Arlo Pro Base Station VMB4000r3 fails formatting USB Drives after firmware update to 1.12.2.1_27

[Retired_Member]

Just noticed that apparently my Arlo Pro Base Station can no longer format USB Drives. I have been using these SanDisk 64GB drives for local storage for few months now and all was working just fine up till today when I tried to re-format.

Here is what happens:

1. Running Format takes unusually short time (less than 5 seconds) and after "completion" USB Device Status is shown as "Ready" and Available Storage is shown as "0 of 0"
2. Removing and re-inserting USB Drive into Base Stations reverts display of Available Storage numbers back to the values shown before the format was attempted.
3. Reading Drive on PC shows all files are still there and the drive in fact was not formatted at all.
4. Formatting USB Drive on Windows 10 PC to xFAT and trying to format that USB Drive in Arlo Base Station no longer converts File Sysytem to FAT32. USB Device Status remains "Requires Formatting" no matter how many formatting attempts have been made.

Based on these observations I'm reaching a conclusion that Base Station can no longer execute Format correctly. No changes have been made to my setup except for resent firmware update for Base Station to 1.12.2.1_2798

Could someone please try formatting USB Drive on VMB4000 to check if it still works for you?

[StinkFinGr]

I am using an Arlo pro 2, seems to be newer firmware and app since it says firmware and app are up to date.

FWIW 1.12.2.2_2754

[CharleeEllie]

I am having the same problem.  Just got the system setup after purchasing and I am trying to format a Toshiba USB hard drive.  Frimware 1.12.2.2_2754.  It is unable to format.  

[TimKaas]

It didn't work for me eighter with a 64gb usb drive.
xFAT also didn't work, the only thing worked for me was download a tool to format the usb drive to fat32 manually. (Windows commandline format with fat32 didn't work for me aswell)

[96709]

Yes I confirm it won't work with the latest firmware.

[StinkFinGr]

Bummer. But thank you for the confirmation.

[RB321]

I now have a firmware update - 1.12.2.2_2754 USB issues still not resolved, cant format USB drive in the base station, will see if any of the other faults exist over time, but no freezing of my Pro 2 base station yet (fingers crossed)

[ChinJing]

My base station is still going offline. It happened @ 3 times at least today that I was aware of. After one of the times it power cycled itself - but one of my cameras never came back online. I noticed when the base lost internet that camera was in the Process of recording. The offline issue is not getting any better. It’s maybe the same or worse since the firmware update. Arlo please take notice. This never happened before the last 2 firmware updates.

[ArloUser52]

When trying to format the USB local storage in the back of the base station, a message appears

"Your USB device failed to format".

There have been (2) Arlo app updates since this started - Version 2.7.9 then Version 2.7.10 and still no fix after these (2) Arlo updates which caused the problem.

I am not using the cloud for storage nore do I want too and my USB local storage worked fine before these two last updates. 

Does anyone know if Arlo is even aware of this and trying to fix this? Or are they trying to make the users sign up for cloud storage for an ongoing fee?

[SteveW5354]

Solved on my WMB4000r3, firmware1.12.2.2_2754:

The brand new WD 2 TB drive was not compatible. Seagate 500 GB drive worked after formatted FAT32.

Drive capacity should be less than 2 TB, NOT equal to OR greater than 2 TB as on label.

Using command line to format takes forever. Recommend download this format fat32 GUI which has the Quick Format checkbox so the operation is much quicker.

[kcglock]

I have the same issue. I tried Sandisk Extreme Pro SSD with 240GB capacity. Format using a tool to FAT32 but it is not accepting it. Any one tried a SSD? Thanks

[jguerdat]

It's not the device type, it's the base firmware.

[SteveW5354]

HW VersionVMB4000r3

Serial Number4R05917VB0A09

Firmware1.12.2.3_2762

Should not matter if SSD or HD. Seems to work in my case, a 500 GB Seagate HD (used and happen to have on hand) 

[zmk]

As the title states, I'm trying to setup local recording.

Devices all say "Requires formatting"

Clicking "Format USB" in the app states "Your USB device failed to format"

I've tried formatting these to FAT32 and NTFS in Windows prior to using them.

Anyone have any similar experiences or ideas?

[TomMac]

It needs to be formated in Fat32... try and format outside of base/prgm first.

[zmk]

I've already done that in both Windows and in Ubuntu, ensuring that there are no other partitions on the drive, and that the drive is formatted to Fat32.  

Any other suggestions?

[TomMac]

what device are you using... some have had trouble with mem card to usb adapters and some with certain brands of usb sticks ( unknown ) ... most of mine are Lexor and all work

[ChinJing]

My base station is having problems with the usb. It has overwrite selected but I got an email from arlo saying the usb is full - but the app and computer disk utility says there is 51 gb free. There seems to be a lot of problems with the usb. Someone from tech support also said it’s possible the usb flash drives are causing the bas stations to go offline - possibly. We are not sure yet

[RonAlv]

Just noticed last night that my base will not format the USB drive. Tried multiple usb drives from 2 gig to 128 gig drives. Nothing. Am I S.O.L. 

[jguerdat]

Nope. Use a computer to format the drive. Be sure to use FAT32 - nothing else is acceptable. Depending on your OS you may need to grab a 3rd party utility to format a large drive.

[96709]

The base station doesn't like larger drives. As a workaround try a smaller say 16MB USB thumb drive. Or use some partition software to format on PC. Google the topic.

[StinkFinGr]

These people saying. "Try this drive, format this way" are being obtuse. This is a known issue with the current firmware and they know that if they have been on this board for more than 5 minutes. You will not get this to work with large or small drives, format on your computer or on the Moon, it will not work. These people that say it works, great! But I would like to know if you are on the most current FW? For those of us that it was working flawlessly for prior to the most recent update but now does not work, there is no fix or workaround that will give satisfaction.

I have tried several different drives, formatted to FAT32 on computer, different manufacturuers, different sizes, USB2, USB3, Memory sticks and external drives, none will work. This worked flawlessly prior to the recent update. Arlo broke this. It is a known issue. They need to fix it. Don't waste your valuable time trying to troubleshoot, it is not you. It's them!

[96709]

Not obtuse. Sure there's a current firmware prob but keep in mind FAT 32 formatting has a size limitation.

[StinkFinGr]

FAT32 might have size limits but the FW doesn't care how big or small you're drive. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Is there anyone here who is on the latest FW who had a drive not work then tried a smaller drive that worked? I'd like to hear it if so.

[ChinJing]

i have had alot of problems with the usb in 2 base stations arlo pro this morning  first one was not recording any motion on the camera- after i pulled out the usb drive it was working again. the other base station was not recording at all to the usb drive. i was also getting an email from alro saying the usb drive was full when in fact it was empty- but there were also no recordings being made to the usb drive and i had overwrite turned on.  some other people had said the usb drived possibly were what caused the base stations to go offline. there seems to be a major problem with the usb drives. also when i check my files on the usb drive they are not in order of date/ time.  so its harder to find the file you are looking for. lately it seems every day there is a new problem with the arlo pro system.  we have bean going for 2 days without going offline on either base so thats a big improvement but now we have more usb flash drive problems. we are using pny 64gb and 256 gb drives.  

[96709]

Re Fat32, great thanks for opinion. yeah " sho you right". Check urban dictionary if too complicated for u.