Impact of Hard Drive Damage in Different RAID Types

RAID 0 level

Given that RAID 0 lacks redundancy, any data that cannot be read is permanently lost. The absence of data mirroring or parity means there is no backup to recover from in the event of a drive failure.

RAID 1 level

In the case of a failed RAID 1, if it's determined that one of the member disks is faulty, the recovery process involves identifying the healthy disk and utilizing it for recovery. If both disks are damaged, an attempt can be made to read and combine data from both. However, sectors damaged on both drives are irreversibly lost.

RAID 5

When one member disk of a RAID 5 setup is damaged, it is advisable not to use it during data recovery. RAID recovery software, like ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery , can synchronize disk head movements during data reading. This synchronization facilitates faster parity data reconstruction compared to waiting for a response from a disk with bad sectors.

RAID 10 level

RAID 10 comprises two identical stripe sets, and if one or more disks fail, a full stripe set is crucial for recovery. In the event of damaged disks, it is necessary to identify and exclude them from the recovery process. If a complete stripe set remains intact after excluding the damaged drives, data recovery can proceed similarly to RAID 0. However, if obtaining a full stripe set is not possible, connecting the failed disks may be attempted, and the outcome assessed. If these measures prove unsuccessful, data recovery for the array may not be achievable at home.