The disk format used inside the HP Media Vault is based on a reference design from Broadcom.  Broadcom uses the term 'pool' where HP uses the term 'volume'.  This  pool technology resembles a Logical Volume Manager, but it is unique and thus cannot be used with any existing disk recovery tools.  Listed below are links to a document and source code that will help to shed some light on this format.  This information has been provided with written permission from Broadcom.

• pool_structure.txt
• disk_internal.h
• disk_internal.c
• disk_configuration.c

All files listed above in zip format.

With this information it would be possible to write a utility for a Linux system or PC that could be used to recover data from a Media Vault disk should it be necessary.

Steve Pritchard has a blog entry on how to use basic Linux tools to mount the reiserfs file system from a Media Vault drive on a standard Linux system to recover its data.

Return to the HP Media Vault FAQ