How to recover data from Buffalo LinkStation LS-WSX500LR1WHA NAS

Contents

• Why can’t ordinary software tools restore files from RAID?
• How to take hard disks out of the NAS and connect them to a PC?
  • Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery
  • Safe recovery from disk images
  • Where are user’s files stored?
  • Comparison of software for RAID recovery

Why can’t ordinary software tools restore files from RAID?

Conventional hard disks keep user’s data by writing it to their surface in a consecutive way, and this is how an entire file is stored on a single hard disk. However, when data is written to a RAID system, a file is divided into several parts. Then these parts are written consecutively to all hard disks within such array. The size of such parts may range from 2 KB to 2 MB, so each file is stored on several hard disks at the same time.

Such approach helps to speed up read and write operations, and it is evident that saving two parts of a file having the size of 1 GB to two hard disks simultaneously is much faster than saving the same 1 GB of data to one hard disk. However, this peculiarity makes file recovery more complicated.

Various RAID levels store information in different ways. Additionally, manufacturers like Buffalo also introduce some modifications to this process, and that is why data can be written to hard disk in a wide variety of ways.

How can storage tiering or caching strategies impact data availability and potential loss on NAS Buffalo LinkStation LS-WSX500LR1WHA devices?

Storage tiering and caching strategies can have a significant impact on data availability and potential loss on NAS Buffalo LinkStation LS-WSX500LR1WHA devices. Here's how:

1. Improved Data Availability: By implementing storage tiering or caching strategies, you can enhance data availability on the NAS device. These strategies involve the use of multiple storage tiers, such as solid-state drives (SSDs) and hard disk drives (HDDs), to optimize performance and ensure that frequently accessed data is readily available. This reduces latency and improves the overall responsiveness of the NAS, leading to better data availability for users.
2. Reduced Risk of Data Loss: Storage tiering and caching strategies can help mitigate the risk of data loss on NAS devices. By utilizing caching techniques, frequently accessed data is stored in high-speed storage tiers like SSDs, which improves read and write performance. This reduces the strain on the primary storage disks, minimizing the chances of disk failure and potential data loss. Additionally, some caching strategies also implement data redundancy and mirroring techniques to further protect against data loss.
3. Faster Data Access and Transfer: Storage tiering and caching can significantly enhance data access and transfer speeds on the NAS device. By storing frequently accessed data in high-speed storage tiers, such as SSDs, the NAS can retrieve and serve data much faster compared to traditional HDD-only configurations. This results in faster file transfers, reduced latency, and improved overall system performance.
4. Enhanced User Experience: With storage tiering and caching, users experience improved performance and responsiveness when accessing data on the NAS. This is particularly beneficial for applications that require quick data retrieval, such as media streaming, virtualization, or database operations. By reducing latency and improving data availability, storage tiering and caching strategies enhance the overall user experience with the NAS device.

However, it's important to note that while storage tiering and caching can optimize data availability and minimize potential data loss, they are not foolproof solutions. Regular backups, RAID configurations, and other data protection mechanisms should still be implemented to ensure comprehensive data protection and recovery strategies.

How to take hard disks out of the NAS and connect them to a PC?

Although NAS LinkStation LS-WSX500LR1WHA can be accessed over the network, you still need to take the hard disks out of the storage device and connect them to a Windows computer. Only in this case will the software be able to scan them properly. Here is what you should do:

1. Turn off the storage and disconnect it from the power supply.

   WARNING! Before you start taking hard disks out of your NAS device, read the manual carefully. Incorrect actions may damage your network-attached storage and/or the hard disks within the RAID system.

2. Take the hard disks out of the NAS one by one, carefully removing them from their slots. Remember that the disks are extremely vulnerable: hitting or dropping them may result in serious physical damage.

3. Make sure to mark each hard disk in accordance with how they were installed inside the NAS.

4. Remove the hard disks and connect them to the computer. In this video, we have explored what ports are used to connect hard disks, and what to do if there are not enough ports or connectors.

   Go to view

   

   How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Buffalo LinkStation LS-WSX500LR1WHA. The hard disks that make up the RAID contain technical information about the algorithm used to save files. When launched, Hetman RAID Recovery reads this information and puts the damaged array together. Then you can open the disk and save your files. Also, you can recover the files accidentally deleted from the network drive.

Go to view

How to recover data from a Buffalo

LinkStation LS-WSX500LR1WHA has 1 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

• exFAT, VFAT, FAT 12 / 16 / 32;
• NTFS / ReFS;
• APFS / HFS+;
• Ext2 / 3 / 4 / ReiserFS / XFS / UFS / ZFS / Btrfs;
• VMFS / HikvisionFS;

Safe recovery from disk images

This utility lets you save an entire copy of the disk to file and then work with this image instead of the actual disk. Such feature helps to protect data on the disk from:

• Overwriting during the recovery process;
• Loss resulting from bad sectors;
• User mistakes.

To create an image, do the following:

1. Make sure that you have enough free space to save the image. The image file size usually equals the disk size.

2. Select the disk in the main window, and choose from the menu Tools – Save Disk. You can select multiple disks to be saved.

3. When the image creation wizard starts, you can choose to save the entire disk or select only a part of it. Specify the parameters and click Next.

   

4. At this stage, you need to choose a directory where to save the image. Choose any disk connected to this PC, or save the image by FTP.

   

Where are user’s files stored?

The Buffalo LinkStation LS-WSX500LR1WHA network-attached storage keeps OS Linux operating system files on a separate RAID 1 (mirrored) array. Usually, all NAS systems create several volumes on every hard disk, and the first of them takes up to 2 Gb of space. This is where operating system files are stored. Other volumes are united into a RAID array where user’s data is written.

Comparison of software for RAID recovery