Steps to Restore a NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-H1.0TGL/R5 RAID Array with Multiple Damaged Drives

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-H1.0TGL/R5
• How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
  • Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery
  • How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images
  • Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?
  • RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison

Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID

Conventional hard drives store user data by writing it sequentially across the disk surface, which means an entire file is typically located on a single drive. In contrast, when data is written to a RAID array, each file is split into multiple fragments. These fragments are then distributed and written in sequence across all the drives in the array. Depending on the configuration, fragment sizes can range from 2 KB to 2 MB, so every file is physically stored across several disks at once.

This approach significantly increases read and write performance — after all, writing two halves of a 1 GB file to two drives simultaneously is much faster than writing the full 1 GB to a single disk. However, this same mechanism makes file recovery far more complex.

Different RAID levels use different methods to distribute and protect data. On top of that, manufacturers like Buffalo often add their own proprietary structures and variations. As a result, data can be written to disks in many different formats, and each requires a specific approach during recovery.

How can regular disk health monitoring and analysis help in preventing potential data loss on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-H1.0TGL/R5 devices?

Regular disk health monitoring and analysis can help in preventing potential data loss on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-H1.0TGL/R5 devices in the following ways:

1. Early detection of disk failures: By monitoring the health of the disks regularly, you can detect any signs of impending failure such as bad sectors, high temperature, or excessive read/write errors. This allows you to replace the failing disk before it completely fails and causes data loss.
2. RAID array maintenance: NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-H1.0TGL/R5 devices typically use RAID configurations to provide data redundancy and protection against disk failures. Regular monitoring can help identify any issues with the RAID array, such as degraded or failed disks, and take appropriate actions to rebuild or replace the affected disks.
3. SMART monitoring: Most modern hard drives support Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (SMART), which provides various parameters and statistics about the drive's health. By monitoring these SMART attributes regularly, you can identify any abnormalities and take necessary actions, such as replacing the drive or backing up the data before a failure occurs.
4. Proactive maintenance: Regular disk health monitoring allows you to proactively maintain your NAS device by identifying potential issues before they become critical. This includes regular firmware updates, checking for any known issues or vulnerabilities, and ensuring the overall system is functioning optimally.
5. Data backup and redundancy: Monitoring disk health also reminds you to regularly back up your data to an external source or another NAS device. This redundancy ensures that even if a disk fails and data is lost, you can restore it from the backup, minimizing the risk of permanent data loss.
6. Timely disk replacements: By monitoring disk health, you can identify the lifespan of the disks and plan for their replacement before they reach their maximum recommended usage. This prevents the chances of sudden disk failures and minimizes the risk of data loss.

In summary, regular disk health monitoring and analysis on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-H1.0TGL/R5 devices help in early detection of disk failures, maintenance of RAID arrays, proactive maintenance, data backup, and timely disk replacements, all of which contribute to preventing potential data loss.

How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC

Although the NAS TeraStation TS-H1.0TGL/R5 can be accessed over the network, you still need to remove its hard disks and connect them directly to a Windows PC. Only then can the recovery software properly scan and analyze the drives. Follow these steps:

1. Power off the NAS and disconnect it from the power source.

   WARNING! Before removing any drives, carefully read the device manual. Improper actions may damage both the NAS enclosure and the hard disks in the RAID array.

2. Remove the hard disks one by one, gently sliding each drive out of its slot. Remember that hard disks are highly sensitive: any impact or drop can cause serious physical damage.

3. Label each hard disk according to its position inside the NAS. The order of the drives is crucial for correct RAID reconstruction.

4. Connect the drives to your computer. In this video, we explain which ports you can use to connect hard disks and what to do if your PC does not have enough free connectors.

   Go to view

   

   How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Buffalo TeraStation TS-H1.0TGL/R5. Each hard disk in the array contains technical metadata describing how files were written. When launched, Hetman RAID Recovery analyzes this metadata, automatically reconstructs the damaged array, and provides access to its contents. After that, you can browse the recovered disk and save your files. The program can also restore files that were accidentally deleted from the network drive.

Go to view

How to recover data from a Buffalo

TeraStation TS-H1.0TGL/R5 has 4 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:

• RAID 0;
• RAID 1;
• RAID 5;
• RAID 6;
• JBOD;

NAS supports:

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

How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images

This utility allows you to create a complete copy of a disk and work with the disk image instead of the physical drive. This approach helps protect your data from:

• Overwriting during the recovery process;
• Additional data loss caused by bad sectors;
• User errors.

To create a disk image, follow these steps:

1. Ensure you have enough free space to store the image. Its size will typically match the size of the original disk.

2. In the main window, select the target disk and choose Tools - Save Disk. You can also select multiple disks if needed.

3. When the Image Creation Wizard opens, select whether you want to save the entire disk or only a specific region. Adjust the settings and click Next.

   

4. Choose the directory where the image will be saved. You may select any available disk connected to your PC or upload the image via FTP.

   

Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?

The Buffalo TeraStation TS-H1.0TGL/R5 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.

RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison