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

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Buffalo Drive Station HD-WL4TU3R1
• How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
  • Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery
  • How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images
  • Where Are the User’s Files Actually Stored?
  • RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison

Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID

Conventional hard drives store user data by writing it sequentially across the disk surface, which means an entire file is typically located on a single drive. In contrast, when data is written to a RAID array, each file is split into multiple fragments. These fragments are then distributed and written in sequence across all the drives in the array. Depending on the configuration, fragment sizes can range from 2 KB to 2 MB, so every file is physically stored across several disks at once.

This approach significantly increases read and write performance — after all, writing two halves of a 1 GB file to two drives simultaneously is much faster than writing the full 1 GB to a single disk. However, this same mechanism makes file recovery far more complex.

Different RAID levels use different methods to distribute and protect data. On top of that, manufacturers like Buffalo often add their own proprietary structures and variations. As a result, data can be written to disks in many different formats, and each requires a specific approach during recovery.

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 Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC

Although the NAS Drive Station HD-WL4TU3R1 can be accessed over the network, you still need to remove its hard disks and connect them directly to a Windows PC. Only then can the recovery software properly scan and analyze the drives. Follow these steps:

1. Power off the NAS and disconnect it from the power source.

   WARNING! Before removing any drives, carefully read the device manual. Improper actions may damage both the NAS enclosure and the hard disks in the RAID array.

2. Remove the hard disks one by one, gently sliding each drive out of its slot. Remember that hard disks are highly sensitive: any impact or drop can cause serious physical damage.

3. Label each hard disk according to its position inside the NAS. The order of the drives is crucial for correct RAID reconstruction.

4. Connect the drives to your computer. In this video, we explain which ports you can use to connect hard disks and what to do if your PC does not have enough free connectors.

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   How to Order Remote Data Recovery

Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Buffalo Drive Station HD-WL4TU3R1. Each hard disk in the array contains technical metadata describing how files were written. When launched, Hetman RAID Recovery analyzes this metadata, automatically reconstructs the damaged array, and provides access to its contents. After that, you can browse the recovered disk and save your files. The program can also restore files that were 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;

How to Safely Recover Data from Disk Images

This utility allows you to create a complete copy of a disk and work with the disk image instead of the physical drive. This approach helps protect your data from:

• Overwriting during the recovery process;
• Additional data loss caused by bad sectors;
• User errors.

To create a disk image, follow these steps:

1. Ensure you have enough free space to store the image. Its size will typically match the size of the original disk.

2. In the main window, select the target disk and choose Tools - Save Disk. You can also select multiple disks if needed.

3. When the Image Creation Wizard opens, select whether you want to save the entire disk or only a specific region. Adjust the settings and click Next.

   

4. Choose the directory where the image will be saved. You may select any available disk connected to your PC or upload the image via FTP.

   

Where Are the User’s Files Actually 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.

RAID Recovery Software: Detailed Comparison