November 24, 2024 · 9 min read
A comprehensive guide on recovering files from a Terramaster TNAS hard drive using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) while retaining metadata and folders.
This guide will walk you through the steps to recover files from a Terramaster TNAS drive.
I had a Terramaster TNAS NAS fail without any underlying data integrity issues. Rather than get a replacement and swap the drive back in, I decided to extract all of the files from the drive so I could format it.
Drives used in TNAS are formatted with a variety of partitions, most of which are not readable by Windows. RAID is also used which adds complexities.
I simply removed the drive from the NAS and connected it to my PC via a SATA cable (+ power from the PSU).
I tried lots of Desktop GUI tools but they either recovered the files without any names / file structures or required payments to actually export the files.
This method is 100% free and relatively simple.
To access the Linux-specific file systems and manage RAID configurations, we need a Linux environment. WSL allows us to run a Linux distribution directly within Windows without the need for a virtual machine or dual boot setup.
Open PowerShell as Administrator:
Install WSL and Ubuntu by running the following command:
wsl --install -d Ubuntu
This command installs WSL 2 along with the Ubuntu distribution.
Note: If WSL is already installed, ensure it's updated to WSL 2:
wsl --update
wsl --set-default-version 2
Restart your computer if prompted.
Open Ubuntu:
Search for "Ubuntu" in the Start menu and click on it.
Alternatively, open Command Prompt or PowerShell and type:
wsl
Set up your Ubuntu user account if this is your first time running Ubuntu.
Once Ubuntu is running, update the package list to ensure you have the latest information about available packages:
sudo apt update
Install the necessary tools for managing RAID and file systems:
sudo apt install mdadm lvm2 ntfs-3g rsync -y
First, identify the TNAS drive connected to your system:
sudo fdisk -l
This command lists all connected drives and their partitions. Look for your TNAS drive, which will typically have multiple partitions with different file system types.
Example Output:
Disk /dev/sdb: 1.82 TiB, 2000398934016 bytes, 3907029168 sectors
Disk model: ST2000DM008-2FR1
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789abc
Device Start End Sectors Size Type
/dev/sdb1 2048 1050623 1048576 512M EFI System
/dev/sdb2 1050624 3147775 2097152 1G Linux filesystem
/dev/sdb3 3147776 3907028991 3903881216 1.8T Linux LVM
In this example, /dev/sdb is the TNAS drive with three partitions.
TNAS drives often use software RAID. Check if there are any RAID arrays:
sudo mdadm --examine --scan
If RAID arrays are detected, you might see output like:
ARRAY /dev/md0 metadata=1.2 name=tnas:0 UUID=abcdef12-3456-7890-abcd-ef1234567890
If RAID arrays are present, assemble them:
sudo mdadm --assemble --scan
This command automatically assembles all detected RAID arrays.
TNAS systems often use LVM for flexible storage management. Scan for LVM physical volumes:
sudo pvscan
Activate any detected volume groups:
sudo vgchange -ay
List logical volumes:
sudo lvs
Example Output:
LV VG Attr LSize Pool Origin Data% Meta% Move Log Cpy%Sync Convert
data tnas -wi-a----- 1.80t
Create directories to mount the file systems:
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/tnas
Mount the main data partition. This could be a direct partition, a RAID device, or an LVM logical volume.
For a direct partition:
sudo mount /dev/sdb3 /mnt/tnas
For a RAID device:
sudo mount /dev/md0 /mnt/tnas
For an LVM logical volume:
sudo mount /dev/tnas/data /mnt/tnas
Check if the file system is mounted correctly:
ls -la /mnt/tnas
You should see the directory structure of your TNAS data.
WSL provides access to your Windows drives through the /mnt/ directory. For example:
/mnt/c//mnt/d/Create a directory on your Windows drive to store the recovered files:
mkdir -p /mnt/c/RecoveredTNAS
Use rsync to copy files while preserving metadata, permissions, and directory structure:
sudo rsync -avh --progress /mnt/tnas/ /mnt/c/RecoveredTNAS/
Explanation of rsync options:
-a: Archive mode (preserves permissions, timestamps, symbolic links, etc.)-v: Verbose (shows files being copied)-h: Human-readable output (shows file sizes in KB, MB, GB)--progress: Shows progress during transferThe copy process may take a long time depending on the amount of data. The --progress option will show you the current file being copied and the overall progress.
Example Output:
sending incremental file list
Documents/
Documents/file1.txt
1,234 100% 1.18MB/s 0:00:00 (xfr#1, to-chk=1234/5678)
Documents/file2.pdf
12,345 100% 11.77MB/s 0:00:00 (xfr#2, to-chk=1233/5678)
...
After the copy process completes, verify that the files have been copied correctly:
ls -la /mnt/c/RecoveredTNAS
You can also compare file counts:
find /mnt/tnas -type f | wc -l
find /mnt/c/RecoveredTNAS -type f | wc -l
Both commands should return the same number of files.
Since the files are now on a Windows NTFS file system, the Linux permissions may not be directly applicable. However, the files should be accessible from Windows.
Once you've verified that the files have been copied successfully, unmount the TNAS file systems:
sudo umount /mnt/tnas
If you assembled RAID arrays, you can stop them:
sudo mdadm --stop /dev/md0
If you activated LVM volumes, deactivate them:
sudo vgchange -an
Open File Explorer in Windows and navigate to the directory where you copied the files (e.g., C:\RecoveredTNAS).
Check that the directory structure and files are intact. You should see all your folders and files with their original names and organization.
Open a few files to ensure they're not corrupted and are accessible.
Solution: Ensure you're using sudo for commands that require administrative privileges, especially when mounting file systems and copying files.
Solution: The TNAS drive might use a file system that's not automatically recognized. Try installing additional file system support:
sudo apt install exfat-fuse exfat-utils
Solution: If you have multiple drives from a RAID array, ensure all drives are connected. For degraded arrays, you might need to force assembly:
sudo mdadm --assemble --force /dev/md0 /dev/sdb3
Warning: Only use --force if you understand the risks and have backups.
Solution: Try manually scanning for physical volumes:
sudo pvscan --cache
sudo vgscan --mknodes
sudo lvscan
Solution: If the copy process is very slow, you can:
Use a different rsync command with fewer preservation options:
sudo rsync -rh --progress /mnt/tnas/ /mnt/c/RecoveredTNAS/
Copy to a Linux directory first, then move to Windows:
sudo rsync -avh --progress /mnt/tnas/ /tmp/tnas_backup/
sudo rsync -rh --progress /tmp/tnas_backup/ /mnt/c/RecoveredTNAS/
Solution: If you don't have enough space on your Windows drive:
Use an external drive:
sudo rsync -avh --progress /mnt/tnas/ /mnt/d/RecoveredTNAS/
Copy files in batches:
sudo rsync -avh --progress /mnt/tnas/Documents/ /mnt/c/RecoveredTNAS/Documents/
sudo rsync -avh --progress /mnt/tnas/Pictures/ /mnt/c/RecoveredTNAS/Pictures/
If you prefer a graphical interface, you can install GUI file managers in WSL:
sudo apt install nautilus
Then run:
nautilus /mnt/tnas
Note: This requires an X server for Windows, such as VcXsrv or WSLg (available in Windows 11).
If you're using Windows 11, WSLg provides built-in GUI support. You can install and run Linux GUI applications directly.
Data Privacy: Ensure that sensitive data is handled appropriately during the recovery process.
Drive Security: After successful data recovery, consider securely wiping the TNAS drive if you plan to dispose of it or repurpose it.
Backup Verification: Always verify that your recovered data is complete and uncorrupted before relying on it as your primary copy.
This method provides a comprehensive approach to recovering data from a Terramaster TNAS drive using Windows and WSL. The process preserves file metadata, directory structures, and ensures that your data is recovered in its original form.
Key advantages of this method:
Remember to always have multiple backups of important data to avoid data loss situations in the future. Consider implementing a robust backup strategy that includes both local and cloud-based solutions.
If you encounter issues not covered in this guide, the Linux community forums and documentation for mdadm, lvm2, and rsync are excellent resources for additional troubleshooting steps.