Local storage - USB - Format

[yellowsubmarine]

I am using a basic 8GB USB thumb drive (Verbatim) and I formatted it via Arlo but I keep on getting requests to format. 

The USB icon appears and the message is "The detected USB device is not in the correct format. Would you like to format it? Warning: Formatting will erase all existing data on the USB device."

As stated I format but the message comes back.

Am I using the wrong storage type?

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-Knowledge-Base/How-do-I-format-a-USB-device-for-local-storage-...

I assume Arlo is formatting in FAT32?

If you see the message Requires Formatting next to USB Device 1 or USB Device 2, the USB device is not in the correct format (FAT32). You must format the USB device before you can use it for local storage.

[jguerdat]

It could be a faulty thumb drive - use a different one to test.  You could also manually format the drive using a computer.

[martincc]

I too am having the exact same problem. I upgraded my system to Arlo Pro in January 2017, I did so in part because I sought the backup feature of using a flash memory card with USB card reader. I connected the USB cable of my flash card reader to the Arlo Pro Base Station, Arlo promted a format, I did select 'format', then life was fine.

Days or weeks later (can't recall) Arlo is giving me some error message. Each camera display screen was showing multiple USB icons, stating the card(s) needs to be formatted even though I only have one card "Format SD Card The detected USB device is not in the correct format. Would you like to format it? Warning: Formatting will erase all existing data on the USB device". I attempted to re format the card with a personal computer (Fat32), and then again through the Arlo Pro sofwtare. Somehow, after several attempts reformat seemed to take OK.

Some time later I was seeing two Arlo USB warnings appearing on the screen of each camera. I again attempt to re format the SD card.

Over the recent couple of weeks I have one circular orange (on browser, red on iPhone app) USB drive icon showing on each camera display screen indicating that same warning message. The most recent time I tried to solve this was when I logged in via a browser, selected the USB drive icon, selected 'Format', receive message "SB Device Status Requires Formatting", selected to proceed, then stood by. Over the recent couple of weeks I have one circular USB drive icon (orange on browser, red on iPhone app) showing on each camera display screen indicating that same warning message.

The most recent time I tried to solve this was when I logged in via a browser, selected the USB drive icon, selected 'Format', receive message "SB Device Status Requires Formatting", selected to proceed, then stood by. All I see after the attempt is status message “Requires Formatting” - reformat attempt failed.

I am convinced the problem is with Netgear Arlo - computers, flash cards, and readers either work or do not work over and over again - they do not undo something like a format on their own. My USB reader and flash card were working just fine when first set up, then later Arlo's software is indicating the flash card is not formatted.

Growing weary about some of the peculiarities of Netgear Arlo. M

[martincc]

Quick followup to my prior post, I explored the the few options for trouble shooting the set and through the software instructed the Base Statio to be restarted.

After the restart the USB drive error message disappeared from each screen. When I checked the Base Station "Local Storage" screen it seems to indicate normal function:

"USB Device Recording Automatic Overwrite Enabling this allows new recordings overwrite old recordings when available storage falls below 5MB."

Go figure. This proves to me the problem is NOT the USB Reader or my Flash Card - something in the Arlo system is on occasion losing the local storage.

M

[jguerdat]

I'd be a bit concerned with using a card reader instead of a thumb or hard drive. You're just adding complexity. Is the reader multi-card capable or just a single slot?

[Chillmiester]

Format it to Fat32 in the computer first. (Important>)Make sure you pick default allocation size. Then format it on the base station.

[martincc]

I suspect choice of card reader is irrelevant - as far as computers are concerned the recent readers are just as readable as USB drives.

1. The system with card reader and flash card was working fine when new, and has formatted and worked since too. The Arlo Pro Base station should be able to deal with it - or there is an oversight of the Arlo system.

2. The card reader is a scalable solution, and scalable at less cost than having to buy a USB flash drive. Furthermore, the Card Reader has a cable run from the Base Station to a close but hard to access area, so if a bad guy breaks in and steals the Arlo Base Station then they likely canot not obtain the the flash card.

Note my followup message, restarting the Base Station eliminated the USB Drive error.

I also noted when in January I installed new the Arlo Pro Base station, it worked fine. Later that day after I left the home, the Base Station went off line and had to be restarted locally by unplugging it from the mains; it would not respond to any restart command from the App or Browser - that's a big problem for me snce I am often far away on travel.

My sense is this is a Netgear Arlo software issue, maybe some periodic 'hiccup'.I will keep an eye out for the USB Drive error message to crop up again.

[martincc]

I did this in February, this was after the first time that the messages showed up in January, and I did this again in March when I visited this home again.

My sense is that the formatting is not the problem because restarting the Arlo Pro Base station from the App eliminated the USB Drive error message, and all seems OK now.

Again, I suspect this is some Netgear Arlo software issue where the set cannot recover from some kind(s) of event(s).

