A business client encountered a critical RAID failure on their Windows 11 software RAID system. The server array operated multiple drives under a Windows-managed RAID, without a dedicated hardware RAID controller.

The client was unsure of the RAID configuration but suspected it might be RAID 0. If so, this presented a high risk of data loss, as RAID 0 offers no redundancy—meaning a single disk failure results in total data inaccessibility.

Upon failure:

Disk 2 stopped working completely, potentially leading to lost data.
Disk 1 was operational, and Disk 3, a mirror of Disk 1, remained functional.
The client attempted to reconnect Disk 2 without success.
Windows no longer recognized the RAID array, preventing access to critical business data.

Realizing the urgency of the situation, the client sought professional data recovery services from Manchester Data Recovery, a company with over 25 years of experience in recovering lost, deleted, and inaccessible data from RAID configurations.

Challenges

Windows 11 Software RAID Failure – Without a hardware RAID controller, RAID metadata and configurations relied entirely on Windows RAID management, making recovery more complex.
Disk 2 Failure & Potential RAID 0 Setup – If the system was RAID 0, data loss would be significant due to striping without redundancy.
Unrecognized RAID Array – Windows no longer detected the RAID volume, suggesting corrupt RAID metadata or disk mapping issues.
Critical Business Data at Risk – The client needed urgent recovery of server files and essential operational data.

Solution by Manchester Data Recovery

Upon receiving the server RAID drives, Manchester Data Recovery’s engineers implemented a forensic RAID recovery strategy:

✅ Drive Cloning & Sector-Level Imaging – Engineers created sector-by-sector clones of Disk 1 and Disk 3, preserving data before attempting any repair.
✅ Failed Disk 2 Analysis & Partial Recovery – Disk 2 was placed in a cleanroom environment to attempt data extraction from damaged sectors.
✅ RAID Metadata Reconstruction & Virtual RAID Setup –

Engineers analyzed RAID metadata from the working disks.
A virtual RAID reconstruction was built, simulating the original array.
If the array was RAID 1, data was restored from the mirrored disk.
If the array was RAID 0, engineers rebuilt missing data from parity calculations and striping sequences.
✅ File System Repair & Data Extraction – Engineers reconstructed the file system and extracted essential files from the recovered RAID array.
✅ Secure Data Transfer – Successfully recovered data was verified for integrity and transferred to a new external storage device.

Results & Client Impact

99% of business-critical files successfully recovered
RAID 1 mirror allowed full restoration of missing data
RAID metadata reconstructed, making the array fully accessible again
Client regained access to server files, preventing operational downtime

The client was extremely relieved, as Manchester Data Recovery successfully rebuilt the RAID array and restored essential data, preventing significant business disruptions.

Conclusion

This case highlights the vulnerabilities of software RAID systems, particularly when managed by Windows without a dedicated RAID controller. When a disk in a RAID array fails, professional RAID reconstruction techniques are required to recover and restore data.

For businesses experiencing software RAID failures, unrecognized RAID volumes, or lost RAID data, Manchester Data Recovery provides advanced forensic data recovery solutions to retrieve critical files efficiently and securely.

👉 Experiencing RAID Failure? Contact Manchester Data Recovery Today!