Rebuilding RAID arrays is every RAID administrator’s worst fear, yet there are ways you can increase the odds of successful rebuilds.

Start by physically disconnecting one of your drives. Connect both disks as independent local disks on your computer, then open them using Reader or Uneraser mode.

1. Identify the Problem

One of the first steps when troubleshooting RAID storage issues is identifying what the issue is. This may prove challenging due to various potential causes for RAID failure; these could range from motherboard or CMOS battery issues to hard drives themselves failing. Once identified, it may help if one or more drives is removed from RAID array before trying to recover any data on them.

Note that it is vital not to create new files on a disk that has become disarrayed, as this could overwrite recoverable information and cause more issues for other hard drives in your system. A professional service may help identify what exactly is the cause of RAID problems and suggest solutions.

2. Remove the Drives

RAID 1 can provide some protection from data loss, but to maximize effectiveness it’s wise to physically unmount any failed drives from the array before trying to recover files from them. Doing this prevents read/write heads from overrunning vulnerable areas that could otherwise lead to mechanical damage over time.

An easy way to do so is to press the Option ROM button upon system boot-up and accessing its options menu, from which you can select “Delete RAID” in volume list. If a member drive has failed, the controller may warn and ask you for confirmation before continuing with operation.

Use of professional RAID recovery software tools is the optimal method of recovering lost files from a failed RAID 1 array. Such a tool will scan disks and determine whether recovery is possible before saving recovered files to another location (local disk, network drive or FTP server) safely and conveniently.

3. Rebuild the Array

Without professional data recovery software, it’s wise to avoid creating any new files or applications on a damaged RAID. Doing so could overwrite information that may still be recoverable; also never delete files from this array!

Rebuilding a RAID requires using a backup file as its source to restore its array configuration, but care must be taken to ensure it contains current and accurate array configuration data; otherwise, recovery could fail or lead to further data loss.

Whenever a single drive fails, using either your RAID management utility (if available) or diagnostic LEDs on the controller or enclosure to identify it. Replace it or create a local or global spare drive in your RAID so that if a logical drive goes offline automatically, its data can be substituted by this backup drive – saving both downtime and productivity as well as money by avoiding costly hardware repairs or data recovery fees.

4. Reinstall the Drives

RAID 1 is an invaluable technology that allows you to store data redundantly on two drives. The idea behind RAID 1 is that should one drive fail, its counterpart will still function; so, even if an accidental change or mechanical problem affects one drive, another one will still function and enable professional data recovery software to help retrieve your files from it.

However, when replacing a failing disk it is crucial not to overmanipulate either its replacement disks or array controller. Doing so may cause your RAID 1 array to start incorrectly or even suffer data loss during rebuilding processes.

First, attach all array disks as individual local disks. Next, open each in Linux reader or uneraser mode before launching Diskinternals RAID Recovery Software and following its on-screen instructions – this program will detect array configurations and begin restoring data automatically.

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