Recover from accidental format of RAID0

[asak]

I was in the process of installing Windows on a separate disk so I could do some trouble shooting on the RAID0 system. In the installation process I accidently said yes to format of the RAID volume.

Is there any hope at all to recover/undo the format? It was a quick format only.

The computer is a Dell Dimension 9100 with a Intel matrix RAID controller.

 

[jedimasterben]

I'd try to run a recovery program, like Recuva or Undelete, on the volume. I'm not 100% sure that they can read RAID setups, but knowing Piriform (guys that make Recuva, Defraggler, and CCleaner), it probably can.

Just don't write any data to them!!


Edit:
I forgot to mention to cross your fingers!

 

[jrst]

Edit: Ignore this; does not apply in this situation (see subsequent posts).

Unfortunately simple undelete-type tools won't work. Each drive in a RAID-0 2-drive array essentially has 1/2 the data. When looking at any single drive from the array you basically have gibberish. (Try deleting every other block from a drive and then try to recover it.)

You need to "glue" the drives back together, which require RAID recovery tools. Several out there at various price points, some free. You'll need enough spare disk space for a complete copy of the data you want to recover.

Whether it's worth it depends on how much the data is worth; see, e.g.:

www.diskinternals.com
www.z-a-recovery.com
www.runtime.org

 

[ShadowFlash]

+1 for diskinternals.....it's worked for me after a repartition, re-format, written data, then another reformat...simply an amazing tool

 

[asak]

I downloaded Recuva yesterday and did a first run but did not find much. I selected the deep scan option and it actually found a buch of files. However it seemed to stop after finding so many files.
Have started it again this morning, only to look for specific file types like pictures to see if that gets me what I need.

http://www.recuva.com/

 

[jedimasterben]

Unfortunately simple undelete-type tools won't work. Each drive in a RAID-0 2-drive array essentially has 1/2 the data. When looking at any single drive from the array you basically have gibberish. (Try deleting every other block from a drive and then try to recover it.)

You need to "glue" the drives back together, which require RAID recovery tools. Several out there at various price points, some free. You'll need enough spare disk space for a complete copy of the data you want to recover.

Whether it's worth it depends on how much the data is worth; see, e.g.:

www.diskinternals.com
www.z-a-recovery.com
www.runtime.org

Actually, Recuva sees disks like Windows does, ie, a RAID array as being a single disk, so it should, in theory, behave the same way as it would on a single disk.

And as asak said, he actually did find a few files. In mentioning these programs, I was hoping that one of them would work, as I haven't tried them out on a RAID array myself (yet).

Good luck asak, hope you are able to find as many files as possible!

 

[jrst]

jedimasterben -- Oops, yes, you're right. Thanks for the correction. My bad; I mistakenly thought the RAID-0 array had become decoupled.

 

[ratbat]

I have used RAID Reconstructor from Runtime Software to get stuff back in this sort of situation before. Once you have rebuilt the image onto a spare drive you can use a file scavenging tool like the ones mentioned above. The guys at Runtime have one called Get Data Back, which I have also used successfully.

I have to say I am in no way connected with Runtime. I run an IT help company and have to solve this sort of problem from time to time. These products are what I use. There may be others that are better, cheaper etc that I do not know about, but this is what I have used with success.

 

[kevin85219]

My external drive (WD - 500GB My Book)may have been accidentally reformatted and now can not be seen under "My computer". It is seen in disk management but says not initialized. So my question is how can I run any of this software mentioned if drive is not seen in "my computer"? Do I have to initialize? I have read that I should not initialize because that will keep me from ever recovering the data, is this true? I downloaded Recuva but it needs to see the hard drive.

 

[sub mesa]

Do not initialize, it will reduce the chance of any succesful recovery.

Instead, use utilities which do not operate on a drive letter but on a physical drive, capable of finding lost partitions or even NTFS files without partitions.

I suggest @active file recovery:
http://www.file-recovery.net/

 

[kevin85219]

Running ontrackrecovery demo (which saw the drive in disk management) then I will try active file to compare. Thanks for the confirmation on not initializing. I will re-post the results.

 

[RRO]

I must tell you I had a simmilar problem with my dell (although my dell is a bit older).
I also tried to recover my DATA with some softwares, but it took me so much time, and never succeeded as I wanted.
you can go to - www.raid-recovery-online.com, they will diagnose your problem for free and tell you the price (then you can decide if your DATA worth it).
that's what I did and I got like 90% of my DATA back.

 

[kevin85219]

I must tell you I had a simmilar problem with my dell (although my dell is a bit older).
I also tried to recover my DATA with some softwares, but it took me so much time, and never succeeded as I wanted.
you can go to - www.raid-recovery-online.com, they will diagnose your problem for free and tell you the price (then you can decide if your DATA worth it).
that's what I did and I got like 90% of my DATA back.

I am currently using GetDataBack for Fat and it has recovered majority of my files. It is taking a while but I have 350+GB to recover so its understandable. I have gotten all of my important files recovered and would recommend this product to anyone who has accidently formatted a hard drive. I got the download from download.com. The software showed all my file exactly how they were previously. I then had to order a key code from runtime.org for $69. This is the same software I think Fry's electronics was going to use and charge me $150 to do the same recovery. A savings of $81 plus I own the software so if it ever happens again I have it. Hope this helps some else out who has the same problem.



Each one Teach one!

 

[close22]

So many helpful recovery programs. As you may already know, deleting or formatting won't make the data in your hard drive erased permanently. These data are just not accessible at the short moment. If you formatted the hard drive, you simply rewrited or updated the FAT table or NTFS table which manage all the data storage process.So every time I'll rely on a format recovery program to get back my formatted data. may that help. Cheers