Buffalo Linkstation 210 – Red LED blinks 7 short times…

[formica]

Hi,

I’ve owned a Buffalo Linkstation 210  model LS210D0301 (ie: 3TB, single drive) for just under 2 yrs when I suddenly could no longer access the files and noticed that the red LED was blinking 2 long flashes and 2 short flashes.  I powered down, and back up the unit and it now consistently has 7 short flashes of the Red LED.   

My understanding is 7 blinks indicates “Problem with the RAM, Ethernet Controller, or IDE Host Controller.”  Does this mean that the contents of the drives is recoverable? I do have a backup of the critical documents on the drive, but I don’t have one for the media (music, shows, and films) and would like to recuperate it as much as possible. 

I’ve already talked with tech support, and I’ve received the instructions on manually flashing a software update to see if I’m able to recuperate the unit. I won’t be able to try it till tomorrow night, but in the meantime, I’m exploring the possible Plan B’s.   If the software update doesn’t render my NAS accessible, I see three possibilities:
 
1) RMA the unit, get a replacement drive but loose the media files on it. 
2) RMA the unit, get a replacement drive and pay Buffalo $$$$ to retrieve the data. 
3) Disassemble the unit voiding the warranty, but allowing me an opportunity of dropping the drive into a desktop and attempting to retrieve the files that way. 

Are there any other options via USB or Ethernet to access the drives?  Obviously the third would not be supported / recommended by Buffalo, but given it’s a 200$ NAS I figure it’s worth considering given it’s significantly cheaper than having a third party retrieve the data.  So my question is what’s the chances that the data is intact on the drive itself? Has someone seen/posted a disassembly guide (I’d like to know how difficult it would be)?  Once the drive is out, is there a guide to retrieving the files?

Thanks in advance, Rob

[bloP]

If you go with option three, you will probably need software to read the hdd contents, as I'm guessing it runs some linux XFS variant. When my parent's LS 420 recently choked, I grabbed a copy of UFS Explorer Standard. It reads the LS 420 hdds, as well as some older hdds that I pulled out of older NAS boxes. I can't speak to your LS 210, but the other single-disk NAS boxes from which I pulled hard drives were incredibly difficult to open without damaging the enclosure. But there were youtube videos showing how the disks could be pulled. Good luck.

[formica]

Thanks for the tips bloP... which version of  UFS Explorer Standard are you using: "Access" or "Recovery" as it seems both could do the job?

[bloP]

Thanks for the tips bloP... which version of  UFS Explorer Standard are you using: "Access" or "Recovery" as it seems both could do the job?

Looks like I have the Standard Recovery version.

[formica]

Ok, I finally got around to trying to flash the new software to the unit, and it is inaccessible through its ethernet port so far. 

I have to decide if I open it up, voiding the warranty, in hopes of retrieving some media files… or return it as is to the manufacturer.  Problem is that I don’t know if the actual hard drive is toast, or just the drive controller.  Does anyone have any experience of retrieving files from a non-responsive NAS?  What are my chances of getting anything off that drive is I do open it up?

[formica]

In surfing around, I just realized that there was some ambiguity in the instructions they sent me to manually flash the firmware, and there are other things I could try.  Both the firmware updater and NAS navigator don’t see the NAS and in that case they recommend:

**NOTE** If you are having issues with the firmware update not finding the unit or you are getting errors please try these troubleshooting steps.

Try resetting your unit by following these steps.
•   Switch the unit to off and wait until the lights are off.
•   Hold the function button for 10 seconds while it is still off.
•   While still holding the function button after 10 seconds please flip the switch to on.
•   Once the function light begins to blink release the function button and press it again for one second.
•   Wait until the power light is solid and this will restore your unit.

I tried this several times incase my timing was off... with no luck.  Since my NAS boots to the seven blinking error lights, obviously it will never become “solid” even after a reset, so I proceeded with this part:

1. Boot your PC in to Safe Mode With Networking and attach the unit directly to your PC. This will prevent any firewalls, antivirus or software from preventing the updater from doing its job. Example: Updater cannot find the unit or pass authentication.

2. Hold the reset button while booting the unit which will boot the unit in to Emergency Mode (EM Mode). The reset button is on the back of the Linkstations and is behind the door underneath the LCD screen on the TeraStations.

3. When the unit boots (LinkStations - solid power light, TeraStations - When you see the host name of the unit) reset the unit and give it 1-2 minutes to reset. Run the Nas Navigator. Then set your computer's IP address to a static IP address of the same range that the unit received from your PC with the same subnet.  A default gateway is not required nor is DNS. Attach unit to PC via Ethernet.  The unit should NOTE: If you don't know how to change your IP address on your computer you can find out how to do that for Windows (XP, Vista or 7).

Again, light never goes solid, and NAS navigator and the firmware updater never see the unit... so I do not know what its IP address is, making it difficult to set the PC’s IP in the same range.  In in command prompt, I did notice my Ethernet port took an address in the 169.254.0.0 range, and this is where I believe leaves room for more exploring. 

https://www.aaronhastings.me/completely-recovering-from-a-bricked-buffalo-linkstation-ls200-series-nas-and-opening-the-firmware-too/

On that web page, they mention that the NAS in EM mode (Engineering Mode -or- Emergency Mode) would take an IP in that range.  So it seems I have managed to get the unit in EM mode...  and they suggest using IP 169.254.11.1 and subnet mask 255.255.0.0, a combo I haven’t yet tried.

Unfortunately that was not part of the Buffalo supplied instructions...

[MiG174]

Unfortunately that was not part of the Buffalo supplied instructions...

This function is present?

[formica]

This function is present?

Unfortunately NAS Navigator does not see the LS210 so there are actually no options at all.

