Base station VMB5000r5 not recognizing SD card and not updating firmware.

[Ravedood]

I have 10 Ultra 2 cameras connected to two base stations with SD cards. I have two VMB5000r5 base stations, both on firmware version 1.21.1.0_1431_9611cf3. Both have SanDisk 256GB Extreme microSDXC UHS cards, and they used recording locally to the SD cards just fine. One does not recognize the SD card anymore, while the other is recording to the SD cards just fine. I get the message "Insert Micro SD card" in Storage settings for the troubled base station. I swapped the SD cards, but the troubled base station did not recognize the SD card of the good base station. The good base station can read the SD card that was in the troubled base station just fine. I even formatted it on my PC using a third-party tool to FAT32. So, it's not the SD card. 

I am thinking a firmware update might fix this, but I tried to update the firmware from 1.21.1.0_1431_9611cf3 to the latest which is 1.24.0.1_1607_8938370 and it is not updating. It says, "No updates available." I even removed the base station from my account and added it back, thinking that would trigger an update like others have stated, but it didn't. Please help.

[ShayneS]

Hi @Ravedood 

Have you tried to format the SD card with the base station via these steps: 

https://kb.arlo.com/1146896/How-do-I-format-local-storage-using-my-Arlo-SmartHub-Arlo-Base-Station-o....

[Edinburgh_lad1]

There was 'in-between' firmware released before the current version (April) and the version that you have that affected the SD card storage. Have you checked both SmartHubs' firmware versions? Are you sure that both are the same? Is it possible that the firmware of the problematic SmartHub is the problematic firmware? 

Try resetting the problematic base station and then try again. Before you do that: are there any folders/files on the SD card after you remove it from the problematic base station and put it into a PC? 

[molitoreric]

I am also out of answers for mine.  This is the first I have used the micro sd slot and cannot get the base station to recognize that it is inserted.

Any fixes?

[ShayneS]

@molitoreric 

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