How to Restore a NAS Buffalo Drive Station HD-WL4TU3R1 RAID Array with Multiple Disk Issues

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 does a NAS Buffalo Drive Station HD-WL4TU3R1 device store and manage data?

The NAS Buffalo DriveStation HD-WL4TU3R1 device stores and manages data using a combination of hardware and software components. Here's a breakdown of the process:

1. Hard Drives: The device typically comes with multiple hard drives (usually in a RAID configuration) that provide the physical storage space for data. These drives are installed inside the device and can be of different capacities depending on the model.
2. RAID Configuration: The device supports various RAID configurations (such as RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, etc.) that determine how the data is distributed and protected across the multiple hard drives. This allows for increased performance, data redundancy, or a combination of both.
3. File System: The device uses a file system (such as NTFS or FAT32) to organize and manage the data stored on the hard drives. The file system structures the data into files and directories, enabling easy access and retrieval.
4. Network Connectivity: The device is connected to a local area network (LAN) through an Ethernet port, allowing it to be accessed by multiple devices within the network. This enables data sharing and centralized storage.
5. Operating System: The device runs an embedded operating system specifically designed for NAS devices. This operating system provides the necessary software components to manage the storage, access control, and network services.
6. Data Management Software: The device includes software that allows users to configure and manage various aspects of the NAS, such as creating user accounts, setting access permissions, managing backups, and configuring network services like FTP or DLNA.
7. Data Access Protocols: The device supports various network protocols like SMB/CIFS, FTP, NFS, etc., which enable different devices (computers, smartphones, etc.) to access and interact with the stored data. This allows for seamless file sharing and remote access.
8. Data Backup and Synchronization: The device often includes backup and synchronization features that allow users to schedule automatic backups of their data to external drives or cloud storage services. This ensures data protection and redundancy.

Overall, the NAS Buffalo DriveStation HD-WL4TU3R1 device combines hardware components, RAID configurations, file systems, network connectivity, and software components to store and manage data efficiently, securely, and accessible to multiple devices within a network.

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

Although NAS Drive Station HD-WL4TU3R1 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 Drive Station HD-WL4TU3R1. 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

Drive Station HD-WL4TU3R1 has 1 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 Drive Station HD-WL4TU3R1 network-attached storage keeps OS Linux 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