NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS5410DN3204 Data Recovery: Detailed Step-by-Step RAID Array Guide

Contents

• Why Regular Data Recovery Tools Can’t Restore Files from RAID
• Key Information About the NAS Buffalo TeraStation TS5410DN3204
• 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 TeraStation TS5410DN3204 device store and manage data?

The Buffalo TeraStation TS5410DN3204 is a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device that is designed to store and manage data in a centralized location. Here is how it stores and manages data:

1. Storage Capacity: The TeraStation TS5410DN3204 comes with four hard drive bays, allowing you to install up to four hard drives. It supports various types of hard drives, including SATA and SSD, and can accommodate different storage capacities depending on the drives you install. The total storage capacity of the device is the combined capacity of the installed drives.
2. RAID Configuration: The device supports various RAID configurations, including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, and JBOD. RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a data storage technology that combines multiple drives into a single logical unit for improved performance, data redundancy, or a combination of both. By configuring RAID, you can choose the level of data protection and performance that suits your needs.
3. File System: The TeraStation TS5410DN3204 uses a file system to organize and manage the stored data. It supports multiple file systems, including NTFS (Windows), HFS+ (Mac), and ext4 (Linux). The file system determines how files are stored, accessed, and managed on the NAS device.
4. Network Access: The NAS device is connected to a network, allowing multiple users or devices to access the stored data simultaneously. It supports various network protocols, such as SMB/CIFS, AFP, FTP, and NFS, which enable different operating systems and devices to access the data.
5. User and Group Management: The TeraStation TS5410DN3204 allows you to create user accounts and groups, enabling you to control access to the stored data. You can assign different levels of permissions to users and groups, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access specific files or folders.
6. Data Backup and Synchronization: The device offers backup and synchronization features to protect your data. It supports scheduled backups to external drives or other NAS devices, cloud backup services like Amazon S3 or Dropbox, and synchronization with other devices or cloud storage.
7. Additional Features: The TeraStation TS5410DN3204 may have additional features, such as RAID expansion, hot-swapping of drives, remote access, integration with Active Directory, data encryption, and antivirus protection. These features enhance data management, security, and accessibility.

Overall, the Buffalo TeraStation TS5410DN3204 stores and manages data by providing a centralized storage solution with various storage configurations, file systems, network access options, user management, backup/synchronization capabilities, and additional features to meet the needs of small to medium-sized businesses or home users.

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

Although the NAS TeraStation TS5410DN3204 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 TeraStation TS5410DN3204. 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

TeraStation TS5410DN3204 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:

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 TeraStation TS5410DN3204 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