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Android App 2.16.1 misreporting VMB4000 USB Status

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restuve
Tutor
Tutor

FW= 1.16.1.3_3394_1A608C1

S/N= 4R05887NA8651

 

DESKTOP ARLO APP SHOWS USB READY BUT ANDROID PHONE AND SAMSUNG TAB3 SHOW NO USB DEVICE INSERTED.

THIS HAPPENED AFTER I NOTICED THAT MY 4GB USB  DEVICE HAD AN ERROR BECAUSE OF THE NEW FW UPDATE THAT REQUIRED 16GB MINIMUM. I SUCCESSFULLY REMOVED THE 4 GB DEVICE AND ADDED THE 16GB DEVICE. NOW THE DEVICE SHOWS READY AND 14.8GB. MY PHONE AND TAB3 DO NOT SHOW ANY DEVICE CONNECTED TO THE USB PORT, ONLY THE DESKTOP APP SHOWS CORRECTLY. IS THIS A FIRMWARE ISSUE? I REINSTALLED THE ARLO APP ON MY TAB3 AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.

Model: VMB4000 | Arlo Pro/Pro2 Base Station
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ShayneS
Arlo Moderator
Arlo Moderator

Hello,

 

This issue should now be resolved with the latest version of the Arlo mobile app 2.17

 

Please make sure you are updated to the latest app version. Firmware release notes

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22 REPLIES 22
Raampage
Star
Star

The website shows the local storage just fine.

Both phone and tablet apps updated (yesterday I think) and no longer show the USB information.  (Says insert a USB flash drive into base)

 

I think it is recording... will have to pull the stick and check it.

 

ShayneS
Arlo Moderator
Arlo Moderator

Hi @Raampage

 

Do you have a screenshot of the error message?

 

  May I ask which troubleshooting steps you have performed so far? I don't want to suggest any prior methods you have previously performed.

restuve
Tutor
Tutor

FW= 1.16.1.3_3394_1A608C1

S/N= 4R05887NA8651

 

DESKTOP ARLO APP SHOWS USB READY BUT ANDROID PHONE AND SAMSUNG TAB3 SHOW NO USB DEVICE INSERTED.

THIS HAPPENED AFTER I NOTICED THAT MY 4GB USB  DEVICE HAD AN ERROR BECAUSE OF THE NEW FW UPDATE THAT REQUIRED 16GB MINIUM. I SUCCESSFULLY REMOVED THE 4 GB DEVICE AND ADDED THE 16GB DEVICE. NOW THE DEVICE SHOWS READY AND 14.8GB. MY PHONE AND TAB3 DONOT SHOW ANY DEVICE CONNECTED TO THE USB PORT. ONLY THE DESKTOP APP SHOWS CORRECTLY. IS THIS A FERMWARE ISSUE?

michaelkenward
Sensei Sensei
Sensei

If you want to be heard, DON'T SHOUT and don't hitch a ride on the back of someone else's issue.

 

 


Just another user
Arlo hardware: Q Plus, Pro 2 (X2), Pro 3 (X3), Pro 3 Floodlight, Security Light (X2), Ultra (X2), Doorbell, Chime
michaelkenward
Sensei Sensei
Sensei

@Raampage wrote:

The website shows the local storage just fine.

Both phone and tablet apps updated (yesterday I think) and no longer show the USB information.  (Says insert a USB flash drive into base)

 

I think it is recording... will have to pull the stick and check it.

 


I have seen what might be similar behaviour, albeit with a different Arlo setup. (Direct storage access rather than local access.) My experience may offer a few pointers.

 

When I first launched the Android App, I saw the same thing. Local access not there.

 

I then went through the process a few times, setting up with the app, and storage started to show up.

 

I have also fixed things in the past by removing and reinstalling the app.

 

However, while that worked from an Android phone (Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017), Android 8.0.0), my Android tablet (Nexus 7, Android 6.0.1) still will not play ball. But that is a different storage issue.


Just another user
Arlo hardware: Q Plus, Pro 2 (X2), Pro 3 (X3), Pro 3 Floodlight, Security Light (X2), Ultra (X2), Doorbell, Chime
restuve
Tutor
Tutor

Sorry about that. Didn't realize I was doing that. Thought that if support saw other people with a similar problem as that one that they would know that there is something going on. Will post as a new problem. Thanks...........

StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@restuve wrote:

MY PHONE AND TAB3 DO NOT SHOW ANY DEVICE CONNECTED TO THE USB PORT, ONLY THE DESKTOP APP SHOWS CORRECTLY. 


I think it's just an app issue.  You can eject the USB drive, and confirm that there are recordings on it (and you probably should do that anyway).

restuve
Tutor
Tutor

As of this morning my Android phone and Samsung Tab3 still show no USB stick installed with a yellow message that says "INSERT A USB FLASH DRIVE INTO YOUR BASE STATION TO START STORING RECORDED CLIPS LOCALLY". From my desktop it shows USB READY. I ejected the USB stick and there are recordings on it from the base station. Reinstalled the USB stick and it shows ready from my desktop app only. There seems to be something wrong with the Android App on the phone and the Samsung TAB3. I deleted the ARLO App from my phone and reinstalled the app. It still shows the USB stick not installed. The USB stick is a 16gb stick that shows 14.6gb and was formatted on my desktop as FAT32.

Any suggestions?

Thank You.

