RAID0 HFS+ rebuilding questions

[lex]

(Reposting AGAIN due to lost post. Sorry if this becomes a duplicate. This time I stripped the links out)

Gurus,

I have been asked to recover a friend's data from his removable drive. Easy right? Well...

It's a G-RAID mini (GRM3) 1TB. Guy told me he purchased it from the mac store and that it was "mac formatted." I'm on Win7-64 and linux.

I've read and read and read many conflicting ideas on recovering this data.

2 x 7200rpm Hitachi 500TB Travelstar 7K500's striped in RAID0 (I think).

Hardware controller is an Oxford 936 chipset. I believe the disks are physically OK, but the controller is fried. I don't have physical access to another controller/housing.

I found a HFS+ Volume label (H+...) at sector 204821 of the first physical drive. This drive shows one partition in R-Studio. The other drive shows up with no partitions. Neither the drives nor the Partition show any filesystem in R-Studio. From the HFS+ header, I see a 4096 blocksize listed. Hexview of both HD's show EFI System Partition info close to the beginning of the drive, with some minimal FAT-ish info at the beginning of drive 1.

All of my attempts at settings for building a Virtual Block RAID in R-Studio have failed. After a couple days of scanning, the result is many unreadable "recovered" files listed with numeric file names. The only files I have been able to read out of them are fragments of ASCII text files. I've tried a few of the other recovery programs as well, with similar results.

Am I missing something obvious here? Is there an easy way to calculate the offsets and other settings?!?

Any advice would be appreciated here. I'm stumped on this one.

[networks]

As you have discovered Raid0 recovery can be a challenge. The history of what "happened" to the enclosure and drives may help understand what to do next. Was it running on a MAC ? You indicate you have Win7 so I assume your using R-Studio for Windows which is fine but you "may" have different results with r-studio on a MAC. Have you tried viewing the drives in a hex viewer ? WinHex has a great tool as well for Raid Recovery not sure if you own that or not ? Do you know which drive is 0 and 1 ? Have you imaged the drives ? could we be dealing with some sort of hardware issue on "one" of the drives ? when you say the controller is fried can you elaborate on that further ? the controller inside the ext G-Raid mini ? what happened ? its possible the "failure" took one of the drives out ? Have you checked the smart on each drive ? results ?

[harddrivespecialist]

Too many unknown variables...
Guessing won't do you any good, just will make it worth.

[lex]

Thanks for replies. I'll try to get some answers to networks questions. Will update.

[lex]

Taking networks' questions one at a time:

Was it running on a MAC ?
Yes. I believe it was being used as an external storage drive to store mp3's and videos on a Mac laptop. MacBook maybe. Unfortunately (fortunately?), I don't have easy access to a mac at the moment.

Have you tried viewing the drives in a hex viewer ?
Yes. I found some volume tables, but was unable to make much sense of anything else. Just searched for "H+" and a few other key strings. I am fairly comfortable with hex, but just don't know what else to look for.

WinHex has a great tool as well for Raid Recovery not sure if you own that or not ?
I have used WinHex. Had about the same results with its RAID builder as the others. As hddrivespecialist said, I don't know enough of the variables.

Do you know which drive is 0 and 1 ?
Not with certainty. R-Studio found a Partition on one of the drives but not the other. A post here or on another forum suggested that was disc0. Beyond that, I would be guessing. I have the chassis, but I am unsure if the SATA 0 and SATA 1 connectors correlate to disc0 and disc1.

Have you imaged the drives ?
No. I don't have the free hdd space to image both drives. I have one clear 1TB drive. These drives show 500.1GB. I can clone one at a time, but I don't think that would do much good.

could we be dealing with some sort of hardware issue on "one" of the drives ?
Sure. That's possible.

when you say the controller is fried can you elaborate on that further ?
My buddy said, "one day it just stopped working." Since then, there is a red light in the carriage that comes on as soon as the chassis is powered up. This is a different LED from the white power indicator.

the controller inside the ext G-Raid mini ?
Yes the controller is inside the G-RAID mini. I have the chassis here.

its possible the "failure" took one of the drives out ? Have you checked the smart on each drive ? results ?
GSmartControl reports SMART passed. Results below.

