For a small business, a creative agency, a legal practice, or any organisation that relies on centralised storage, a failed RAID array or NAS device is one of the most serious IT incidents possible. In a matter of seconds, every shared file, every client record, every project archive, and every database can become completely inaccessible. The good news is that in the vast majority of RAID and NAS failures, the data itself is still intact — it has not been destroyed, merely made inaccessible. At Mojoo Limited, we have been recovering data from RAID arrays and NAS devices for over 25 years, working with businesses and organisations across the UK. The key is acting quickly and correctly — and above all, not making the situation worse by attempting a recovery without specialist knowledge. Call us on 07958 468 173 before you take any further action.
RAID Levels We Recover
We recover data from all standard RAID configurations. Here is a plain-English summary of each level and the risk it carries when something goes wrong:
- RAID 0 (Striping) — data is split across two or more drives to maximise speed. There is no redundancy whatsoever: if a single drive fails, the entire array fails and all data becomes inaccessible. RAID 0 recovery is possible but requires both drives to be readable, making it one of the more technically demanding configurations we deal with.
- RAID 1 (Mirroring) — two drives hold an identical copy of the data at all times. If one drive fails, the other takes over. Recovery from a single-drive RAID 1 failure is generally straightforward; recovery is required when both mirrors fail, or when the array itself becomes corrupted despite both drives being physically healthy.
- RAID 5 (Striping with Parity) — the most common configuration for small businesses and NAS devices. Data and parity information are distributed across three or more drives, meaning the array can survive the failure of a single drive. However, if a second drive fails before the first has been replaced and the array rebuilt, the entire dataset is at risk. This is a scenario we see frequently and can often still recover from.
- RAID 6 (Dual Parity) — similar to RAID 5 but with two parity drives, meaning the array can tolerate two simultaneous drive failures. Often used in environments where uptime is critical. Recovery from RAID 6 failures is complex but very often achievable.
- RAID 10 (Mirrored Stripe) — combines RAID 1 mirroring with RAID 0 striping for both speed and redundancy. Used in high-performance environments. Recovery depends on which drives have failed and whether any mirrored pairs have been completely lost.
- JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks) — drives operate independently or are concatenated into a single logical volume without redundancy. Recovery from JBOD failures depends on which individual drives have failed and the nature of the fault.
It is important to understand that RAID redundancy is not the same as a backup. RAID protects against hardware failure, not against accidental deletion, ransomware, or catastrophic multi-drive failure. If your organisation does not have an independent backup separate from the RAID array, the importance of professional recovery cannot be overstated.
NAS Brands We Work With
We recover data from all major NAS platforms and their proprietary file systems and volume structures. Our engineers have direct experience with the following manufacturers and their associated software:
- Synology — DSM (DiskStation Manager) using Btrfs and EXT4 file systems. We recover from single-bay, multi-bay, and rackmount Synology NAS devices including the DS, RS, and XS-series.
- QNAP — QTS and QuTS hero systems. We work with QNAP’s proprietary volume structures including thin and thick volumes, and their snapshot and Qtier storage configurations.
- Western Digital My Cloud — including My Cloud Home, My Cloud EX2, EX4, and PR-series devices. These use a Linux-based OS with EXT4 storage that we can access independently of the original enclosure.
- Netgear ReadyNAS — including legacy X-RAID and RAID 5/6 configurations on both Sparc-based and Intel-based ReadyNAS devices.
- Buffalo TeraStation & LinkStation — XFS and EXT3/EXT4 file systems on both prosumer and business-grade Buffalo enclosures.
- LaCie NAS — including LaCie 2big and 5big Network devices.
- Drobo — Drobo’s proprietary BeyondRAID configuration is among the most complex proprietary RAID implementations we encounter, but data recovery is achievable in the majority of cases.
In every case, we recover not only the raw data from the individual drives, but the higher-level volume and file system structure — so that what you receive back is a usable, organised file set rather than raw binary data.
Common RAID & NAS Failure Scenarios
- Multiple simultaneous drive failures — drives in the same array are usually the same age and model. When one fails, the stress of operating in degraded mode often triggers a second failure in a drive that was already close to the end of its service life.
- RAID controller failure — the hardware controller that manages the array fails. The drives themselves may be perfectly healthy, but without the correct controller parameters the array cannot be read. Recovery requires identifying the original configuration and reconstructing it in software.
- Accidental deletion of volumes or shares — an administrator inadvertently deletes a volume, partition, or share from the NAS management interface. The data is not immediately destroyed, but the window for recovery closes quickly if the device continues to be used.
- NAS firmware update gone wrong — a firmware update that fails mid-process, or introduces an incompatibility, can leave the NAS unable to mount its own volumes. The drives remain intact but the NAS operating system cannot initialise them.
- Power failure during a write operation — sudden loss of power while the array is actively writing can corrupt metadata, journal structures, or parity information, making the volume inaccessible on next boot.
- Physical damage (flood, fire, power surge) — physical damage to the enclosure or drives. Depending on the nature and extent of the damage, recovery from individual drives or chips may still be possible.
- RAID rebuild failure — a rebuild initiated after a single drive failure results in a second drive failing partway through, leaving the array in an irrecoverable state through the normal RAID management interface. This is not the end — it is, however, precisely the point at which professional intervention becomes essential.
- NAS reporting all drives as degraded or failed — the NAS management interface shows every drive in the array as failed, often after a power event or a firmware fault. In many cases, the drives themselves are healthy and the fault is at the array metadata level.
