How to recover data from Buffalo LinkStation LS-WV2.0TL/R1 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 the number of concurrent users or clients accessing a NAS Buffalo LinkStation LS-WV2.0TL/R1 device affect data loss risks?

The number of concurrent users or clients accessing a NAS Buffalo LinkStation LS-WV2.0TL/R1 device can potentially affect data loss risks in the following ways:

1. Network congestion: When multiple users or clients simultaneously access the NAS device, it can lead to network congestion. This congestion may result in slower data transfer speeds and increased latency, which can increase the chances of data loss or corruption.
2. Increased disk activity: With more users accessing the NAS device, there will be increased disk activity as files are read, written, or modified. Higher disk activity can put additional stress on the hard drives, potentially leading to mechanical failures or errors that may result in data loss.
3. User errors: More concurrent users mean a higher likelihood of user errors, such as accidental file deletions, overwriting files, or improper configuration changes. These mistakes can result in data loss if proper backup measures are not in place.
4. Security risks: Each additional user or client accessing the NAS device introduces an additional potential security vulnerability. If proper security measures are not implemented, such as strong user authentication, access controls, or encryption, unauthorized access or malicious activities can lead to data loss or compromise.
5. Synchronization issues: If multiple users are simultaneously modifying the same file or folder, synchronization conflicts may occur. These conflicts can lead to data loss or inconsistencies if the NAS device does not handle conflicts properly or if users are not aware of synchronization issues.

To mitigate these risks, it is essential to:

• Implement appropriate access controls and user authentication mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access.
• Regularly backup data on the NAS device to an off-site location or another storage medium to ensure data recovery in case of loss or corruption.
• Monitor and manage network bandwidth to prevent congestion and ensure optimal performance.
• Educate users about best practices for file management, avoiding synchronization conflicts, and the importance of data backup.
• Keep the NAS firmware and software up to date to address any security vulnerabilities or bugs.
• Consider implementing redundancy and fault-tolerant features, such as RAID configurations, to minimize the impact of disk failures.

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

Although NAS LinkStation LS-WV2.0TL/R1 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.

Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Buffalo LinkStation LS-WV2.0TL/R1. 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.

LinkStation LS-WV2.0TL/R1 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-WV2.0TL/R1 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