How to recover data from Buffalo LinkStation LS-WXL/E 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-WXL/E devices?

Storage tiering and caching strategies can have a significant impact on data availability and potential loss on NAS Buffalo LinkStation LS-WXL/E devices. Here are a few ways these strategies can affect data availability and potential loss:

1. Improved Performance: By implementing storage tiering or caching strategies, the NAS device can optimize data access and retrieval, resulting in improved performance. This means that users can access their data faster, leading to increased availability.
2. Redundancy and Data Protection: Storage tiering often involves the use of different storage media, such as solid-state drives (SSDs) and hard disk drives (HDDs). By utilizing SSDs for caching frequently accessed data, the NAS device can enhance data availability and reduce potential loss. Additionally, implementing RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configurations can provide redundancy and protect against data loss in case of drive failures.
3. Data Migration and Tiering Policies: Storage tiering involves moving data between different tiers based on its usage patterns. If the migration process is not properly managed or if tiering policies are misconfigured, there is a risk of potential data loss. It is crucial to ensure that data is migrated correctly and that tiering policies are appropriately set to avoid accidental data loss.
4. Cache Synchronization: Caching strategies involve storing frequently accessed data in a cache for faster retrieval. However, if the cache is not properly synchronized with the underlying storage, there is a risk of data inconsistency. It is essential to ensure that the cache is synchronized regularly to avoid potential data loss or corruption.
5. Monitoring and Maintenance: Regular monitoring and maintenance of the NAS device and its storage tiers are crucial to ensure data availability and prevent potential loss. This includes monitoring the health of drives, implementing proper backup strategies, and performing regular firmware updates to address any security vulnerabilities or bugs.

Overall, implementing storage tiering and caching strategies on NAS Buffalo LinkStation LS-WXL/E devices can significantly improve data availability and reduce the potential loss of data. However, proper configuration, monitoring, and maintenance are essential to mitigate any risks associated with these strategies.

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

Although NAS LinkStation LS-WXL/E 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.

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   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-WXL/E. 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.

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How to recover data from a Buffalo

LinkStation LS-WXL/E 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-WXL/E 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