So I re-tried to manually reinstall the Buffalo firmware with the NAS directly plugged into a computer in Safe Mode, using the fixed IP of 169.254.11.1 …  and yet I can’t seem to see the unit.  Here are a couple of screen shots of my network setting and ipconfig results…





Yet, NAS Navigator and LSupdate doesn’t find any Buffalo NAS connected… so I ran an IP Scanner to see what it would find on my network…



I recognize everything on that network, and definitely see no LS210 (note how my iOmega and Segate NAS’s both appear). 



I’m wondering if there are any other tests I can do, or if the unit simply has got a dead network adapter?  The key being I want to retrieve the files on the NAS and not just get it working…
Thanks again...

[MiG174]

Unfortunately NAS Navigator does not see the LS210 so there are actually no options at all.

Sure! I07 - firmware corrupted!

To restore the firmware you need to use a TFTP Boot image.

Start with Part 2 of this manual https://www.aaronhastings.me/completely-recovering-from-a-bricked-buffalo-linkstation-ls200-series-nas-and-opening-the-firmware-too/

Or contact customer support and they will be given a code (serial number and ID) to access the instructions at this address http://helpdesk.buffalo-technology.com/recovery/index.php

If you have a TFTP boot image that's screens instructions.

http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1474996443/ae184a4f/14285250.jpg

If after downloading the new firmware will report an error formatting, do not suffer, go to WebUI Linkstation and do ERASE LINKSTATION.



p.s. do not forget to disable all other network adapters, or will not see the NAS

[formica]

Thanks for the info MiG174…   I was afraid I might have to start with the TFTP boot image…  (I’m still in the midst of learning this NAS’s tech aspects)…  but if I understand correctly, that would need to be followed with reformatting the entire drive… ?  :-/

Buffalo has already offered to replace the unit, but the catch is I’d like to save the data on the NAS which I can’t seem to access without breaking the case open and voiding my warranty (It’s a single drive unit, and not a user serviceable inside). 

In your experience, do you feel this is just a software issue and not a failing drive?  If so, would the files be intact if I used Linux or UFS Explorer Access to extract them from the raw drive?

[MiG174]

In your experience, do you feel this is just a software issue and not a failing drive?

I flew firmware (Io7 - firmware corrupted), when I pulled disc from 421 to check S.M.A.R.T. status.
Although this should not have happened .... HDD in working condition, no errors and bad sectors.

  If so, would the files be intact if I used Linux or UFS Explorer Access to extract them from the raw drive?

You will in any case need to first restore firmware over TFTP Boot Image, when you sew on the instructions, do not put a mark delete partition and format disk.

http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1475051570/df198ec1/14292764.jpg

To access the firmware/drive using ACP Commander:
http://forum.nas-hilfe.de/buffalo-technology-nas-anleitungen/ssh-freischalten-auf-einer-ls500-t2580.html

http://forum.nas-hilfe.de/buffalo-technology-nas-anleitungen/ssh-freischalten-auf-einer-ls210d-t2408.html



p.s. What makes you think that the disk is not removable, all sealed box?

[formica]

Thanks again MiG174,

p.s. What makes you think that the disk is not removable, all sealed box?

I realise it’s just a standard hard drive in the Buffalo plastic case… but the LS210 is a single drive NAS with no visible fasteners to hold the case together and opening it will void the Buffalo warranty.

I’ve tried searching photos or videos of a disassembled one so that I could figure how the thing snaps together (or comes apart) without luck.  Without knowing that, I just suspect that several of the snap clips will break.
 

You will in any case need to first restore firmware over TFTP Boot Image, when you sew on the instructions, do not put a mark delete partition and format disk.

http://images.vfl.ru/ii/1475051570/df198ec1/14292764.jpg

Ok, I will try restoring the firmware over the TFTP without the format option… I was just afraid (given I don’t have any experience with this) that it might corrupt the files on the other partition of the drive.

Then, if I understand correctly, once I’m able to get the drive back on the network, I extract the data partition using SSH in ACP Commander without opening the case?

I really appreciate the help… I’ll give this all a try, hopefully over the weekend.

[MiG174]

Then, if I understand correctly, once I’m able to get the drive back on the network, I extract the data partition using SSH in ACP Commander without opening the case?

What level of your knowledge of Linux?
If minimum, you yourself hardly cope.
In this case, you find it easier to format the drive.

[formica]

I have not given up… just been busy with other things.

You are right that my knowledge in Linux is very limited… and I do understand that recovering the data my might escape me.  Given that these NAS’s are pretty inexpensive, I decided to open up my single drive unit and try and recuperate the data from the raw drive…

1)   Disassembled NAS, and removed hard drive (I'll be posting some pictures for those looking to opening one up)
2)   Connected drive to a Windows 7 PC via internal SATA cable
3)   The computer would hang after displaying the Windows logo
4)   Trying to boot into safe mode made no difference
5)   Disconnected the drive, booted into Windows, and then reconnected the drive via a USB to SATA hub that supports drives up to 8TB
6)   Tried running SeaTools, but it did not see the drive



7)   Windows “Disk Management” does see an Unallocated unknown Disk 1 of 3.86GB despite it being 3TB



   I tried the demo of EaseUS Data Recovery, and it sees the drive but finds no recoverable files on it
9)   I also tried PhotoRec 6.1 Recover utility, which sees the drive as 4142MB / 3950MiB and returns an error reading each sector


I’m looking for ideas of what to try next, and/or which software I should be investigating?

Thanks again...

[MiG174]

Buffalo uses the most ruthless XFS file system. You need UFS Explorer Professional Recovery http://www.ufsexplorer.com/download_pro.php

Connect only via SATA, read Personal Messege.