ls500GL Linkstation Pro - Unable to access files

[ahotrod2]

   

Recently, the Linkstation has begun crashing (beeping) during a backup operation.

 

Now, I cannot even access the files normally anymore.  I can access the web interface just fine, and I have updated the firmware twice (force updated the second time)

 

When I type in the IP \\192.168.7.42

 

I am able to see all the shared folders, but when I double click on one, I get an error, saying something to the effect of "network path not found" or "name already in use" or "specified network name is no longer available"

 

Interestingly, one of the shared folders is the "info" folder (which contains the NAS navigator and backup utilities) I can access that folder just fine and read those files with no problems.

 

I have tried connecting directly to my computer, and have the same problems.  Very rarely, I am able to connect to the shared folder and see the contents, but once I try to copy files, it crashes.

 

also, the web interface is very very slow it seems, and even that tends to crash nowadays.

 

is my filesystem corrupt? do I pretty much need to go to a data recovery place?

[dgkelp]

   

You can attempt to update the firmware which can be found here:

 

http://www.buffalotech.com/support/downloads/

 

Does the device have any lights blinking in any sort of fashion?  Example:  1 red blink a pause than 2 red blinks?

[ahotrod2]

   

no lights blinking (other than power light is steady on, and link light is blinking like it should)

 

I've already updated the firmware twice...to the newest version...

[ahotrod2]

   

sometimes, I'm able to get into the folders, and I can download maybe 5 files, before everything comes to a halt with the error:

 

the specified network name is no longer available

[PCPiranha]

What is the subnet of your computers IP address?  Try disconnecting from any mapped shares on your computers, restarting them and then re map them.

[ahotrod2]

   I think it's bigger than that. I've disconnected from the mapped shares, I've reset to factory configuration as well. I'm even having trouble connecting to the web gui now.

[ahotrod2]

   the subnet of the IP is 192.168.7 in case that matters.

[PCPiranha]

Does the nas navigator still find it?  Whats the hostname and what is the subnet of its IP?

[ahotrod2]

   

After quite a bit of hunting, the NAS navigator does find it. The subnet is 192.168.7.42 and it finds the hostname just fine.  It really seems that something is corrupted, because after the NAS navigator finds it, I can usually access the drive, but once I try to go to a folder, the drive becomes in accessible.  At which point, I'll restart the drive. Half the time it restarts fine, and half the time it starts beeping instead.  Taking a look at the error lights, I have seen 3 blinking lights sometimes, and I've also seen 6 blinking lights. 

 

As it seemed that everything was failing, I eventually disassembled the drive, and plugged it into a ubuntu box.  I'm trying to transfer the files, but it's VERY slow going (like 80kb/sec) so it seems that the drive is not functioning well?  Also, a number of the files are failing the transfer due to an input/output error of some kind.

 

should I run xfs repair or something like that?

[PCPiranha]

 It looks like a physical malfunction with the hard drive. You could try xfs repair, but it will probably mess up the data worse. I recommend contacting a data recovery center if you do not have a recent backup.

[ahotrod2]

   when you say "it will probably mess up the data worse" what is that comment based on? It seems like some people have had luck with it? How does it mess up the data?

[PCPiranha]

As with any filesystem recovery software, there is a chance that it will further corrupt the data. It may render the filesystem usable again, but it's possible that more files will be unrecoverable after running xfs repair. Since the hard drive may have a physical malfunction, the chances of xfs repair messing up more data is much higher.