- 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?
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 regular system monitoring and alerting help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 devices?
Regular system monitoring and alerting can help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 devices by providing the following benefits:
- Proactive Monitoring: By regularly monitoring the system, you can identify any unusual behavior or performance issues that may indicate a potential data loss event. This includes monitoring system resource usage, network connectivity, disk health, and RAID status.
- Real-time Alerts: Configuring alerts can notify you immediately when any critical events or anomalies occur. This allows you to take immediate action to prevent data loss. Alerts can be set up for various conditions like disk failures, RAID rebuilds, high CPU or memory usage, or abnormal network traffic.
- Disk Health Monitoring: Monitoring the health of individual hard drives in the NAS can help in early detection of potential failures. By monitoring parameters like SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data, temperature, and bad sectors, you can identify failing drives and replace them before complete failure, reducing the risk of data loss.
- RAID Monitoring: NAS devices like Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 typically use RAID configurations for data redundancy and protection. Regularly monitoring the RAID status and integrity can help identify any degraded or failed arrays. This allows you to rebuild or replace the faulty disks promptly, minimizing the risk of data loss.
- Backup Verification: Monitoring the backup process and verifying the integrity of backup data is crucial for ensuring data recoverability. Regularly checking the backup logs and performing test restores can help identify any issues with the backup process or data corruption, allowing you to take corrective actions before a data loss event occurs.
- Security Monitoring: Monitoring network traffic and access logs can help detect any unauthorized access attempts or suspicious activities that may lead to data loss events. By setting up alerts for unusual login attempts or access patterns, you can detect and prevent potential security breaches.
Overall, regular system monitoring and alerting provide early detection and proactive measures to prevent data loss events on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 devices. It helps maintain the integrity and availability of data, ensuring business continuity and minimizing the impact of potential data loss incidents.
How to take hard disks out of the NAS and connect them to a PC?
Although NAS TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 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:
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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.
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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.
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Make sure to mark each hard disk in accordance with how they were installed inside the NAS.
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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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Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery
This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6. 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.
TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 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;
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:
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Make sure that you have enough free space to save the image. The image file size usually equals the disk size.
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Select the disk in the main window, and choose from the menu Tools – Save Disk. You can select multiple disks to be saved.
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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.
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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 TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 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
Product | Operating system | License type | RAID controller support | Supported file systems | Virtual RAID controller support | Data recovery from damaged RAID | File preview |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hetman RAID Recovery | Windows | Paid | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
DiskInternals RAID Recovery | Windows | Paid | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
R-Studio | Windows, Mac, Linux | Paid | Yes, over 200 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
UFS Explorer RAID Recovery | Windows, Mac, Linux | Paid | Yes, over 1,000 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
EaseUS Data Recovery | Windows | Paid | Yes, over 20 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery | Windows | Free | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Recovering data from a NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 device that has undergone a system restore or factory reset is possible, but it depends on a few factors.
If the system restore or factory reset only erased the configuration settings and did not overwrite the actual data on the drives, it may be possible to recover the data using specialized data recovery software or services. In this case, it is important to avoid writing any new data to the NAS device to prevent overwriting the old data.
However, if the system restore or factory reset involved formatting the drives or overwriting the data, the chances of recovering the data become significantly lower. In such cases, professional data recovery services may be required, but they can be costly and not always successful.
It is recommended to consult with a professional data recovery service or contact Buffalo's technical support for further assistance and guidance specific to your situation.