Choose a Btrfs recovery route only after identifying the full storage configuration and the content you need. A recognizable Btrfs label does not establish that every subvolume, snapshot or compressed extent can be read by the selected tool. Do not format an unrecognized source to make it accessible in Windows.
Record the configuration before changing it
Identify the original NAS/Linux system, all relevant devices, the expected volume and the path of the missing data. Ask the administrator about subvolumes, snapshots, compression, encryption and multi-device arrangements. Preserve existing configuration records before replacing devices or attempting repair.
The Btrfs project documentation describes subvolumes, snapshots and other file-system features. Those native capabilities do not establish what another application’s reader supports. A snapshot or another subvolume can also contain a different version from the current path you expected.
Check accessible copies first
If the NAS or original Linux system still reads the files, copy the required content using an authorized route and validate it. For deletion, inspect existing snapshots and backups from before the event. Browse a candidate before considering a rollback that might replace newer work.
If you cannot access a volume, distinguish permission and encryption conditions from file-system damage. A credential problem cannot be fixed by selecting a different scan label. For unstable devices or an uncertain multi-member layout, preserve the source and seek appropriate assessment before repeated reads.
Select the recovery route
XRecovery supports Btrfs remote scanning or quick scanning. For a readable NAS/Linux source, connect over SSH with root privileges; for a readable local source or supported image, use the matching quick-scan route. Identify the expected volume, then inspect the paths and files returned by the scan. Search or filter for the needed names and dates, preview supported files and export candidates to another device.
If a required subvolume or snapshot is absent from the results, record that gap and check the native system’s available copies. A path view can help navigate recognized results; it does not establish that every Btrfs subvolume or feature was parsed.
For a source image, retain the original image and its creation history. If some source regions were unreadable, an image file is not automatically a complete copy. Do not combine guessed member data or rewrite metadata to make recovery software accept the source without a separate, authorized recovery plan.
Inspect content and versions
Export to a separate destination. Check the intended subvolume and version, not merely the first matching filename. Open required files in the appropriate applications, verify project dependencies and preserve the initial export before editing.
Document what was read, which features were present and what remains unsupported or missing. The absence of a file from one scan is not proof that every snapshot was examined. A successful export likewise does not mean the original file system has been repaired. Keep file retrieval, native snapshot restoration and storage repair as distinct outcomes.
For the next step, see NAS Data Recovery: Start with the Copy You Can Still Access.