Hey there, let's work through this RAID1 data recovery together—since you've got a mirror setup, one healthy drive should have a full copy of your data, so we just need to get your PC to recognize it instead of pushing that annoying format prompt. Here's what to do step by step:

• First, test one drive at a time
  Don't connect both drives to your PC simultaneously. RAID1 mirrors have NAS-specific partition metadata that can confuse Windows/Linux when both are attached. Start with just one drive (use your SATA-to-USB adapter), then open your OS's disk management tool:

  • On Windows: Open Disk Management (right-click Start > Disk Management)
  • On Linux: Run fdisk -l or lsblk in the terminal
    Look for a partition that shows up as "RAW" or unallocated but matches your 2TB drive size. Do not click format—that's just your OS saying it doesn't recognize the Linux-based file system the NAS uses.

• Install a tool to read Linux file systems
  Buffalo Linkstation devices typically use Ext4 (sometimes XFS) for storage, which Windows doesn't natively support—that's exactly why it's asking to format. Grab a tool like:

  • Paragon ExtFS for Windows (paid, reliable for read/write access)
  • DiskInternals Linux Reader (free, read-only, perfect for safe recovery)
    Once installed, re-mount your single drive. You should see all your files pop up—just copy them to a safe location on your PC or another external drive.

• Swap drives if the first one fails
  If the first drive doesn't show any recoverable data (or has obvious bad sectors), disconnect it and repeat the steps with the second drive. Since it's RAID1, one of them should have a complete, intact copy of your data.

• Pro tip: Make a disk mirror first (if possible)
  If you're worried about accidentally damaging the source drive, create a full disk image using tools like Macrium Reflect (Windows) or the dd command (Linux: dd if=/dev/sdX of=/path/to/image.img where sdX is your NAS drive identifier). Then work from the image instead of the original drive—this adds an extra layer of safety against accidental data loss.

Just remember: Never format the drive when prompted, and handle the NAS drives carefully to avoid physical damage.

备注：内容来源于stack exchange，提问作者La Chupacabra