QNAP NAS Data Recovery Service
QNAP NAS data recovery for QTS and QuTS hero systems. We recover data from failed storage pools, inactive volumes, degraded RAID groups, and firmware-bricked units. Every case follows our image-first workflow: each member drive is cloned through a write-blocker before any reconstruction begins. Free evaluation. No data = no charge.
Common QNAP Error Messages and Failure Modes
QNAP systems fail in predictable ways. The most common: "Storage Pool Inactive," degraded RAID group warnings in QTS, and units that refuse to boot after a firmware update. Each of these is recoverable if the drives have not been reinitialized.- Storage Pool Inactive / Storage Pool Error: QTS reports the storage pool as inactive when it cannot assemble the underlying mdadm RAID array. This can follow a power loss, multiple disk errors, or a failed RAID rebuild. The data remains on the member drives.
- Degraded RAID Group: One or more member drives have dropped out of the array. QTS will prompt you to rebuild. If a second drive is weak, a rebuild can push it past the point of recovery. Power down instead.
- Failed Firmware Update / DOM Corruption: QNAP's Disk on Module (DOM) is a small internal flash device that stores QTS. A failed update can corrupt the DOM and leave the NAS unable to boot. Your data volumes are stored on the member drives, not the DOM; they are unaffected by DOM failure.
- Drive Not Detected / SMART Errors: Individual member drives developing bad sectors or firmware faults. These need professional imaging with tools like PC-3000 to extract readable data before reconstruction.
Stop and power down. Every additional write, rebuild attempt, or reinitialization reduces recovery odds. Remove the drives, label their slot positions, and contact us.
QTS and QuTS Hero Filesystem Recovery
QNAP runs two distinct operating systems with different filesystems. QTS uses EXT4 on a Linux mdadm RAID layer. QuTS hero uses ZFS, which has a fundamentally different storage architecture requiring specialized recovery techniques.- QTS / EXT4 Recovery: Standard QTS models (TS-453D, TS-673A, and similar) store data on EXT4 volumes atop Linux mdadm RAID. The partition layout differs from Synology, but the underlying technology is the same. We capture mdadm superblocks from each member image, reconstruct the array parameters (stripe size, parity rotation, member order), and mount the EXT4 filesystem from the virtual array.
- QuTS Hero / ZFS Recovery: Models like the TVS-h674 and TS-h886 run QuTS hero, which uses ZFS. ZFS is a copy-on-write filesystem that maintains data integrity through a Merkle tree structure. ZFS stores multiple copies of its uber-block (the root pointer to all pool metadata) and organizes writes into transaction groups (txg). When a ZFS pool import fails, recovery requires parsing raw pool metadata from full member images to locate the most recent valid uber-block and reconstruct the pool state from its transaction group history.
- QNAP LUKS Encryption: QNAP offers volume-level encryption using LUKS (Linux Unified Key Setup). If your volumes are encrypted, you must provide the encryption key or password. Without it, the data cannot be decrypted by anyone. Check QTS for a stored key file or any exported key backups.
Both QTS and QuTS hero recoveries follow the same image-first principle: we clone every member drive before touching any metadata. No reconstruction happens on original media. For details on how we handle the underlying RAID data recovery layer, see our RAID recovery page.
Why You Should Never Initialize a QNAP Storage Pool After a Failure
When a QNAP storage pool fails, QTS will prompt you to create a new storage pool or initialize the existing one. Accepting this prompt overwrites the RAID superblocks, partition tables, and filesystem metadata that are required for recovery.- QTS writes new mdadm superblocks to the beginning and end of each member drive during initialization. The original superblocks, which contain RAID parameters like stripe size, parity rotation, and member ordering, are destroyed.
- A new partition table replaces the existing one. The offsets to your data volumes are lost.
- For QuTS hero (ZFS), initialization creates a new zpool with fresh uber-blocks and metadata. The original ZFS pool metadata is overwritten, and the Merkle tree linking to your data is severed.
- Even a partial initialization can make recovery orders of magnitude harder. The fewer writes to the original drives, the better the outcome.
If QTS presents an initialization prompt, power down the unit. Remove the drives and label each one with its bay number. This preserves member order, which is critical for offline reconstruction.
How We Recover Data from a Failed QNAP NAS
We follow an image-first, offline reconstruction workflow. Every step operates on cloned images, never on your original drives. This protects the source data throughout the entire process.- Free evaluation: We document your QNAP model, QTS or QuTS hero version, RAID level, number of members, encryption status, and any prior recovery attempts.
