Recovering Data From A Maxtor Shared Storage Device

MMS File System Data Recovery

ESS Data Recovery can recover the data from all models Maxtor shared storage devices. In most cases the disk(s) inside have failed. If you believe this is the case, please call us at 1.800.237.4200 for a free consultation.

If you have a Maxtor shared storage NAS device with failed electronics, but the drive is good, here's how you can mount the drive on a windows box.

DISCLAIMER: This information is provided for the use of a technically knowledgeable person. We do not have the resources to offer any support. Use this information at your own risk! Making two full images of your drive is ALWAYS recommended before modifying a volume for the purposes of data recovery. This procedure may not work in all situations.

Procedure: (this assumes you are running a windows OS)

1. Once you have made full backup clones of your disk, use a hex editor such as Winhex to view the first partition of your disk.

2. Next, download and replace the first sector (sector 0) of your MMS disk with our modified boot sector. This is a standard boot sector modified for the normal setup of a Maxtor 500GB shared storage drive. You are done making modifications and can go on to step 4 unless your shared storage device is not 500GB, in which case you will need to go to step 3.

3. Sector 1 of your disk contains the necessary partition information such as the partition offset and size. We have identified exactly which bytes need to be modified in the MBR (sector 0). Do not modify any other sector. Because the MBR stores data in the little endian format, each 4 bytes that we identify in sector 1 will need to be reversed in the MBR partition table. Examine both the MBR and sector 1 below and you will notice how the data is copied into the MBR. We have color-coded each block of data that you need to copy in sector one, reverse, and copy to sector 0.

4. Mount your disk using "rfsgui v2.2" (freeware) or possibly "total commander" with the reiserfs plugin "ex2fs". There are other utilities that will mount a Reiser Partition. Copy your data and you are done.