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RAID 0 Recovery – Video Production Studio Emergency

We are thrilled to share a recent success story showcasing our expertise in data recovery. Our commitment to excellence and advanced technology allowed us to successfully recover critical data for one of our valued clients.

Client Information:

  • Industry: Digital Media Production
  • Location: Los Angeles, California
  • Array Config: RAID0 (4x 2TB NVMe SSDs)
  • Total Capacity: 8TB
  • Use Case: High-speed video editing and rendering
RAID0 Video Production Crash
RAID0 Video Production Crash
System Specifications:

The client operated a high-performance workstation configured for 4K video production with the following specifications:

  • Motherboard: ASUS ProArt X570-CREATOR WIFI
  • RAID Controller: Software RAID via Windows Storage Spaces
  • Storage Devices: 4x Samsung 980 PRO 2TB NVMe SSDs
  • File System: NTFS with 64KB allocation units
  • Primary Data: Adobe Premiere Pro projects, raw 4K footage, rendered video files

The RAID 0 configuration was specifically chosen to maximize sequential read/write performance for large video files, achieving sustained transfer rates exceeding 12 GB/s.

Failure Incident:

Critical Failure: One of the four NVMe drives suffered a complete controller failure, rendering the entire 8TB array inaccessible. The timing was particularly critical as the studio was a few days away from a major client deadline.

The array contained approximately 6TB of active project data, including:

  • 3.2TB of raw RED camera footage (8K resolution)
  • 1.8TB of intermediate proxy files and project assets
  • 800GB of rendered sequences and final deliverables
  • 200GB of Adobe Premiere Pro project files and associated metadata
Recovery Methodology:

Phase 1: Failed Drive Recovery

Our hardware specialists examined the failed Samsung 980 PRO and identified a failure in the main controller chip’s power regulation circuit. Using specialized equipment, we carefully removed the eight NAND flash memory chips and read them using a PC-3000 Flash recovery system, bypassing the failed controller entirely.

Phase 2: RAID Stripe Reconstruction

With the failed drive’s data successfully extracted, we developed custom software to analyze the stripe boundaries and reconstruct the RAID 0 pattern used by Windows Storage Spaces. This involved examining metadata structures and identifying the exact 256KB stripe boundaries.

Phase 3: Priority Data Recovery

Given the tight deadline, we implemented a priority-based recovery approach, focusing first on extracting the 400GB of critical files needed for the immediate project completion.

Recovery Results

  • Data Recovery Success Rate: 99.7% (5.98TB of 6TB)
  • Critical Files Recovered: 100% of active projects
  • Priority Recovery Time: 18 hours
  • Client Downtime: 3 days

Client Impact:

Project Completion: The client met their critical deadline, preserving a $150,000 contract and maintaining their reputation with a major advertising agency.

Workflow Improvements: Following the incident, we suggested a more robust backup strategy, including real-time mirroring of active projects to a separate RAID 1 array.

Lost Data on Your Storage Device? Act Immediately!

If your are experiencing data loss, DO NOT attempt to force-rebuild RAID, reinitialize drives, or operate the system, as this can lead to irreversible data loss. Power down the device(s) immediately and keep the drives in their original slots/order. Contact our experts.

Contact us today for a free consultation!

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