QNAP NAS devices are commonly used for secure data storage and redundancy, with RAID 1 providing mirrored backups for data protection. However, when a RAID 1 volume fails to mount, users may lose access to their files, even though the data still exists on the drives.
This case study details how we successfully recovered critical personal and legal files from a QNAP NAS RAID 1 system that was not mounting due to partition table corruption. The affected system belonged to a lawyer from the USA, containing confidential client documents and legal case files.
As Ireland’s oldest and most experienced data recovery company, we used forensic RAID analysis and partition repair techniques to restore the lost data securely and confidentially.
The Challenge: QNAP NAS RAID 1 Volume Failing to Mount
A lawyer from the USA contacted us after their QNAP NAS RAID 1 system failed to mount, making their legal documents inaccessible. The reported issues included:
- NAS interface showing the RAID 1 array as degraded or unavailable.
- The hard drives appearing functional but not mounting in Windows/macOS/Linux.
- Partition structure missing or unreadable when scanned with Disk Management tools.
- Critical legal case files and confidential client data were at risk.
Since the QNAP NAS contained sensitive legal documents, a secure and professional data recovery solution was required to maintain client confidentiality.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the QNAP NAS RAID 1 drives arrived at our cleanroom facility, we performed a full RAID and partition-level diagnostic. Our findings:
- Partition table corruption – The volume metadata was damaged, preventing the RAID 1 system from mounting.
- File system inconsistencies – The QNAP NAS had experienced a power failure, corrupting key system files.
- Both hard drives were physically functional – Since RAID 1 mirrors data, recovery was highly likely.
Because RAID 1 stores identical copies of data on both disks, we had a strong chance of a full recovery.
The Recovery Process
1. Cloning & Imaging Both RAID 1 Drives
To ensure a safe recovery, we:
- Created forensic sector-by-sector clones of both hard drives.
- Used write-blocking tools to prevent accidental modifications.
2. Rebuilding the Partition Table & File System
Since the RAID 1 volume was not mounting, we:
- Manually reconstructed the damaged partition table, making the file system readable.
- Recovered lost file system structures to restore access to missing files.
- Extracted individual case files, emails, and legal documents from the RAID array.
3. Verifying & Restoring Confidential Legal Files
After recovering the data, we:
- Ensured all legal documents were intact and uncorrupted.
- Verified the integrity of confidential case files and client records.
- Transferred the recovered files to an encrypted external drive for secure return.
The Results: 100% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our RAID 1 reconstruction and partition repair techniques, we successfully recovered 100% of the lawyer’s critical data, including:
✅ Confidential legal case files and court documents
✅ Client records, contracts, and financial statements
✅ Emails, PDF files, and legal research data
The lawyer was able to resume their work without losing any important case files, ensuring no disruption to ongoing legal matters.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful recoveries, we are the leading RAID NAS data recovery specialists in Ireland and the UK. Our expertise includes:
✔ QNAP RAID 1 data recovery & partition repair
✔ NAS file system corruption recovery (EXT4, Btrfs, NTFS, HFS+)
✔ Forensic data retrieval with strict confidentiality
✔ Secure & professional data recovery for lawyers, businesses, and professionals
If your QNAP NAS is failing to mount, showing RAID errors, or missing files, stop further attempts and contact us immediately for expert data recovery.