How to Recover Data from NAS Buffalo TeraStation WS5220DN08W6: Thorough RAID Array Recovery Instructions

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 disk health monitoring and analysis help in preventing potential data loss on NAS Buffalo TeraStation WS5220DN08W6 devices?

Regular disk health monitoring and analysis can help in preventing potential data loss on NAS Buffalo TeraStation WS5220DN08W6 devices in the following ways:

1. Early detection of disk failures: By regularly monitoring the health of the disks in the NAS device, you can identify any signs of potential failures such as bad sectors, high temperature, or increased read/write errors. This early detection allows you to take necessary actions like replacing the failing disk before it completely fails, minimizing the risk of data loss.
2. Predictive analysis: Disk health monitoring tools often provide predictive analysis capabilities that can forecast the remaining lifespan of a disk based on its current health status. This information helps you plan for disk replacements in advance, ensuring that you don't experience unexpected data loss due to sudden disk failures.
3. RAID array monitoring: NAS devices like Buffalo TeraStation WS5220DN08W6 often use RAID configurations for data redundancy and protection. Regular disk health monitoring allows you to keep an eye on the RAID array's status, ensuring that all disks are functioning correctly and the array is in a healthy state. This helps prevent data loss by detecting any issues with the RAID array, such as degraded or failed disks, and allowing you to take appropriate actions to rebuild or replace the faulty disks.
4. Proactive maintenance: Monitoring disk health regularly enables you to proactively perform maintenance tasks such as disk defragmentation, firmware updates, or system optimizations. These actions can improve the overall performance and reliability of the NAS device, reducing the chances of data loss due to system errors or inefficiencies.
5. Data backup and recovery: Disk health monitoring can also remind you to regularly backup your data stored on the NAS device. By having up-to-date backups, you can quickly recover your data in case of disk failures or other catastrophic events.

Overall, regular disk health monitoring and analysis provide insights into the status of the disks and the NAS system, allowing you to take proactive measures to prevent potential data loss and ensure the reliability and availability of your data.

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

Although NAS TeraStation WS5220DN08W6 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 WS5220DN08W6. 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 WS5220DN08W6 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 WS5220DN08W6 network-attached storage keeps Windows Storage Server 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