[2025] How to Recover Data from RAID 5 With 2 Failed Drives

While you’re managing your important files, any unexpected error can cause a drive to fail in your system. RAID 5 is a good storage configuration that can be used in such a case to enable the disk to survive the case without losing data. But in case of simultaneous failure of two drives because of physical damage or error, it exposes all your files to risk and makes the RAID 5 unreadable.

This failure may be devastating, more so when vital data is involved. Luckily, you can recover data even when 2 of the drives failed as long as you are doing it correctly. Here, we shall guide you through the process to understand how to recover data from RAID 5 with 2 failed drives. Additionally, you’ll be introduced to a tool that you can use for recovering RAID drive data.

Part 1. Can You Recover Data from RAID 5 With 2 Failed Drives?

The RAID 5 recovery with two failed drives is possible, but it is somewhat complex, involving either backup or manual recovery. RAID 5 is a reliable tool for preventing data loss, but it can only stand a single drive failure. It cannot reconstruct the missing data by using the parity information from the remaining drives in the case of a simultaneous failure of two drives.

Depending on variables, like the health of remaining drives and the nature of drive failure, it is possible to recover data with the right tools and skills.

Part 2. 6 Reasons for 2 Drives' Failure in RAID 5

Before learning RAID 5 data recovery, here are the most common reasons that can lead to dual drive failure, rendering RAID 5 unreadable:

1. Same-Batch Drives: Those disks purchased and installed from the same batch are affected by wear and tear similarly. Simultaneous aging increases the likelihood of them failing at the same time.
2. Rebuild Process: The rebuild process of RAID 5 in case of a drive failure is lengthy and consumes resources extensively. This puts the other drives under pressure and increases the failure risks.
3. Electrical Issues: Sometimes, the power surges and outages disrupt the communication in the drive circuits. The resulting corrupted disk contents can lead to multiple drives failing at the same time.
4. RAID Controller Faults: If the controller malfunctions, the disk metadata or drive data can be misinterpreted. Multiple drives, as a result, could become unreadable or offline at once.
5. User Errors: You could mistakenly choose the wrong drive for a rebuild, which could result in premature formatting. A second failure could ensue from such an incorrect configuration of RAID on the wrong drive.
6. Cable Issues: There might be issues with the connectors and cables, which can mimic disk failure. As a result, more than one drive could be dropped by the controller at the same time.

Part 3. RAID 5 Recovery with 2 Failed Drives Using a Backup

When you find yourself with a failed RAID redundancy due to dual drive failure, you can use a backup to recover data from RAID 5. A recent and complete backup makes this recovery possible without any technical intervention. It provides a 100% restoration of lost data from failed drives using this safe process. So, to restore data from backups in case of severe drive damage, follow the given steps:

Step 1. Stop using the RAID system immediately to avoid overwriting data that is essential for recovery.

Step 2. Swap the old, damaged drives with a pair of functioning ones of the same storage capacity.

Step 3. Afterward, configure the original RAID array setup as it was beforehand.

Step 4. Use the earlier created backup to restore the lost data, transferring the essential files to the RAID 5 setup.

Step 5. You can now open files and run programs to ensure the smooth operation.

Step 6. Once your data is restored, activate the RAID health monitoring tools to alert settings. Also, set up frequent backups to ensure data safety in future failures.

Limitations

• Incomplete backups that exclude some system configurations lead to restored data that is unstable or dysfunctional.
• Corrupted backup files due to bad sectors or power issues during the backup process result in failed restoration.
• Recovery failure is possible if the storage device used for backup is damaged or inaccessible.

Part 4. Recover Data from RAID 5 After 2 Drives Failed Manually

While RAID 5 data recovery feels overwhelming, you can manually recover the data by analyzing the remaining data, rebuilding the array, and extracting files with professional tools. This method requires hardware and preparatory installations to ensure safe recovery of critical data even from severely damaged configurations. Below are the prerequisites and the steps to recover data after a dual drive failure safely:

System Requirements Before Recovery

1. You will need an external storage device with sufficient space to store the restored data.
2. A power setup with a reliable UPS or a backup PC is recommended to avoid unwanted interruptions in the process.
3. Two functional replacement drives must also be ensured to replace the faulty ones with the same or greater capacity.

Detailed Guide for Manual RAID 5 Recovery with Two Failed Drives

Instructions. Connect all the RAID disks, including the failed ones, to a computer where a bootable recovery is possible. Restore any available data to a safe location on the external storage device. Replace the failed drives with new ones and recreate the RAID configuration along the original setup model. Lastly, simply transfer the recovered data from the external device to the newly built RAID 5 array.

Limitations

• This method requires a solid understanding of various RAID parameters, which makes it a sensitive process.
• It can lead to permanent file damage because internal safety nets are not provided with manual recovery.
• While rebuilding the data array, the original data might be permanently overwritten and damaged.

Part 5. Recover Data from RAID 5 With 2 Failed Drives Using Recoverit [Best Choice]

If none of the methods ensure RAID 5 recovery of your precious data, try using a reliable recovery tool for safe retrieval of data. Wondershare Recoverit provides a seamless recovery of data lost due to everything, from drive failures to accidental deletions. The format support offered through this tool is vast, with over 1000+ formats, including photos and videos.

Along with claiming a 99.5% success rate and being virus-free, it also ensures the safety of user data. Apart from the data recovery from failed drives, the software supports over 2000 storage devices, including SD cards. Additionally, data recovery of format-sensitive files ensures the preservation of all layout and format, making it a superior recovery choice.

Key Features

1. Preview Availability: You can preview your recovered files with this feature before restoring them to your device.
2. Deep Recovery: The tool ensures a deep scan of all parts of the device to find and restore even the hidden files.
3. Filter Options: The filter feature can be employed to narrow down the intensive search and pinpoint specific results.

A Complete Guide to Recover Data from RAID 5 with 2 Failed Disks Using Wondershare Recoverit

If you have decided to recover data from RAID 5 using Recoverit, follow the given steps to ensure smooth recovery:

Step 1. Select the Recovery Mode for NAS

After the program is launched, find the “NAS and Linux” option in the left bar. Once selected, click the “NAS Recovery” button for the tool to search for NAS storage devices.

Step 2. Connect the NAS Server and begin the Scan

You’ll select from the detectable devices under the “NAS Servers” tab. After this, provide the required information before clicking on “Connect” to start the scanning process.

Step 3. Preview and Download the Retrieved Data

You’ll see the recovered files after the scan, which you’ll restore by pressing “Recover.”

Conclusion

To sum up, it can be a challenge to recover data from RAID 5 with 2 failed drives. In this article, we have explored the reasons behind this, along with the possible ways to make this restoration possible. Among other ways, we recommend a data recovery tool, Wondershare Recoverit, to retrieve data from failed drives.