Hi,

 

I am setting up unRAID for the first time using 2 disks. I booted up the unRAID server and it showed the 2 disks. I selected the larger disk as the parity disk and the second disk as disk 1 and then started the array.

 

This is what is shown in (http://tower/main.htm). I have also attached the files to this post.

 

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LIME technology 

 

Server name: Tower

Comments: Media server

unRAID Server Basic

Main | Users | Shares | Settings | Devices version: 4.2.4

Disk status

  Model/Serial No. Temperature Size Free Reads Writes Errors

parity ST3300622AS/5NF21AK0 31°C 293,036,152 - 515,712 1 0

disk1 MAXTOR 6L080L4/664211819011 49°C 78,177,760 Unformatted 515,739 0 0

Command area

Started Stop will take the array off-line.

Unformatted disk(s) present Format will create a file system in all unformatted disks.

Parity-Check in progress. Cancel will stop the Parity-Check.

Total size: 293,036,152 KB

Current position: 2,062,848 (0.7%)

Estimated speed: 42,036 KB/sec

Estimated finish: 115.3 minutes

Sync errors: 1

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Then I realized that I had put in the disk before backing up its data. I had wanted to backup a lot of pictures and other data before using it. I stopped the array, removed the flash drive and tried to boot with this disk (previously was the boot disk with XP on it). But, the disk is not being recognized at all. I also tried to put the disk in a external drive enclosure, but XP can't see the disk. When I bring it back into this server and start unRAID, it shows the disk.

 

Since, the main page shows that the disk is unformatted, is there anyway, I can recover the data in this drive before using it in unRAID again? Or have I lost the data for ever. Will formatting the disk overwrite existing data on the disk?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

VJ

Which disk is the one that you have data on?

 

 

The smaller disk (not the parity drive).

 

VJ

Your best solution is to find a friend knowledgeable in drive recovery.  Failing that, check out TestDisk at http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk.

 

Very important question:  did the drive go through a clearing process?  If so, the data is gone, unless you have friends in the FBI or NSA.  If not, the data is probably still there, but needs a partition undelete and possibly an MBR rewrite.

 

Thank you. I have not clicked on the format button, so, I don't the disk has been through the clearing process.

 

I don't know anyone knowledgeable in drive recovery I will have to ask at work. I will also try and see if TestDisk can help me.

 

Thanks!

 

regards,

 

VJ

if your disk haven't been cleared (all zeros), just format headers, any simple partition recovery software can help you

 

I recommend easy recovery pro

 

 

The status of the disk shows "Unformatted", so I am assuming, it is not all zeros.

 

Thanks for your input. I will try one of the software and let you know the results.

I appreciate all the help.

 

VJ

Update - I decided to use TestDisk first since it was free and had a linux version. Also, Ubuntu easily let me install it through their Synaptic package manager.

 

So, I put the disk in a hard drive enclosure and connected to my Linux machine and voila, my linux box could mount it and read it and all my files are still available. I copying over my important files to the linux box . I actually can do without the services of TestDisk, but will anyway use it to figure out how it works.

 

Once again, thanks for your help.

 

regards,

 

VJ

The status of the disk shows "Unformatted", so I am assuming, it is not all zeros.

 

Thanks for your input. I will try one of the software and let you know the results.

I appreciate all the help.

 

VJ

As far as disk status goes, to unRAID, anything that is not a reiserfs is reported as "unformatted"  Glad you got to your data.

 

Joe L.

I was able to successfully restore my disk using TestDisk. The web site shown in this thread had examples on how to do it and once I did that, I was able to use the disk like it was before. I did not lose any data and backed it up to another drive.

 

Thanks for all your help. I will now set up my unRAID server in the next few days.

 

regards,

 

VJ