chokes on Linux.

Ubuntu, Red Hat, Open Suse, and Fedora all have bootable ISO's. I think you can even boot Linux from the web with a floppy.

In short, just burn a bootable Ubuntu Linux CDROM, connect the drive(s) to your Windows computer, boot to the CD, access the drives if they aren't fried. Copy what you want to the Windows disks.

edit: Just found this link. It's a few years old, but it tells how you can mount linux ext2 and 3 parts from windoze. http://www.aboutlinux.info/2007/03/mount-ext2-or-ext3-partition-in-windows.html

I had a raid 6 and I managed to crash it.....

[formica]

Is it a raid 1?

Yup,,I forgot to mention it is a basic RAID 1...

[Jay481985]

Take hard drive out and put into regular computer, copy file to new hard drive.

[mustang guy]

Take hard drive out and put into regular computer, copy file to new hard drive.

Short and sweet. [] Just need to boot the computer from Linux somehow.

[Guest " "]

what about putting it in another NAS of the exact model?

[Jay481985]

what about putting it in another NAS of the exact model?

probably a lot of money. Easiest way is buy two new hard drives and install in NAS (if the raid chipset is still working) and transfer information.

[formica]

Just a little update....

When I spoke to the manufacturer, iOmega, we ran a couple of tests on the NAS prior to the second drive failure, and they indicated that there may be an issue with the units chipset.

Unfortunately the unit is no longer under warranty because I did not read the "fine print" when buying it... 3yr warranty only if the unit is registered within 90days... otherwise its a 1yr warranty. It uses Seagate drives which, when purchased directly, automatically come with 3yr warranties themselves. Yet, since I did not register it within the delay, the hardware warranty expired (the data is never covered, of course).

In my opinion any hardware failure within 2yrs is suspect... and I got lucky that the tech at iOmega agreed, and after a bit of negotiation, activated the 3yr coverage from the date of original manufacture for me. So I've got the hardware covered now... all that is left is getting the data off of the thing.

Take hard drive out and put into regular computer, copy file to new hard drive.

Short and sweet. [] Just need to boot the computer from Linux somehow.

Exactly... [] ...and following your advise, I downloaded a uBuntu ISO and booted from it over the weekend. Looks pretty slick... and impressive that it all runs off a CD including browser, word processor, spreadsheet, etc... programs.

The current issues is it sees, and accesses the windows drive without a problem... but the linux drive I tested so far only appears as a undefined "array" (two partitions) that I can't access. I have three drives in all, two originals, and a third I bought to replace the first failed HD.

I'll try another of those drives this week... I don't know if any of the drives has a full, uncorrupted, data set... but does anyone know of a Linux data recovery software (that hopefully has some sort of GUI)?
Thanks...
ROb

[mustang guy]

Just a little update....

When I spoke to the manufacturer, iOmega, we ran a couple of tests on the NAS prior to the second drive failure, and they indicated that there may be an issue with the units chipset.

Unfortunately the unit is no longer under warranty because I did not read the "fine print" when buying it... 3yr warranty only if the unit is registered within 90days... otherwise its a 1yr warranty. It uses Seagate drives which, when purchased directly, automatically come with 3yr warranties themselves. Yet, since I did not register it within the delay, the hardware warranty expired (the data is never covered, of course).

In my opinion any hardware failure within 2yrs is suspect... and I got lucky that the tech at iOmega agreed, and after a bit of negotiation, activated the 3yr coverage from the date of original manufacture for me. So I've got the hardware covered now... all that is left is getting the data off of the thing.

Take hard drive out and put into regular computer, copy file to new hard drive.

Short and sweet. Just need to boot the computer from Linux somehow.

Exactly... ...and following your advise, I downloaded a uBuntu ISO and booted from it over the weekend. Looks pretty slick... and impressive that it all runs off a CD including browser, word processor, spreadsheet, etc... programs.

The current issues is it sees, and accesses the windows drive without a problem... but the linux drive I tested so far only appears as a undefined "array" (two partitions) that I can't access. I have three drives in all, two originals, and a third I bought to replace the first failed HD.

I'll try another of those drives this week... I don't know if any of the drives has a full, uncorrupted, data set... but does anyone know of a Linux data recovery software (that hopefully has some sort of GUI)?
Thanks...
ROb

Normal 0

Maybe the RAID 1 was proprietary "controller based" and not software based. Perhaps you can look at the raid controller on the device and get model info. If you can find a manufacturer name and model number, that may lead to software drivers which can identify the data correctly.

It also could mean the drive you tried is the bad one.

I would look at the other drives before I did anything else. Next, I would see if the actual raid controller is PCI, and could possibly be installed in the Windows machine. Unless I miss my guess, the raid controller should be detected at boot time by the cmos, and should be available with your CD ubuntu.