How to recover data from Qnap Thin (or Thick) Volume

[IvanH]

After a success with Static Volume (Re: How to mount Qnap Static Volume under Linux) I wanted to try Thin Volume.

I have created a thin volume in a Qnap NAS (TS-230 with QTS 4.5.2 ). I have put some files on it. There are no valuable data included. I am just doing a disaster recovery training.

I have installed mdadm and assembled RAID

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mdadm --assemble --scan 
mdadm: /dev/md/9 has been started with 1 drive (out of 64).
mdadm: /dev/md/1 has been started with 1 drive.
mdadm: /dev/md/13 has been started with 1 drive (out of 64).

So far so good. Now let’s scan logical volumes

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lvscan
WARNING: Unrecognised segment type tier-thin-pool
WARNING: Unrecognised segment type flashcache
WARNING: PV /dev/md1 in VG vg1 is using an old PV header, modify the VG to update.
LV tp1, segment 1 invalid: does not support flag ERROR_WHEN_FULL. for tier-thin-pool segment.
Internal error: LV segments corrupted in tp1.
Cannot process volume group vg1

At first I thought that the volume is corrupt, but the NAS doesn’t seem to complain. To be sure I have deleted all partitions from the drive in a computer and repeated the process again with the same result.
When I have created a thick volume the result was the same (with an extra warning mentioning ‘thick’).

It is obvious that the cause of the problems is not corruption but incompatibility.
There is a chance ([SMB] HOW-TO RECOVER data from LVM volume on a PC (UX-500P)) that the problem can be overcame with using thin-provisioning-tools, but this exceeded my abilites.

I have also made and an attempt with Recovery Explorer Standard and the trial version was able to discover files (scanning 8TB Seagate IronWolf Pro took 10 hours). So there is a good chance of successful recovery (and $39 is much less than any commercial recovery service).

The current conclusion is that there is no simple way to recover data from a thin (thick) volume.

When you are looking for a decision which type of volume to use (like me), this problem is a good point for Static Volume.

[ivantalk]

As I have just recovered my crashed thin volume from bargaining with QNAP support. For the guys with the same issue, you need to reach for qnap support, you will have to fight for it until there is a support know how to fix the issue. (If you don't, no one will know how to fix it until you keep fighting)

I have my resumed disk data from assistance of qnap support. Hope that you are not giving up on the disk restoration, and will check the new message here. No one from qnap will help us and we need to help ourselves out.

[ivantalk]

I registered the forum just a month ago, when my NAS thin volume was crashed with its LVM metadata.
I have checked all the related post include the one you posted above (it is very difficult to manipulate the compilation of QTS kernel and to reach the goal will involve the such "technical secret" that only qnap guys known. We are using the NAS system to support our work, and the firm keeps us away from techniques and regards us as technical idiots! Such a ridiculous IT service solution company.

So I finally got NO information from this forum (of course we are the ones need the support from QNAP and QNAP is obliged to do), how do they think if their personal customer are also from IT field with their ridiculous attitudes?

[ivantalk]

When you are looking for a decision which type of volume to use (like me), this problem is a good point for Static Volume.

As said above, I am doing a research on which volume type should I adopt to my new recovered volume, and reach to the post here.
You opinion is elegant. I think if we can assure the Static volume is the pure implementation from linux not QNAP, there should be no obstacle for us to recover the vg.
And my volume was with the thin volume type, I tried it before to use R-studio for data recovery, the most important things is a few files can be recover AND image files are mixed together with other image files as the nature of the thin storage !

So data security, as we know nothing if much more risks with the QNAP proprietary volume, it would be best to adopt static volume. Or the lost of the metadata will be the only issue of adopting QNAP thin/thick volume.

[ivantalk]

If RES supports to read metadata back up file for external device, if would be great for adopt the tool. You are knowing about this point?

[ivantalk]

http://qnap_support.net/teknik-destek/qnap-nas-cihazlarindan-veri-kurtarma-felaket-senaryolari/raid-1-single-disk-yapisindan-veri-kurtarmak/
Although for windows, DiskInternals Linux Reader can help to get data from a HEALTHY qnap disk ONLY, it's not acceptable as a linux-based system then no native linux support or QNAP tools to help to manage disaster recovery in linux systems. QNAP should support the ecology of linux systems, embracing to provide the open source solution to users.

View above link before remove the first underscore.

[dolbyman]

that website gets autocensored..dont link to it

[datarecoveryexpert]

For restore data from thin, thick volume with SSD. Like QTIER leveling. We used couple options
1. simple cheap way install QNAP Linux with additional proprietary plugung. And regular computer will recognized it. It will works like QNAP actually.
2. possible use some version linux with some options.
2. Use LVM2 tier software for rebuild the raid.
3. Use ACELAB soft PC3000 RAID edition or possible regular data extractor
4. UFS explorer will help also.
I do not see any problem with thin volumes. We restored them a lot even damaged and reformatted.