How to recover data from Buffalo TeraStation TS5200D 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 regular data verification or checksum processes help maintain data integrity on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS5200D devices?

Regular data verification or checksum processes can help maintain data integrity on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS5200D devices in the following ways:

1. Detecting and preventing data corruption: Data verification processes involve checking the integrity of data by comparing it to a known value or checksum. By regularly verifying data, any corruption or alteration in the stored data can be detected. This helps in identifying and preventing potential data integrity issues.
2. Ensuring data consistency: Regular data verification processes ensure that the data stored on the TeraStation device remains consistent over time. By comparing the checksum or hash value of the data with the expected value, any inconsistencies or changes in the data can be identified and rectified.
3. Early detection of storage media issues: Data verification processes can also help in identifying any issues with the storage media, such as hard drive failures or bad sectors. By comparing the checksums of the data stored on different drives or RAID arrays, discrepancies can be detected, indicating potential hardware issues that may affect data integrity.
4. Data recovery and restoration: In case of data corruption or loss, regular data verification processes can aid in data recovery and restoration. By comparing the checksums of the corrupted or lost data with the known checksums, it becomes possible to identify and recover the correct data from backups or redundant storage.
5. Data validation during transfer: Data verification processes can also be used during data transfer or backup operations. By calculating and comparing checksums before and after the transfer, any data corruption or loss during the process can be detected, ensuring the integrity of the transferred data.

Overall, regular data verification or checksum processes play a crucial role in maintaining data integrity on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS5200D devices by detecting and preventing data corruption, ensuring data consistency, identifying storage media issues, aiding in data recovery, and validating data during transfer operations.

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

Although NAS TeraStation TS5200D 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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Restoring data with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program recovers data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Buffalo TeraStation TS5200D. 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

TeraStation TS5200D 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 TeraStation TS5200D 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