 Hello everybody! Watch this video to find out how to recover data from a RAID system with the dead Super Micro AOC controller. The RAID technology allows users to combine several hard disks into a single data storage for improved reliability and performance. It is used to ensure data integrity and accessibility, even if one or several disks fail. Such opportunity is implemented through creating composite data or distributing data across hard disks. Super Micro AOC-USAS-S8IR controller is the device in charge of disk management in a RAID array. It controls how data is written and information distributed, and it also ensures storage integrity. A controller breakdown may cause problems with accessing the data stored on your disks, since it is the controller that manages their RAID and RAID operations. Without a controller, the operating system is unable to recognize the structure of data on the disks, which makes that data merely inaccessible. That is why, when the controller or other hardware elements fail, it is important to take the right steps to replace or restore such hardware items, and run data recovery operations if necessary in order to reduce data loss and ensure its accessibility. And now, we are going to explore the steps and methods of data recovery which will help you recover the lost information. To get a general idea of how data is stored inside a RAID, let's see how to grade it on this specific controller model. To build a RAID, open the controller's bias. While the computer is booting, press the key shortcut Alt plus A. When the manager app is ready, open Array Configuration Utility and click on Create Array. Now, select the disks to use in a future array. If the disk list is empty or they are shown in gray, they should be initialized. During initial setup, all drives must be initialized before we can use them. Initialization overrides the disk partition table and all the data stored on that disk becomes inaccessible. Don't initialize the disks, which are part of or the boot array or containing important data. To find out which disks are related to a certain array, go to Array Properties. To initialize the disks, use the Array Configuration Utility menu to select the corresponding option. Initialize Drives and press Enter. In the window, select Drives for Initialization, choose the disks you want to initialize and press Insert or Space. The disks you choose will appear on the selected drives list, just like you can see it on the screen. Press Enter to start initialization. When this message appears, make sure that you have selected the right disk for initialization and press Y to continue or N to cancel this step. When the initialization is complete, you can build an array with these disks. In the menu menu of the Configuration Utility, click on Create Array. Then select the drives to be used in this array and click Enter to continue. After that, choose the Array Level, Array Label, Size, Stripe Size, Cash Settings and Disk Initialization method. When all properties are given, choose Done and press Enter. Now that the array is built, just wait until it is initialized. Now you can sign into the system, partition the volume and write your data there. Now, let's explore a situation when the controller is out of order. How can you recover data from the disks of a crashed array after its controller breaks down? When the controller is down, all the data on the disks remains unchanged, since the array controller manages disk access permissions and the way disks are organized into arrays, but it doesn't influence the actual contents of every disk. This means that when a controller is replaced or restored, or when a bunch of disks are transferred to another controller, the data itself should be intact. However, in order to ensure normal operation and easy access to the data, the new controller should be set up properly according to the previously used rate configuration. This way, preservation of data on the disks when the controller is down helps us to avoid data loss and makes the process of replacing the controller and recovering data much easier. After replacement, you'll need a new controller of the same model or a compatible one supporting the same disk types, and rate configurations as the old controller. It is important to make sure that the new controller can read the rate configuration from the disks, since the information on the arrays and the properties is stored on those disks. After replacement, the controller should be set up according to the previously used configuration, including disk order, rate type and array properties, so that you can get access to your data without losing the information. Visit the manufacturer's website to carefully study the information about possible replacement options. Disconnect disks from the folder controller, remove it, and replace it with a new one. Then reconnect the disks in the same order as they were connected before. After that, restart the computer and access its bias. When prompted to save the previous configuration, confirm it and set up the array with the old properties. It is important to avoid disk initialization or disk array rebuilding. This will erase all the data. Also, we don't recommend taking any actions involving the disks if there is no backup. If you are not sure you can replace the controller without data loss, it's better to entrust it to professionals. If you fail to restore the array with the first method, the second method to recover data involves specialized data recovery software which can work with array systems. Hetman Ray Recovery supports all popular array types, most file systems and various array patterns used by various array controllers. It will rebuild the damaged array with the available hard disks so that you'll be able to retrieve important files. For data recovery, you need to connect all the hard disks to the motherboard over Windows computer. The program will automatically rebuild the damaged array with the available hard disks. Depending on the array level, it can also rebuild the array system even if one or several disks are missing. For 8.5, it's one disk, and for 8.6, it's two disks. If your motherboard has less setup ports or power connectors than necessary, you can use additional adapters and expansion cards similar to those shown on the screen. Check if the program managed to rebuild the crashed array correctly. In the Drive Manager window, select the Rate and Review its properties. At the bottom of the screen, you will see a brief array overview. To get more detailed information, right-click on the array and open its properties. In the Rate tab, you can view all information about the array, including the hard disks, the order, offset, and so on. To start looking for files, right-click on the volume and choose Open. After that, select the scan type, file scan or full analysis. If the controller has just broken down, a file scan is enough, and it takes less time. In more complicated situations, when the program can't find the missing files after the file scan was applied or after the disks were erased partially, go for full analysis. To do it, go back to the main window. Right-click on the volume and choose Analyze again. Full analysis, specify the file system, and click Next. When the scan is over, open the folder where the lost files used to be. This program preserves the entire structure of files and folders along with their original names. The contents of every file is displayed in the preview window. Any files which were previously deleted are shown with the corresponding marking. Select all the items you want to recover and hit the Recovery button. Specify where to save the data. Choose the disk and folder, and click Recover again. When the recovery process is complete, you will see all the files in the Choosing directory. In some situations, the program may fail to rebuild the rate automatically. It can happen when the service information on the disks is erased, so the program cannot identify parameters of the crashed rate. In such cases, the rate constructor with a manual build feature will help you. This tool will save the day when the disk beginning is erased, together with the information about the array parameters. This is what typically happens when disks are connected to another controller, and the previous configuration is erased or when the rate is rebuilt. If you know the array parameters, start the constructor, choose manual mode, next. Specify the array type, block order, and size. Add the disks it used to include, and replace the missing disks with empty drives by clicking the plus button. You may have to specify the offset, which tells you where the beginning of the disk is located. After that, give the disk order. When you have entered all the parameters you know, you will see your rate, and if all information is correct, you will see its folders here. Fill in all properties, and click Add. After that, the array system will appear in the Drive Manager. Now start the scan, search for files, and recover the ones you need. In conclusion of today's video, I'd like to emphasize the importance of backing up your important data on a regular basis. Such backups will help you recover important files when the controller fails or in case of other unexpected problems. But even if there is no backup to use in an emergency, now you know how to recover your files when the controller breaks down one day. And that is all for now. I hope this video was useful, and it helped you to recover the lost files. Remember to click the Like button and subscribe to our channel. Leave your comments under the video. Thank you for watching. And good luck.