M

[martincc]

Another followup on this, after seeming to behave OK after the prior restart of the Arlo Pro Base Station I noticed early on 29 March the "Format USB Device" error message came back, showing two round USB Drive icons at the bottom right corner of each camera display screen.

Being away, I went back to Settings, My Devices, and into the Base Station settings menu then selected 'Restatrt". After a few minutes the set came back up, and the "Format USB Device" error messages were gone. All seemed to be OK.

This morning (30 March) the "Format USB Device" error message came back, showing two round USB Drive icons at the bottom right corner of each camera display screen.

I am concerned either there is a problem with my Arlo Pro Base station, and I am not there to solve it, or Arlo Pro is not yet ready for prime time.

[jguerdat]

While I have had to restart my base once to get the USB display to be correct, it's not an ongoing thing.  You may have a problem with the base but I'd still suggest that you at least try using a thumb drive for testing instead of the reader/card solution you're using.  WIthout doing that, it's kinda hard to say what the issue is.

[martincc]

Thanks for the suggestion juerdat.

I may be wrong but my intuition tells me the flash card and card reader to not account for these hiccups. On prior visits I had double-checked the function of these, and even reformatted (before I realised that is not likely needed) with another computer and they worked time after time.

Only when the card/card reader are connected to my Arlo Pro Base station is something happening over time to bring up the messages - and curiouly enough that is corrected only after a restart of the Base Station AND with no need to actually reformat the memory card (contrary to what the errror message is flashing when that comes up).

I will try to plug in a simple USB drive next time I visit, but frustratingly enough I will not be at that location again until the end of May. Oh well, I may just have to keep selecting a Base restart, then the next day restart, then the next day restart...

M

[GearNetRouter]

Hows the card reader SD solution working now? BTW I tried the same but it will not even show op under local storage in the base station. It also renders and existing USB thumb drive already plugged in as non-existent. I think maybe the reason is there something native in Windows/Apple that reads card readers but such driver is not in the base station?

[martincc]

In September I again visited the location with my troublesome Arlo Pro Base Station that failed to read by USB Smar Card Reader and flash card. After trying various suggestions from Netgear Tech Support, they concluded the problem was the Arlo Pro Base Station so they sent a replacement - very thoughtful of them. However, the replacement Arlo Pro Base Station exhibited the excat same problems; it too became confused by the Smart Card Reader with mirco flash card, though the card was formatted and could at times be read by the Arlo Pro Base Station.

Netgear Tech Support concluded the problems I experienced are due to a firmware issue with the Arlo Pro Base Station. I do not know if/when Netgear will address this. They also now understand my point about why it is that being able to connect a remote wired USB card reader can be a good idea for some, this can prevent theft of USB drive data with the Base Station.

In the meantime I settled for attaching a 128GB USB thumb drive, this works as it should.

[GearNetRouter]

It will never work with just an SD card reader. Got nothing to do with your own firmware. Get an SD card reader/ writer. I'm using one with a micro SD it it works fine.

[dan_LI]

Have 2 arlo pro base stations...both after 2-3 months the thumb drives stopped working saying they needed formatting.  Both thumb drives were working fine then the app stated they needed to be formatted.  Unfortunately the arlo app program said it was unable to format drive and to contact tech support.  I used 2 different companies for the thumb drives.  They will not show up on device list in mac or microsoft so i can't try to reformat them in computer.  Base station i think is over writing thumb drive software causing thumb drives to stop working and be recongnized in computer.  anyone else experiencing this?

[jguerdat]

Overwriting old data has no effect on the format. Have you tried to format the drives on a computer (make sure you choose FAT32) to then try them with the base?

[dan_LI]

THERE s a problem with base station destroying thumb drives working with engineers

[dan_LI]

Also got formatting error again and level 2 tech and i we took out the stick and plugged into computer after we tried to format using app. plugged into computer and saw files.  Unhooked from computer and it started to work.  when 160 alerts went through i got an I/O error message unable to write.  safely ejected stick plugged into computer and it wouldnt recongize stick anymore.  Something the base station is doing to usb...this is 3rd usb to stop working.  The 3rd being bought only in 12/28/17 and tops of maybe 600 videos stored. Fat32 as you say all sticks are formatted that way.  But to rule out anything i formatted new stick using app before it started to record anything.

[jguerdat]

I'd think it may be a faulty USB port on the base. Did you try both ports?

[kmiller8821]

FYI - Mine does this ocassionally when I take out the usb to check it in my pc. It's been recording for months. I've found that plugging 2 usb's in at the same time solves it for me. I have no idea why but when i put them both in there, they both become available and it works fine. Once I see them both online and working, I can pull the second one out and it remains fine. Seems like a glitch to me.

[jguerdat]

It would be worth an open case with support so this sort of glitch can be tracked.

[dan_LI]

Thanks, they are looking I to it