- Write-blocked imaging: Each member drive is imaged through a hardware write-blocker using PC-3000 or DeepSpar. Drives with mechanical issues (clicking, not spinning) receive head swaps or other board-level work before imaging.
- RAID metadata capture: We read mdadm superblocks (QTS) or ZFS uber-blocks and vdev labels (QuTS hero) from the member images. These contain the array geometry needed for reconstruction.
- Offline array reconstruction: Using PC-3000 RAID Edition, we assemble the virtual array from cloned images. RAID parameters (stripe size, parity rotation, member order, data offset) are verified against the captured metadata.
- Filesystem extraction: The EXT4 or ZFS filesystem is mounted from the reconstructed virtual array. Files are extracted, verified for integrity, and copied to the target media.
- Delivery and secure purge: Recovered data is delivered on your target drive or shipped back. Working copies are securely purged on request.
How Much Does QNAP NAS Recovery Cost?
QNAP recovery uses two-tiered pricing: a per-member imaging fee based on each drive's condition, plus a $400 to $800 array reconstruction fee. If we recover nothing, you owe $0.- Logical or firmware issues (per drive): $250 to $900 per member. This covers drives that are accessible but have filesystem corruption, firmware faults, or bad sectors that require PC-3000 terminal access.
- Mechanical failures (per drive): $1,200 to $1,500 per member. Drives that are clicking, not spinning, or have failed heads require clean-bench donor head transplants. A 50% deposit is required because donor parts are consumed during the procedure.
- Array reconstruction: $400 to $800. This covers RAID parameter detection, virtual array assembly, filesystem extraction, and data verification. The fee varies by RAID level, member count, and filesystem complexity (ZFS reconstruction costs more than EXT4).
- No Data = No Charge: If we cannot recover usable data, you owe nothing. Optional return shipping for your drives is the only potential cost in an unsuccessful case.
Other labs quote $5,000 to $10,000 or more for NAS recovery because they bundle opaque fees and markups. We price by the work performed on each individual drive, plus a clear reconstruction line item. If a case turns out simpler than expected, you pay less.
Member Imaging
Logical/firmware per drive
$250–$900
Array Reconstruction
Offline rebuild and data extraction
$400–$800
Mechanical Member
Clean-bench head swap per drive
$1,200–$1,500
QNAP Recovery Questions
Can data be recovered from a QNAP with a failed storage pool?
Yes. A failed or inactive storage pool does not mean the data is gone. The underlying RAID metadata and filesystem structures are still on the member drives. We image each drive with write-blocking, reconstruct the array offline, and extract data from the cloned images. The key is to avoid accepting QTS prompts to initialize a new storage pool, which overwrites the existing RAID superblocks.
What filesystem does QNAP QTS use?
QNAP QTS uses EXT4 as its default filesystem for storage volumes. The underlying RAID layer is Linux mdadm, similar to Synology DSM but with a different partition layout. QuTS hero, available on select models like the TVS-h674 and TS-h886, uses ZFS instead of EXT4. ZFS adds recovery complexity due to its copy-on-write architecture and Merkle tree integrity verification.
Is QNAP QuTS hero ZFS recovery possible?
Yes. ZFS maintains multiple copies of its uber-block and uses transaction groups (txg) to track writes. When a ZFS pool import fails, recovery requires parsing the raw pool metadata from full member images. We image every drive in the pool, locate valid uber-blocks across the member images, and reconstruct the pool state from the most recent consistent transaction group. This is more involved than EXT4 recovery, but the data is recoverable in most cases.
Can you recover data from an encrypted QNAP volume?
QNAP uses LUKS (Linux Unified Key Setup) for volume-level encryption. If you have the encryption key or password, we can decrypt the volume after imaging and reconstruction. Without the key, the data cannot be recovered by anyone. If you have the key stored in QTS or exported as a file, provide it with your drives.
My QNAP won't boot after a firmware update. Is data still recoverable?
A failed firmware update typically corrupts the DOM (Disk on Module), which is the small internal boot device that runs QTS. Your data volumes live on the member drives, not on the DOM. The drives themselves are unaffected. We remove the member drives, image them individually, and reconstruct the storage pool and volumes offline.
QNAP NAS down? Start a free evaluation.
Ship your drives or walk in at our Austin lab. No data = no charge.