StephenB
Guru Guru
Guru

@restuve wrote:

As of this morning my Android phone and Samsung Tab3 still show no USB stick installed with a yellow message that says "INSERT A USB FLASH DRIVE INTO YOUR BASE STATION TO START STORING RECORDED CLIPS LOCALLY". From my desktop it shows USB READY. I ejected the USB stick and there are recordings on it from the base station.



Sounds like there might be an app bug.  Perhaps contact support?

dookie
Aspirant
Aspirant

I can confirm the same bug...

 

Android app shows no USB (though it did report an incorrect removal when I yanked it). Web interface @ my.arlo shows it normally. When I checked the contents on a PC, it does appear to be working normally...I have recordings from as recently as this morning.

 

This is VMB4000r3 with the firmware mentioned in the title, Android app v2.16.1_27099.

 

Typical Arlo QC, but not a huge issue IMHO...it IS working.

ShayneS
Arlo Moderator
Arlo Moderator

The Arlo development team is currently investigating this issue with the USB misreporting the status. We will provide an update as soon as we have more information to share with the community.

 

As a workaround, you may use the web portal to view your USB status.

restuve
Tutor
Tutor

Thank you for the update. Will use the desktop app to check on the status of the USB port for the time being...

Strodium
Tutor
Tutor
Same here! Never moved the usb stick and after update of the Android app says "insert usb stick" as that us the default of the app and never bothers to check that is already one there! Come on Arlo programmers! What testing you're doing before you roll out?
Haakona
Tutor
Tutor

Hello,

 

Just wanted to make this post to see if other users are experiencing the same problem.

 

Today I removed the USB flash drive from the back of my Base Station to look at some recorded videos, but I have discovered that the last video recorded was dated 15th May 2020, nothing has been recorded during the past week.

 

I then put the USB flash drive back into the Base Station, opened the Android Arlo App, and checked the Local Storage settings.  It is showing a message saying there is no USB device connected.  I then removed the USB flash drive, used compressed air to clean out any dust, put the USB flash drive back into the USB port, checked the Android Arlo App, still showing no USB device connected.  Tried second USB port at back of Base Station, but Android Arlo App still showing no USB device connected.

 

I then logged into the my.arlo.com website, checked the Local Storage settings, and it is showing the USB flash drive connected, along with the correct size and is reported as "Ready".  Then went outside to activate motion sensor in camera to record some video.  Then selected "Safely Eject USB Device" and removed USB flash drive and put it in my laptop to view the video, there is still no recording since 15th May 2020.

 

What I find interesting is the Android Arlo App was last updated 15th May 2020, the same day the recording to my USB flash drive stopped working.

 

Arlo Android App - 2.16.2 - 15th May 2020 

 

There is nothing wrong the USB flash drive, it works perfectly fine in my laptop, I can view recordings going back to October last year, and it is a 16GB Sandisk Ultra Fit 3.1 USB flash drive which I have used for over a year and is a well known brand.

 

Is anyone else experiencing this same problem?  Is there someone from Arlo Technical Support that can confirm this is a known problem that is being looked into?

 

TomMac
Guru Guru
Guru

Others have mentioned possible issues.... believe it is being looked into.

--------------------------------------
Morse is faster than texting!
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michaelkenward
Sensei Sensei
Sensei

Indeed. I have had hell's own issues with local storage in recent weeks.

 

One hub happily accepts 64Gb and 128 Gb chips, another barfs on 128 Gb.

 

From time to time the hub denies the existence of a chip and demands that I format it. Say yes, and nothing happens.

 

It seems to date back to a firmware update that increased the minimum memory size from 8 to 16 Gb. People with much bigger chips have been warned that they must have something >16 Gb.


Just another user
Arlo hardware: Q Plus, Pro 2 (X2), Pro 3 (X3), Pro 3 Floodlight, Security Light (X2), Ultra (X2), Doorbell, Chime
Haakona
Tutor
Tutor

A quick update to my original post.

 

It seems the Base Station is still recording video files after May 15th.  After looking at the files in several folders a bit more (it had several hundred videos), I realised the filename contains a random number that can mess up the order of the files listed.  The files are named in the following format:

 

<serial number of camera>_<some random number>_<date>_<time>.mp4

 

It seems the random number caused the files recorded after May 15th to be listed earlier (instead of being last) in the File Explorer window view.

 

However, I am still having a problem with the Arlo Android App not recognising the USB flash drive in the Base Station.  The my.arlo.com website shows the USB flash drive is there, but the Android App shows there is no USB flash drive connected under Settings and Local Storage.

 

I hope the next update of the Arlo Android App will fix this.

 

Johnny290
Mentor
Mentor
I have the same problem since there last firmware a while back. I am so sick of arlo people braking the system. I am thinking of moving to a different brand. I have had arlo for years. It just keeps getting worst
ShayneS
Arlo Moderator
Arlo Moderator

Hello,

 

This issue should now be resolved with the latest version of the Arlo mobile app 2.17

 

Please make sure you are updated to the latest app version. Firmware release notes

dookie
Aspirant
Aspirant

Looks good here too. Thanks.

 

restuve
Tutor
Tutor

FW of my base station is 1.16.1.3_3394_1a608c1 and still shows no updates available.

Any suggestions?

 

RESTUVE

 

ShayneS
Arlo Moderator
Arlo Moderator

Hi @restuve

 

That firmware version is the latest for the VMB4000.