Code:

smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [i686-linux-3.0.0-pmagic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Hitachi Travelstar 7K500
Device Model:     Hitachi HTS725050A9A364
Serial Number:    110120PCK404GLGE713J
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000cca 67fc6033c
Firmware Version: PC4OC70E
User Capacity:    500,107,862,016 bytes [500 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ATA-8-ACS revision 6
Local Time is:    Fri Mar  9 09:12:06 2012 UTC
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x00)   Offline data collection activity
               was never started.
               Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0)   The previous self-test routine completed
               without error or no self-test has ever
               been run.
Total time to complete Offline
data collection:       (  645) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:           (0x5b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
               Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
               Suspend Offline collection upon new
               command.
               Offline surface scan supported.
               Self-test supported.
               No Conveyance Self-test supported.
               Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003)   Saves SMART data before entering
               power-saving mode.
               Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01)   Error logging supported.
               General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine
recommended polling time:     (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:     ( 131) minutes.
SCT capabilities:           (0x003d)   SCT Status supported.
               SCT Error Recovery Control supported.
               SCT Feature Control supported.
               SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000b   100   100   062    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  2 Throughput_Performance  0x0005   100   100   040    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0007   148   148   033    Pre-fail  Always       -       2
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       298
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   005    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000b   100   100   067    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  8 Seek_Time_Performance   0x0005   100   100   040    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0012   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       795
10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   060    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       203
191 G-Sense_Error_Rate      0x000a   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       45
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       765
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0002   177   177   000    Old_age   Always       -       31 (Min/Max 16/40)
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0022   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0008   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x000a   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
223 Load_Retry_Count        0x000a   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed without error       00%       795         -

SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

Code:

smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [i686-linux-3.0.0-pmagic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Hitachi Travelstar 7K500
Device Model:     Hitachi HTS725050A9A364
Serial Number:    110120PCK404GLGE70NJ
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000cca 67fc6032e
Firmware Version: PC4OC70E
User Capacity:    500,107,862,016 bytes [500 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ATA-8-ACS revision 6
Local Time is:    Fri Mar  9 09:15:35 2012 UTC
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x00)   Offline data collection activity
               was never started.
               Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0)   The previous self-test routine completed
               without error or no self-test has ever
               been run.
Total time to complete Offline
data collection:       (  645) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:           (0x5b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
               Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
               Suspend Offline collection upon new
               command.
               Offline surface scan supported.
               Self-test supported.
               No Conveyance Self-test supported.
               Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003)   Saves SMART data before entering
               power-saving mode.
               Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01)   Error logging supported.
               General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine
recommended polling time:     (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:     ( 131) minutes.
SCT capabilities:           (0x003d)   SCT Status supported.
               SCT Error Recovery Control supported.
               SCT Feature Control supported.
               SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000b   100   100   062    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  2 Throughput_Performance  0x0005   100   100   040    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0007   151   151   033    Pre-fail  Always       -       2
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       301
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   005    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000b   100   100   067    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  8 Seek_Time_Performance   0x0005   100   100   040    Pre-fail  Offline      -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0012   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       795
10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   060    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       203
191 G-Sense_Error_Rate      0x000a   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       47
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       673
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0002   183   183   000    Old_age   Always       -       30 (Min/Max 16/40)
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0022   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0008   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x000a   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       6
223 Load_Retry_Count        0x000a   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
No self-tests have been logged.  [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t]


SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

[hddguy]

Hardware controller is an Oxford 936 chipset.

I found a HFS+ Volume label (H+...) at sector 204821 of the first physical drive.

This is all information you need to reconstruct your RAID....

[Russwinters]

It should not be too difficult to figure out stripe size on this one...I mean....its a RAID 0, not a Raid 5 or 6.

