Arlo Pro Base Station VMB4000r3 fails formatting USB Drives after firmware update to 1.12.2.1_2798

[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?

[96709]

Yes I know that thanks. But some ppl would like to do it remotely. Arlo should fix this as it's not a new issue. Instead of contrantly upselling why not fix core features. It's off-putting from a customer perspective. Ring and Tesla add features for free. Arlo adds features and charges. And in a mad rush to monetize and milk it's installed user base current features are damaged as the beta process is done by current users. There's no QA.

[TheMarty]

I did format as FAT32 on WINDOWS 10 and makes no difference. Arlo can't see it nor format it. I love their introduction of  bugs with each new release...talk about

---

@jguerdat wrote:

There's an issue right now with the base being unable to format. Use a computer but be sure to use FAT32, not exFAT. On W10 you'll need to use a 3rd party program to format to FAT32 for large drives (over 32GB, I think).

---

poor QA.

[96709]

But the card still works in windows right? Have u tried to copy and read from it in windows? Worried the base station destroyed the card.

[Retired_Member]

It may not be good idea downplaying the severity of this issue by implying that easy workaround is available because it is not.

As it was correctly stated, Windows 10 will not format USB drive of any decent size to FAT32 natively. One must hunt down and install a third-party utility to do that. It would be silly to pay for it if all that utility is need for is to do something Arlo Base Station should be doing in the first place. Free utilities come with advertising bloatware in best scenario and with viruses in worst scenario (depending on where such utility it was obtained from). Not to mention that none of this even applicable in cases when Arlo user accesses system remotely.

BTW, still not a word from Arlo Support Team in regards to my support ticket so unfortunately, no updates yet…

[ATHelpdesk]

I was able to format a USB 3.0 1TB Seagate external hard drive in FAT32 format and have it work on my PRO base.

Note - exFAT did not work for me on any type of drive - it's FAT32 or nothing. I ended up finding an article here that talks about how to format drives to FAT32 (since Windows natively did not give me an option on anything past NTFS or exFAT). About 1/3 down the page there is a link to "GUI version of FAT32 Format" - this is what I used to very easily format mine and get it working.

Hope this helps.

[ArloUser52]

There have been 2 Arlo app updates within one week of each other.

Version 2.7.9 came our 1 week ago - which is when the "Failed to format USB" message started and still has not been corrected up to this point. Shorty after that Version 2.7.10 came out 4 days ago - which still has not corrected the problem. 

Does anyone know if Arlo is doing anything to fix this yet? Everything was fine before these two updates.

[jguerdat]

Yeah, FAT32 is the lowest common denominator for many devices, not just Arlo. I hope that something else will be used especially with the size of new devices and the limitation of 2TB for FAT32.

[ChinJing]

hello also we cannot format the usb device i have tried 2 different ones. we are using a 256 gb pny flash drive brand new the base gets stuck in formatting then the base will power cycle itself- but the usb never gets formatted. this has bean an issue with multiple base stations. 

[jguerdat]

Right now the workaround is to format using a computer. Be sure to use FAT32 format which may require a 3rd party utility on Windows.

[TheMarty]

This is NOT A WORKAROUND! You did not read ANY earlier posts. The Arlo Base will NOT format an already  pre-formatted FAT32 USB memory device.

---

@jguerdat wrote:

Right now the workaround is to format using a computer. Be sure to use FAT32 format which may require a 3rd party utility on Windows.

---

[jguerdat]

That's not what I said. The issue is the inability to format in the base. Format on a computer. Don't bother re-formatting in the base. Just use the properly formatted drive on the base.

[antoncn]

After searching the internet and speaking with customer service, I gathered the following:

You can format on your PC-Windows 10 a drive in FAT 32 using a utility called "guiformat" (http://www.ridgecrop.demon.co.uk/guiformat.htm).

You need to use the disk utility in Windows 10, delete all existing partitions and create a new simple volume without formating.

Do not name your drive, leave it blanc.

Then use the guiformat with the allocation unit size 32768.

After the format was done the base accepted the drive without asking for any "format required".

GUIFORMAT

[96709]

Despite the workaround having to wait so long for a fix is ridiculous. It's just terrible. Pwopleau need to format remotely and cannot so suggesting that the workaround is just as good is insulting. No devcent customer should acxept the half baked software updates rolled by Arlo on what it seems like a trial and error basis.

[ArloUser52]

USB device staus FULL, ever since the last Arlo update version 2.7.9, then when trying to reformat the USB plugged into the back of the base station, there is the message

"Your USB device failed to format". I have updated to Arlo version 2.7.10 and rebooted the base station rebooted the router several times and still getting the same message and unable to format the USB backup. Its 1 week and 6 days since both updates and still not fixed. 

[jguerdat]

Did you read this thread to see the current workaround for this until the firmware is fixed?

[96709]

That's not the point. It's been more than a week and he like others paid $ for it to work properly. You must be an employee of Arlo or your relationship with them is not armslength? Because you, while helpful, seem like a promoter for Arlo.

[jguerdat]

Thanks for the attempted insult but I'm just trying to be helpful. Yes,it needs to be fixed but your post implied that you may have just run into this issue so I responded as such. Better wording would have avoided all these extra words.

[96709]

Sorry no harm no foul intended. Was curious. Your knowledge is helpful to this community IMO.

[John-Paul]

Yes it’s ridiculous 😞
All the same problems and super upset at this **bleep**... now my USB. Stick isn’t formatting anymore...

[RB321]

Amongst the freezing and default time zone setting that we have, you are not alone with the USB issue, I can no longer format the USB either, I have taken the stick out and tried it in a PC, and its fine. Also, as I pointed out to tech services, the automatic over write feature has NEVER worked, when the USB gets full it simply stops recording to it. I used to be able to wipe it and start again by reformatting it from the web portal, cant do that any more!

[ChinJing]

Our automatic overwrite feature also never worked. We have had to do the same thing. Reformat when it gets near full.

[Dannybear]

Ok just checked the USB backup drives and confirmed that recordings were still made during the lockup period.
Interesting is that a recording was made to the cloud for 11mins when the first camera came back but only shows a still frame but plays for 11mins.
Another quirk is that I now get arlo email alerts when removing the backup drives. Removing them correctly before you ask.
“Arlo System Update: Your Arlo SD Card is Full”
No it’s far from full.

[StinkFinGr]

I started getting the "reformat hard drive message a few weeks ago. I was using a USB 3 device and it was working fine. Suddenly the reformat message. Ok, tried a USB2 hard drive and a USB stick, plus work around and formatting on computer as FAT32. The base station still asks me to reformat which it them promptly errors out of. The workaround did not work for me. Other suggestions?

[StinkFinGr]

This work around does not work for me despite 4 different models of hard drive, all were previously working. I format to FAT32 using my computer and Arlo does not recognize them as formatted.

[96709]

Does it work with the new firmware update?