At Bracknell Data Recovery, we provide professional recovery services for all models of Dell PowerEdge servers, including RAID 5 configurations on Linux and Windows platforms. If your PowerEdge system has entered a non-critical state, failed a rebuild process, or suffered a multiple-disk failure, we can help you recover mission-critical data safely and efficiently.
With over 25 years of RAID recovery experience, we specialise in handling complex scenarios involving failed rebuilds, degraded RAID states, and data loss during recovery attempts.
Real-World Case: Dell PowerEdge 1800 – RAID 5 Rebuild Failure
In a typical case, a client running a Dell PowerEdge 1800 server with a four-disk RAID 5 array experienced the following:
- One drive failed, causing the system to boot in non-critical mode
- The failed drive was replaced, and the rebuild began but failed at 6%
- The rebuild was restarted, but failed again at exactly the same point
This is a common scenario where further rebuild attempts may cause additional data loss. Our specialists were able to recover the full data set by following a controlled recovery process.
How We Recover RAID 5 Arrays – Step by Step
1. Drive Imaging and Stabilisation
- All four disks (including the original failed unit, if available) are removed from the PowerEdge system
- Each disk is individually cloned using hardware imaging tools with read-only access
- Drives with unreadable sectors or signs of wear are stabilised using sector recovery techniques and hardware-controlled retries
2. RAID Metadata Analysis
- Our engineers examine the controller metadata and parity layout from the cloned images
- Using custom tools, we identify the original RAID configuration:
- Stripe size
- Disk order
- Parity rotation
- Failed drive position
- If a rebuild attempt corrupted the parity data, we locate and restore the pre-rebuild parity layout
3. Virtual RAID Reconstruction
- A virtual RAID 5 array is built in a controlled lab environment from the disk images
- No write operations are performed on the original drives
- The array is reconstructed using known-good data and mathematical reconstruction of missing parity sectors
4. File System Recovery
- Once the RAID structure is rebuilt, we scan for the original file system (e.g., ext3, ext4 for Linux; NTFS or ReFS for Windows)
- File structures are validated, and corrupted or incomplete files are flagged
- Recovered data is extracted and rebuilt into its original directory structure
5. Data Verification and Delivery
- A full file list is provided for review
- Upon approval, the recovered data is transferred to a secure external device
- Optional integrity checks (hash comparison, checksum validation) are offered for critical datasets
Supported Dell PowerEdge Models
We support all Dell PowerEdge tower, rackmount and blade servers, including:
- PowerEdge 1800, 1900, 1950, 2900, 2950
- PowerEdge R Series (R210, R310, R510, R720, R730, etc.)
- PowerEdge T Series (T110, T320, T420, T630, etc.)
- PowerEdge M Series (modular blade servers)
- PowerEdge SC and C Series
Supported RAID Levels and Controllers
We recover from all Dell PowerEdge RAID setups and controllers:
- RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60
- Dell PERC Controllers (PERC 4, 5, 6, H710, H730, H740P, etc.)
- Software RAID on Linux (mdadm, LVM, ZFS)
- Windows Dynamic Disks and Storage Spaces
- UEFI and Legacy BIOS configurations
Supported File Systems
- Linux: ext2, ext3, ext4, XFS, BTRFS
- Windows Server: NTFS, ReFS, FAT32
- Virtualisation: VMDK (VMware), VHD/VHDX (Hyper-V)
- Other OSes: Unix UFS, ZFS, proprietary systems
Why Choose Bracknell Data Recovery?
- 25+ Years of RAID Recovery Expertise
- Non-Destructive Imaging and Safe Rebuild Simulation
- Support for Dell PERC Controllers and Linux mdadm Arrays
- Full Cleanroom Facilities for Failed Drive Repair
- Expert Handling of Rebuild Failures and Degraded Arrays
- GDPR-Compliant, Confidential and Secure Data Recovery
Our dell poweredge recovery service is trusted by businesses, IT departments, and government clients across the UK.
Contact Us for a Free Diagnostic
If your Dell PowerEdge server is showing rebuild errors or is stuck in a degraded state, stop all further rebuild attempts immediately. Contact Bracknell Data Recovery today. Our engineers can recover your RAID 5 array safely, accurately, and without risking further data loss.