Why RAID Recovery Must Be Done by a Specialist
We want to be direct about this, because the consequences of getting it wrong are permanent. A RAID array is not simply a collection of individual drives — it is a complex logical structure in which data is distributed, interleaved, and parity-protected according to a precise set of parameters. Those parameters include the RAID level, the stripe size, the block size, the drive order within the array, the parity rotation scheme, and the file system sitting on top of the volume. Change any one of these incorrectly when attempting a rebuild, and the result is a complete, unrecoverable overwrite of the last viable copy of your data.
This is not a theoretical risk. The most common cause of truly unrecoverable RAID data loss is not the original hardware failure — it is a failed DIY recovery attempt, or a well-meaning IT technician initiating a rebuild without first imaging all surviving drives. Before you attempt anything, please call us. We will advise you on exactly what to do and what not to do, at no charge, before you make any decisions.
What you must not do before calling us: do not attempt to rebuild the array. Do not replace a failed drive and let the controller begin an automatic rebuild. Do not run CHKDSK, fsck, or any file system repair utility on the individual drives. Do not format any of the drives. Do not reinitialise the array through the NAS management interface. Power the system down, leave the drives in the enclosure, and contact us immediately.
Who Uses This Service?
Our RAID and NAS recovery service is used primarily by businesses and professional organisations for whom centralised file storage is critical to day-to-day operations. We regularly assist the following types of client:
- Small businesses and accountancy practices — firms whose client financial records, invoices, and correspondence are stored centrally on a NAS or server RAID array.
- Legal and solicitor firms — practices where client files, case documents, and sensitive correspondence must be recovered quickly and with absolute confidentiality.
- Creative agencies, photographers, and videographers — studios and freelancers whose entire project archive — raw footage, client assets, and finished work — is held on a high-capacity NAS or RAID workstation.
- GP surgeries and small healthcare providers — clinical environments where patient records and administrative data are stored on a local server or NAS, often without a cloud backup.
- Local councils and public sector bodies — organisations with specific data governance requirements for whom data recovery must be handled professionally and confidentially.
Regardless of the sector, our approach is the same: a thorough, non-destructive assessment, a transparent written quote, and a recovery process that puts the integrity of your data above everything else. We treat all data we handle with complete confidentiality, and we are happy to discuss any specific security or compliance requirements before you send your equipment.
RAID & NAS Recovery Pricing
RAID and NAS recovery is more complex than single-drive recovery, and pricing reflects the number of drives involved, the RAID level, the nature of the failure, and the time required for reconstruction. All pricing is provided in writing after a free diagnosis, before any work begins. As a guide:
| Recovery Type | From | Typical Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| RAID 1 (2-drive mirror, one failed) | £200 | 2–5 days |
| RAID 5 / RAID 6 (3+ drive array) | £350 | 3–7 days |
| NAS enclosure failure (drives intact) | £180 | 2–5 days |
| Complex multi-drive / server RAID | POA | 5–14 days |
No data, no fee. Every job comes with a written quote before work begins and our No Data, No Fee guarantee throughout. For a complete breakdown, visit our data recovery pricing page. For business-critical situations requiring urgent turnaround, our emergency data recovery service is available. For individual drive failures outside of a RAID context, see our hard drive recovery page or visit our main data recovery hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
All my RAID drives are showing as failed — is the data gone?
Not necessarily. This is actually a common presentation that does not always reflect the true condition of the individual drives. When a NAS or RAID controller reports all drives as failed, it often means the array metadata or parity information has been corrupted, rather than that every drive has physically failed. In many cases the drives themselves are in perfectly good working order and the data is fully intact — the fault is at the logical layer, not the physical one. Do not attempt to reinitialise the array. Power the system down and contact us for a free assessment.
Can you recover data from a NAS that has been dropped or physically damaged?
Yes, in many cases. Physical damage to a NAS enclosure does not automatically mean the drives inside have been destroyed. If the enclosure has been dropped, the drives may have suffered head damage or the connectors may be damaged, but we can assess each drive individually and recover from those that remain readable. For NAS devices that have been in a fire or flood, please call us before doing anything — there are specific handling considerations that maximise the chances of a successful outcome.
How long does RAID recovery take?
Turnaround depends on the number of drives, the RAID level, the nature of the failure, and the total capacity involved. A straightforward two-drive NAS recovery where the enclosure has failed and the drives are healthy can often be completed within two to three working days. A complex six-drive RAID 6 with multiple physical drive failures and firmware-level corruption may take one to two weeks. We will give you a realistic and honest timeframe as part of the written quote, and we will keep you updated throughout the process.
Do I need to send all the drives, or just the failed one?
For RAID recovery, we always need all the drives from the array — including those that appear to be working correctly. This is because RAID data is distributed across every drive in the set, and the array cannot be reconstructed without all members present. Sending only the failed drive is one of the most common mistakes people make when attempting RAID recovery, and it significantly reduces the chances of success. Please send (or bring) the complete set of drives that were in the array, along with the enclosure or controller if possible.
We don’t have a backup — is our business data definitely recoverable?
We cannot guarantee recovery in every case without first assessing the drives, but in the majority of RAID and NAS failures we see — particularly those that have not involved an attempted DIY rebuild — the data is recoverable to a significant degree. The critical factor is how quickly you contact us and how carefully you preserve the current state of the array. Do not power the system on and off repeatedly, do not attempt to mount individual drives, and do not try to run any recovery software on the array before speaking to us. The sooner we can assess the situation, the more options we have.
Contact Us — Business Data Recovery Specialists
If your RAID array or NAS device has failed, time matters. The longer a degraded or failed array remains in use, the greater the risk to the data it contains. Call Mojoo Limited on 07958 468 173 as soon as possible — Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm. For out-of-hours business emergencies, leave a voicemail and we will return your call first thing. Alternatively, use our contact form to describe your situation and we will respond promptly. Free diagnosis, written quote before any work begins, and our No Data, No Fee guarantee on every job.