QNAP, Unraid, or TrueNAS failed?
Connect the drives to a Mac and read them
Every NAS stores data differently, so the way to read it differs too: ZFS needs its pool imported, each Unraid data disk can be read on its own, and RAID and LVM must be rebuilt first. Here's how it works by brand—read-only all the way.
QNAPUnraidTrueNASUGREEN UGOSRead-only throughoutLast updated
How your NAS stores data
| Storage layout | How to read it on a Mac | |
|---|---|---|
| QNAP QuTS hero | ZFS pools | NAS Rescue imports the pool read-only |
| QNAP QTS | RAID + LVM + Ext4 | NAS Rescue support still in testing; try a free scan first |
| TrueNAS | ZFS pool (incl. native encryption) | NAS Rescue imports it read-only; single-disk pools can also be opened with All in One |
| Unraid | Separate XFS / Btrfs on each data disk | Open single data disks with CrossDriver XFS or All in One, or use NAS Rescue |
| UGREEN UGOS | RAID + common Linux file systems | NAS Rescue rebuilds read-only |
For full support details, see NAS Rescue. Not sure? Scan with the free version first—the results will tell you whether it can be read.
Read NAS drives on a Mac with NAS Rescue
Get a SATA-to-USB adapter or drive dock for each drive, plus a target disk with enough free space.
- 1
Connect the drives
Shut down the NAS, remove the drives from the same storage pool by bay, and connect them to your Mac; when you see "The disk you attached was not readable by this computer," click "Ignore."
- 2
Scan
Open NAS Rescue, select the drives, and click "Scan Disks." ZFS pools are imported read-only, and RAID / LVM is rebuilt read-only.
- 3
Browse & preview
Choose the recommended data volume, then browse folders and preview photos and documents for free.
- 4
Recovery
After upgrading to Pro, copy to the target disk, with each file verified by SHA-256.
Q&A
Can Unraid data disks be read without NAS Rescue?
Yes. Each data disk in an Unraid array has its own independent file system: open XFS disks with CrossDriver XFS and Btrfs disks with All in One. If you plan to put the disk back into the array, open it read-only; writing outside the array leaves parity out of sync, and you'll need to run a parity check after reinstalling it.
Unraid says “Too many wrong and/or missing disks”. Can I still read my data?
In most cases, yes. Every data disk in an Unraid array is a separate file system (usually XFS or Btrfs), so even when the array won't start, each data disk can be read on its own. Connect the data disks to a Mac and open them read-only with NAS Rescue; XFS data disks also open in CrossDriver XFS. The parity disk has no file system and doesn't need to be connected.
TrueNAS says "cannot import pool." Can it still be read?
Try scanning with NAS Rescue first: it imports the ZFS pool read-only without rewriting any pool information, and you can preview for free to confirm your files are still there.
Can QNAP QTS drives be read?
QTS storage pools are still being tested. Scan with the free version first—the results will tell you whether it can be read. QuTS hero (ZFS) is already supported.
Will it modify the drives or affect putting them back in the NAS?
No. NAS Rescue is read-only throughout: it doesn't rebuild arrays, repair file systems, or write partition tables.
Related products and guides
CrossDriver NAS Rescue
Connect Synology, QNAP, UGREEN, Unraid, or TrueNAS drives to a Mac and recover files read-only.
Read Synology NAS drives on a Mac
How to read data from a Synology drive on a Mac, read-only.
CrossDriver XFS
Read and write Unraid XFS data disks on a Mac.
CrossDriver Omni
Read and write single-disk Btrfs and ZFS on a Mac.
If the drives are still there, so is a chance for your files
Download NAS Rescue and check for free whether your files are still there.
Download for Mac — Free Scan & Preview