Your NAS box has stopped booting, the vendor's recovery tools want to wipe it, and the family photos or business files are on those drives. NAS Data Recovery from Runtime Software is built for this situation. You take the drives out of the NAS, connect them to a Windows PC, and the program reads the data off them.
Quick facts
- Version: 4.05
- Platform: Windows 95 through Windows 11, and Server 2008-2022, 32 or 64 bit
- Price: $99, with free lifetime updates for licensed users
- File systems: XFS and EXT
- RAM: 4 GB
Key features
Recovers single-drive, RAID-0, RAID-1 and RAID-5 NAS units
It handles XFS- or EXT-formatted NAS stations from Buffalo, Seagate, Western Digital, DLink and Iomega. It also handles XFS or EXT units from other makers.
Finds the RAID settings for you
The program detects the start sector, block size, rotation and drive order automatically. You don't need to know how your NAS was configured. A wizard walks you through the steps.
Browse and preview files before copying
When the scan finishes, an Explorer-like window shows the recoverable files and folders. You can preview many file types, such as pictures and documents, and then copy what you need to another disk.
Works from drive images and read-only
The program can work with images of your drives. Its design is read-only, so it doesn't write to the source drives. It can also run from a WinPE boot medium or a Runtime Live CD when Windows won't start.
How recovery works
- Remove the drives from the NAS and attach them to your PC.
- Check that Windows Disk Management recognizes every drive. For RAID-5, you can attach one drive fewer than the NAS had.
- Start the program and follow the wizard.
- Copy the files you want to a different disk.
Who it's for
It suits people with a failed home or small-office NAS who want their files back without learning RAID internals. It's also for anyone who wants to avoid buying a second tool. You do need to be comfortable opening the NAS and connecting bare drives to a PC.
Pros and cons
- Pro: Automatic detection of RAID parameters.
- Pro: Free lifetime updates with a license.
- Pro: File preview before you copy.
- Con: It only covers XFS and EXT file systems.
- Con: You must be able to connect all the drives to a PC. A disk controller card that handles every RAID drive individually is required.
- Con: It runs on Windows only. For unusual RAID layouts, Runtime points to its separate RAID Reconstructor tool.
FAQs
Which NAS brands does it support?
Buffalo, Seagate, Western Digital, DLink and Iomega are named. Other makers work if the NAS uses XFS or EXT.
Do I need to know my RAID settings?
No. The program finds them itself.
Can I recover a RAID-5 with a missing drive?
Yes. For RAID-5 you can attach one drive fewer than the total.
Do I get updates?
Yes. Licensed users get free updates for the lifetime of the software.
What if Windows won't start?
You can run the program from a WinPE boot medium or a Runtime Live CD.
System requirements
Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, 11 or Server 2008-2022, 32 or 64 bit. You need 4 GB of RAM and a disk controller card that can handle all the RAID drives individually.