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System is Fedora Linux, there is RAID 0 array set up via mdadm that have bound together partitions /dev/sda4 and /dev/sdb4. Lately, /dev/sdb failed and became unreadable. Naturally, I started researching recovery options. I found some suggestions for specialized software and services, and a promising information that small files that fit into RAID stripe should be recoverable from remaining partition.

Unfortunately, I found very little information and instructions I could use. Therefore, I thought here might be place to find a good procedure to follow, and at the same time publish it for others in need.

How to access remaining 'half' of RAID array that resides on /dev/sda4?

How to determine what can be retrieved from it, and how to back such data up safely?

In particular, should I replace the failed disk and try to rebuild an array first? Why? (probably connected to first question).

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    The "0" in RAID 0 stands for the mount of data you'll be able to recover when the array fails, FYI. Jun 3, 2014 at 18:40
  • I do realize that there is no redundancy and that most of data is lost, I just hope that not all of it. If that matters anything, it is not my setup - I joined this project a few days ago, yesterday the server got smiten by gods of entropy.
    – zencodism
    Jun 3, 2014 at 18:51
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    It's all gone. That's just the way it is. Sorry.
    – user62491
    Jun 3, 2014 at 19:07

1 Answer 1

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In short: Nothing can be recovered.

The only reliable way to retrieve this information is to recover it from your backup. There is no software that would allow you to recover anything in that condition that is usable by an end user/non-expert. Handing the disks over to (really expensive) data recovery experts might bring back everything.

You can't rebuild that array, so don't even try, you could make things even worse if you decide to go the recovery expert route.

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