
- Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
- Key Information About the NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6
- How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
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 can regular system monitoring and alerting help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 devices?
Regular system monitoring and alerting can help in early detection and prevention of data loss events on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 devices by providing the following benefits:
- Proactive Monitoring: By regularly monitoring the system, you can identify any unusual behavior or performance issues that may indicate a potential data loss event. This includes monitoring system resource usage, network connectivity, disk health, and RAID status.
- Real-time Alerts: Configuring alerts can notify you immediately when any critical events or anomalies occur. This allows you to take immediate action to prevent data loss. Alerts can be set up for various conditions like disk failures, RAID rebuilds, high CPU or memory usage, or abnormal network traffic.
- Disk Health Monitoring: Monitoring the health of individual hard drives in the NAS can help in early detection of potential failures. By monitoring parameters like SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data, temperature, and bad sectors, you can identify failing drives and replace them before complete failure, reducing the risk of data loss.
- RAID Monitoring: NAS devices like Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 typically use RAID configurations for data redundancy and protection. Regularly monitoring the RAID status and integrity can help identify any degraded or failed arrays. This allows you to rebuild or replace the faulty disks promptly, minimizing the risk of data loss.
- Backup Verification: Monitoring the backup process and verifying the integrity of backup data is crucial for ensuring data recoverability. Regularly checking the backup logs and performing test restores can help identify any issues with the backup process or data corruption, allowing you to take corrective actions before a data loss event occurs.
- Security Monitoring: Monitoring network traffic and access logs can help detect any unauthorized access attempts or suspicious activities that may lead to data loss events. By setting up alerts for unusual login attempts or access patterns, you can detect and prevent potential security breaches.
Overall, regular system monitoring and alerting provide early detection and proactive measures to prevent data loss events on NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 devices. It helps maintain the integrity and availability of data, ensuring business continuity and minimizing the impact of potential data loss incidents.
How to Remove Hard Disks from Your NAS and Connect Them to a PC
Although the NAS TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 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:
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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.
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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.
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Label each hard disk according to its position inside the NAS. The order of the drives is crucial for correct RAID reconstruction.
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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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Step-by-Step Data Recovery with Hetman RAID Recovery

This program restores data from damaged RAID arrays and is fully compatible with Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6. 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.
How to recover data from a Buffalo
TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 has 4 HDD slots, and it supports the following array types:
- RAID 0;
- RAID 1;
- RAID 5;
- RAID 6;
- 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:
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Ensure you have enough free space to store the image. Its size will typically match the size of the original disk.
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In the main window, select the target disk and choose Tools - Save Disk. You can also select multiple disks if needed.
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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.

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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 TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 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
| Product | Operating system | RAID controller support | Supported file systems | Virtual RAID controller support | Data recovery from damaged RAID | File preview |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hetman RAID Recovery | Windows, Linux, MacOS | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, exFAT, NTFS, ReFS, APFS, HFS+, Ext4, Ext3, Ext2, ReiserFS, Btrfs, VMFS, Hikvision, XFS, UFS, ZFS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DiskInternals RAID Recovery | Windows | Yes, over 10 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
| R-Studio | Windows, Mac, Linux | Yes, over 20 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| UFS Explorer RAID Recovery | Windows, Mac, Linux | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EaseUS Data Recovery | Windows | Yes, over 20 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | No | Yes | Yes |
| ReclaiMe Free RAID Recovery | Windows | Yes, over 100 controllers | FAT, NTFS, Ext2/3/4, HFS+ | Yes | Yes | Yes |


Recovering data from a NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS-QVH12TL/R6 device that has undergone a system restore or factory reset is possible, but it depends on a few factors.
If the system restore or factory reset only erased the configuration settings and did not overwrite the actual data on the drives, it may be possible to recover the data using specialized data recovery software or services. In this case, it is important to avoid writing any new data to the NAS device to prevent overwriting the old data.
However, if the system restore or factory reset involved formatting the drives or overwriting the data, the chances of recovering the data become significantly lower. In such cases, professional data recovery services may be required, but they can be costly and not always successful.
It is recommended to consult with a professional data recovery service or contact Buffalo's technical support for further assistance and guidance specific to your situation.