How to Recover Data from RAID 5

Updated on Jun 14, 2024 | by Edwards

Quick Navigation:

Part 1. How to Recover Deleted Files from RAID 5
Part 2. How to Restore Files from Failed RAID 5
Can RAID 5 recover from a two-disk failure?
Way #1. Resume Lost RAID 5 Data with Backup
Way #2. Retrieve Data from Failed RAID 5 Array with Data Recovery Software
Part 3. Frequently Asked Questions and Answers to RAID 5 Data Recovery
Q: How can I recover data from formatted RAID 5?
Q: How can I recover data from a broken RAID 5?
Q: How to recover files from a single raid of 5 disks?
Q: How many disks does RAID 5 use? What are the minimum drives for RAID 5?

RAID 5 is a popular RAID level that combines the strengths of other levels, offering high data redundancy, fast data writing, reading, and transferring speeds, all at a relatively low cost. However, despite its advantages, RAID 5 still faces some challenges.

Part 1. How to Recover Deleted Files from RAID 5

If you have deleted files on a RAID 5 system, you can recover them by restoring a backup or using data recovery software. If you don't have a backup, you can use software to scan the RAID 5 hard disk, display recoverable files, and select the ones you want to recover. Deep Data Recovery is a tool that can help with RAID 5 deleted file recovery. The process is simple and easy, and can be completed by following the software's instructions.

Download and install it on your computer.
Launch the RAID Data Recovery software, select the RAID 5 hard disk where files were deleted, and click "Scan".

Preview the found recoverable files, select the desired ones, and click "Recover" to save them on your computer.

If you've deleted files from a RAID 5 disk and need to recover them, transfer the deleted files back to the RAID 5 disk, rebuild the RAID configuration, and set it up as a duplicate of the original setup. This will allow you to recover the deleted files.

Part 2. How to Restore Files from Failed RAID 5

RAID 5 requires at least 3 disks and has no maximum limit. Unlike RAID 0, it can continue to function even if one disk fails, as the data can be reconstructed. However, if 2 or more disks fail simultaneously, the entire array will fail and data will be lost.

When a disk in a RAID 5 system fails, it's not a cause for concern, as the system can automatically rebuild itself. However, it's still a good idea to have a backup of the data in case of further failure.
When a RAID 5 array loses 2 drives, data loss is inevitable.

Can RAID 5 recover from a two-disk failure?

If you have a RAID 5 array with only 3 drives and 2 of them fail, it's not possible to recover data. However, if you have more than 5 drives in the RAID 5 array and 2 fail, you can attempt data recovery. There are two possible methods to try.

Way #1. Resume Lost RAID 5 Data with Backup

Backing up a RAID system is a time-consuming and costly process, especially for RAID 5 configurations with more than 3 drives. However, it's a worthwhile investment when disaster strikes and more than 2 drives fail, as it can help recover lost data. With a backup, you can salvage your data and avoid costly downtime. The process involves several steps, which can be summarized as follows.

Prepare a spare drive that has larger or the same capacity as the failed drive.
Restore the backup to the spare drive and make sure the data is usable.
To replace the failed drives in a RAID 5 configuration, you would need to remove the two failed drives and replace them with two new drives of the same size and type. The new drives should be identical to the ones they are replacing, including the same capacity and interface (e.
Upload the data to the newly configured RAID 5.

Way #2. Retrieve Data from Failed RAID 5 Array with Data Recovery Software

Recovering data from a failed RAID 5 array requires caution due to the risk of permanent data loss from incorrect operations. Large amounts of data are often lost on failed RAID 5 drives, making it essential to use professional software to aid in the recovery process. Utilizing specialized data recovery software can help navigate the complex steps involved in recovering data from failed RAID 5 arrays, minimizing the risk of further data loss.

Download and install Deep Data Recovery software. Launch it.
To scan the RAID 5 drive, hover your mouse over the interface, find the RAID 5 drive, and click the "Scan" button next to it.
Wait patiently for the scanning process to finish, and once it's completed, you'll be able to see all the recoverable files that were found.
To recover deleted files, select the needed files and click "Recover" to save them on your computer or a prepared external hard drive.

Part 3. Frequently Asked Questions and Answers to RAID 5 Data Recovery

Q: How can I recover data from formatted RAID 5?

Formatting RAID 5 drives will delete all files and data, making it difficult to recover without specialized software. To recover data, install data recovery software, scan the RAID 5 drive, and select the files to restore. Qiling Data Recovery is a suitable option for RAID 5 data recovery.

Q: How can I recover data from a broken RAID 5?

If RAID 5 is physically damaged, there's no need to recover data. If it's just a failure, you can restore from backup or use Deep Data Recovery to help retrieve data.

Check if the broken RAID 5 drive is physically damaged. It may have failed to work but still be intact.
Download and install Deep Data Recovery software on the computer.
Launch the RAID data recovery software, then select the RAID 5 drive to scan.
Select the files you want to recover and click "Recover" to save them on an external hard drive.

Q: How to recover files from a single raid of 5 disks?

In the event of a single RAID 5 disk failure, it's not necessary to restore data from the failed disk, as the RAID 5 system can automatically reconstruct it. Simply replace the failed disk with a new one, configure the RAID 5 setup, and it will function normally again.

Q: How many disks does RAID 5 use? What are the minimum drives for RAID 5?

RAID 5 requires at least 3 disks, with no limit on the number of disks that can be used. 3 disks are the minimum requirement. In other words, RAID 5 can use 3, 4, 5, 10, etc disks. It's not 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc.