QNAP NAS (Network Attached Storage) systems are widely used by small businesses, including driving instructor companies, for secure data storage and easy file access. However, when two drives fail simultaneously with clicking or beeping noises, it often indicates read/write head failure, leading to RAID corruption and data loss.
This case study details how we successfully recovered critical business data for a driving instructor company in Glasgow from a QNAP NAS with four disks in a RAID setup, after two drives failed mechanically.
As Glasgow Data Recovery, Scotland’s oldest and best data recovery company, we have 25 years of experience using RAID reconstruction, cleanroom mechanical repairs, and forensic-level data extraction techniques to restore lost business data.
The Challenge: QNAP NAS RAID Failure Due to Two Clicking & Beeping Drives
A driving instructor business contacted us after their QNAP NAS stopped functioning, with the following issues:
- Two hard drives failed simultaneously, causing RAID corruption.
- The failed drives were making clicking and beeping noises.
- The QNAP NAS could no longer access stored files or boot properly.
- The NAS contained essential business data, including client schedules, invoices, and driving records.
Since RAID setups rely on redundancy, multiple drive failures in a RAID 6 configuration can result in complete data loss unless professionally recovered.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the QNAP NAS (4-disk RAID setup) arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full mechanical and RAID diagnostic. Our findings:
- Two drives had failed mechanically – Read/write heads were damaged, causing clicking and beeping sounds.
- RAID metadata corruption – The system could not recognize the RAID structure due to drive failure.
- No major platter damage detected – Indicating a high likelihood of successful data recovery.
Since forcing a RAID rebuild with failed drives can overwrite existing data, we prioritised cleanroom drive repair and RAID reconstruction.
The Recovery Process
1. Cleanroom Drive Disassembly & Read/Write Head Replacement
To repair the physically damaged hard drives, we:
- Opened the drives in our cleanroom.
- Replaced the faulty read/write heads with compatible donor heads.
- Reassembled the drives and stabilized them for data extraction.
2. Imaging & Cloning the Repaired Hard Drives
Once the damaged drives were stabilised, we:
- Created sector-by-sector forensic clones of all four RAID disks.
- Used specialized imaging tools to extract maximum readable data.
3. Rebuilding the RAID Structure & Extracting Business Data
Since the RAID metadata was damaged, we:
- Manually reconstructed the RAID array outside of the QNAP NAS.
- Rebuilt missing RAID headers and restored file system structures.
Once the RAID was rebuilt, we:
- Recovered all driving instructor schedules, client records, and business invoices.
- Restored Microsoft Excel files, PDFs, and database records.
- Transferred the fully recovered data to a secure external backup device.
The Results: 98% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our cleanroom repairs and RAID reconstruction techniques, we successfully recovered 98% of the business’s lost data, including:
✅ Client schedules and driving lesson records
✅ Invoices, receipts, and financial documents
✅ Digital forms and business contracts
The driving instructor business was able to resume operations without losing any critical files, preventing financial and customer service disruptions.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful RAID recoveries, we are Scotland’s leading NAS data recovery specialists. Our expertise includes:
✔ QNAP NAS RAID failure recovery & metadata reconstruction
✔ Read/write head replacement & mechanical HDD repair
✔ Driving instructor business data retrieval & database recovery
✔ Secure & confidential data recovery services
If your QNAP NAS RAID system has failed due to multiple drive failures, clicking or beeping noises, or file system corruption, stop using the device immediately and contact us for expert NAS data recovery.