Choosing Data Recovery Software for Lost NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS6400RN0802 Data: Essential Guide

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 a NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS6400RN0802 device's power management settings impact data availability and potential loss?

The power management settings of a NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS6400RN0802 device can impact data availability and potential loss in the following ways:

1. Power outage: If the power management settings are not properly configured, sudden power outages or fluctuations can occur, leading to unexpected shutdowns of the device. This can result in data loss or corruption if the device is not given enough time to save and synchronize data before shutting down.
2. Disk failure: The power management settings can affect the spin-down behavior of hard drives in the NAS device. If the settings are set to spin down the drives too frequently or aggressively, it can increase wear and tear on the drives, potentially leading to premature disk failures. This can result in data loss if the failed drive is not properly backed up or if the RAID array is not configured for redundancy.
3. Scheduled backups: Power management settings can impact scheduled backup processes. If the device is set to power down during backup windows or if the backup software is unable to wake up the device from sleep mode, scheduled backups may fail to run. This can lead to data loss if backups are not performed regularly and consistently.
4. Network accessibility: If the power management settings of the NAS device are configured to enter sleep or hibernation mode too frequently or aggressively, it may cause delays in accessing data over the network. This can impact data availability, especially in scenarios where the NAS is used for real-time data access or shared storage among multiple users.

To mitigate these risks, it is important to properly configure the power management settings of the NAS device based on the specific requirements and usage patterns. It is recommended to balance power-saving objectives with the need for data availability and protection. Regular backups, redundant storage configurations (such as RAID), and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems can also help minimize the impact of power-related issues on data availability and potential loss.

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

Although NAS TeraStation TS6400RN0802 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 TeraStation TS6400RN0802. 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 TS6400RN0802 has 2 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 TS6400RN0802 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