[DR-Kiev]

......I found a HFS+ Volume label (H+...) at sector 204821 of the first physical drive. ..... From the HFS+ header, I see a 4096 blocksize listed. ... Hexview of both HD's show EFI System Partition info close to the beginning of the drive, with some minimal FAT-ish info at the beginning of drive 1.....[/b]

You have enough info to recreate array with one shot:

204821 х 2=409642
H+(482Bh) header start always +1024 bytes (2sectors)
409642-2=409640
for 409640 greatest multiples = 8 ,
4096/8=512
So your raid0 settings:
Order:
disk1 = drive1 (with EFI and with HFS+ little further)
disk2 = drive2 (without any data at first sectors)

block size =512sectors or 256 kb (for r-studio)
start from 409640 (create region from 409640 sectors with 1Tb size)

I would recommend to use Ufs exlorer , it is faster opens partitions (for testing correct orders) , and it is know well EFI ,GPT, LDM, ...

[lex]

Thanks for the replies!

DR-Kiev, 256KB Block Size in R-Studio gives the following error:
"Virtual Block RAID 1 Partition at 1 extends beyond disk bounds."

[DR-Kiev]

Thanks for the replies!

DR-Kiev, 256KB Block Size in R-Studio gives the following error:
"Virtual Block RAID 1 Partition at 1 extends beyond disk bounds."

hmm..
Which version of your r-studio?
Have you created rigeon like i said?
Show screenshot of your contsruction and error window.

[hddguy]

With Oxford controller probably it is single sector stripe

[DR-Kiev]

With Oxford controller probably it is single sector stripe

In this case he would have had EFI sector and Partition sector (55AA) on different drives.

[thederk]

Hi. I am new to this board and have been reading for hours before registering and more hours after registering trying to find someone with a similar problem as to mine, this so far seems the closest. I do not have a HFS+ drive, I have 2 640 GB WD Caviar Black drives that were in a RAID0 array with 2 partitions. 1 986ish GB part and 1 205ish GB part. 205 Part had windows 7 on it, the rest was just storage. On a 3rd hard drive not part of the array I was running Windows XP Pro.

I was using BCEdit for multibooting, took the winxp out of the menu, rebooted and all was good, no menu, just booted into Win7 fine. I figured I was safe to format the 3rd IDE drive with xp on it. Boy was I wrong. NTLDR missing problems and the like endured. In my bios i deleted mbr on array and deleted array. Put Win7 on IDE drive and re did array in bios, used Hiren's Boot CD in windows and used DiskGenius to recover the partitions I had in the array, I have the 986GB partition back, but none of the files work and the 205 gig part would just show up as unallocated, so I formatted the unallocated back to NTFS just to get a drive letter to try and do some recovery with. I have been using R-studio to try and recover the data. out of the 7-800 gigs of data I can live without there is about 7 gigs of photos of my son from when he was born and when my wife was pregnant. I have attatched 2 files of what I am getting back as photo data.

I have some understanding of why the picture is the way it is, but I do not completely understand what to do with R-Studio to get it to recover the files correctly, what I am really looking for in the hex info and such. Please help me guys, I see Dr. Kiev is a RAID genius and recovery expert, any and all insight will be so helpful. Oh, also after I recovered the 986 gb part, chkdsk ran for AWHILE and did some MFT security id replacing and some other stuff. Am I just totally f**ked?

[Vulcan]

For the benefit of other readers, note that the post above from thederk has now got a thread of its own here:

raid0-ntfs-problem-please-help-reconstruct-t23238.html

Therefore I suggest not replying on this thread, especially since this thread involved HFS+ which is not part of thederk's configuration.

[thederk]

For the benefit of other readers, note that the post above from thederk has now got a thread of its own here:

raid0-ntfs-problem-please-help-reconstruct-t23238.html

Therefore I suggest not replying on this thread, especially since this thread involved HFS+ which is not part of thederk's configuration.

thank you, I was just typing a post in here to say pretty much the same thing.

[dheidel]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to these boards and I have the same drive as the original poster, Lex. I was just wondering, Lex, if you were ever able to resolve this? I have two images of the drives in R-Studio. It looks to me like the HFS+ volume label is at sector 204820 (compared with 204821 up above), but I'll freely admit I'm a bit out of my depth here and I could be totally wrong.

I don't have access to a PC, so I need to use Mac only tools to solve this.

Thanks in advance for the help,

David