An example data restoration approach includes loading a replacement storage media upon detecting a media failure in a failed storage media, detecting a request for data originally stored on the failed storage media that is pending restoration to the replacement storage media, and in response to detecting this data request, restoring a data segment associated with the data from a backup to the replacement storage media. The approach further modifies the data segment in the replacement storage media according to archived modifications to the data segment in a log archive and then responds to the data request.