IBM Hard Disk Drives in a RAID 5 Configuration
Data Recovery from IBM 2.5” 600GB Hard Disk Drives

A corporate client recently approached us to recover data from their server containing five IBM 2.5” 600GB hard disk drives (HDDs). The client’s IT team suspected the server failure was due to a motherboard issue, but they believed the HDDs were still functional. Two of the drives were thought to be configured in RAID 1, while the remaining drives were used for data storage.
Diagnosis and Recovery Process
Upon receiving the drives, our recovery team conducted a comprehensive diagnosis. The initial analysis revealed that all five drives were physically operational, with no hardware-related issues. The root cause of the problem was determined to be logical in nature, meaning that the data could not be accessed due to configuration or software issues rather than physical damage.
Interestingly, our team discovered that the drives were configured in a RAID 5 array, not RAID 1, as initially believed. RAID 5 typically uses at least three drives, distributing data and parity information across all member drives, enhancing performance and redundancy. Given this configuration, our engineers focused on reconstructing the RAID array to restore client data access.
Data Recovery Outcome
Our engineers restored the RAID 5 structure and recovered all the data stored on the five HDDs. Following the recovery process, we arranged an online data verification session, allowing the client to review and confirm the integrity of the recovered files. The client expressed satisfaction and relief with the outcome. To ensure the safety of their data moving forward, we transferred the recovered data to a new hard drive purchased from us for backup purposes.
Recommendations
Maintaining a healthy file system is essential to prevent future data loss. Here are some critical practices to follow:
- Regular backups: Ensure frequent backups of critical data to protect against unexpected failures.
- Use reliable storage devices: Invest in quality hardware to minimize the risk of malfunction.
- Organize files and check for errors: Keep files well-organized and regularly run checks for system errors.
- Keep software updated: Ensure that the operating system and RAID controllers are current.
- Prevent sudden power loss: Consider using uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) to protect against power outages.
- Proper ejection and shutdown procedures: Always follow the correct steps when removing or shutting down storage devices.
- Monitor storage health: Periodically check the health of your storage media for any signs of wear and tear.
- Educate users on file management: Ensure all users understand the importance of efficient file management to reduce the risk of errors or accidental deletions.
If you experience data loss or require assistance with data recovery, our experienced team is here to help. Feel free to contact us for professional data recovery services.

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