RAID 6 with two missing devices

Even if two of the devices in a RAID 6 array are damaged or missing, Atola TaskForce can rebuild and image a RAID of this type, taking advantage of its extra redundancy. To accomplish that, TaskForce uses both types of parity blocks, XOR parity and Reed-Solomon parity, distributed across all the devices in a RAID 6 array.

TaskForce automatically detects all parameters of a RAID 6 array with two missing devices, reassembles the array, and enables a preview of its contents. Once the RAID is reassembled, you can acquire its full physical image or perform logical imaging of only selected partitions, folders, and files.

To rebuild and image a RAID 6 array with one or two missing devices, do the following:

  1. In the Taskbar, click RAID.
    2. Initiating work with RAID.

    Initiating work with RAID.

  2. On the Select source device panel, select the devices that make up a RAID array. They can be physical drives of all supported types, connected to the TaskForce hardware unit, image files (raw, E01 or AFF4 image files), or a combination of both.
    3. Selecting RAID members.

    Selecting RAID members.

  3. Once the available RAID members are selected, click Continue.
  4. TaskForce redirects you to the RAID reassembly screen and immediately starts the Autodetection process to find the suitable configuration.
    5. The RAID configuration screen in Atola TaskForce.

    The RAID configuration screen in Atola TaskForce.

  5. Since you know that one or two RAID members are missing, select RAID 6 from the RAID type list and click the Add missing device button once or twice respectively. When checking variants of possible RAID configuration, TaskForce will take into account that there are missing RAID members.
    6. Adding a missing device to a RAID.

    Adding a missing device to a RAID.

  6. Optional: If you know some of the RAID parameters, such as RAID type, Start LBA, Block size, Block order, Parity block order, you can select them manually from the lists at the top of the RAID configuration section.
    7. Lists with RAID parameters for manual selection.

    Lists with RAID parameters for manual selection.

  7. Wait while the module is checking thousands of variants to find a possible RAID configuration. Autodetection progress is displayed on the right side of the screen. To learn more about our heuristic RAID autodetection algorithm, see How autodetection of an unknown RAID works.
  8. Once TaskForce has detected a possible configuration with two missing devices, click Apply. TaskForce automatically changes the order of the devices, applies the detected RAID type and other parameters, and then parses and verifies the file systems of an array.
    9. Applying a possible RAID configuration.

    Applying a possible RAID configuration.

  9. To make sure that the suggested RAID configuration is correct, check the Partitions section at the bottom left and preview the contents of the reassembled RAID, including partitions, folders, and files. To help you decide whether the applied configuration is valid or not, TaskForce displays a small tag with the accuracy percentage near the partition.
    10. The preview of the RAID contents.

    The preview of the RAID contents.

  10. Click Go to image to acquire a full bit-by-bit copy of the array or Go to logical to copy only selected partitions, folders, or files.
  11. After imaging is finished, TaskForce automatically generates an Imaging completed report. It includes all the details of the source drives, the RAID configuration, the target image, the timestamps and more.
    12. The Imaging completed report.

    The Imaging completed report.