VMB4540 SmartHub IO Error

[Stevewins]

What’s going on with the SD card corruption issue?  I keep repairing the cards on my computer and the VMB5000 keeps re-corrupting them rendering my local storage option non-functional. 

[Goddag10]

Any update from Arlo? Mine is doing exactly the same thing on 2 different USB memory sticks

[JLN-ACCT]

I am having the same problem.  It seems it started four days ago.

[FlyingCooler]

• VMB4540 SmartHub apparently has a firmware bug in writing to local USB drive. It's supposed to rotate the folder every 512 files. But when there are multiple cameras writing concurrently, there's a high probability that the folder ends up with more than 512 files. The SmartHub then stops to write, throws this IO Error, and enters a very unstable state that seems to require a reboot. The SmartHub also hides the eject option when it enters this state.

This is fairly reproducible. My hub connects to 7 active cameras and I pretty much have to reboot everyday. I've tried 3 USB drives and all had this issue. Upon investigation, they all end with the last folder with more than 512 files.

Please fix this bug or the local recording is literally unusable.

[TrainsTH]

I also have the same issue.

I initially was thinking the SD card was at fault so I bought a new one and did it the same thing. 

ARLO please provide a firmware update to fix this issue!

[jw5412]

I think this issue is prevalent across all Arlo base stations. I have a VMB5000 with 5 cameras recording locally to microSD card. Reproduced and confirmed multiple times if multiple cameras attempt to write when near the max limit of 512 files, the folder will have more than 512 files and everything blows up from there. I can't access the settings to the local storage, and there will be a "yellow SD card" warning saying "IO Error - There was an error writing to SD card". I can still view past videos via direct access, but there will be no new recordings. Unplugging and replugging the SD card or restarting the base station doesn't work. Only way to fix this is to replug and immediately reformat the SD card before a write is attempted. To be fair this edge case could still happen even with two cameras! If we have 511 files, and two cameras simultaneously record we will end up with 513 files and kill everything.

Please fix, this is a serious, serious bug.

[lazmartel]

Just wanted to say that I have just had this today, all of a sudden nothing is being recorded anymore, and that is serious. Arlo please direct your focus on this issue and provide a fix or some advice. It is making people feel unsafe.

[verheult]

I'm having same issue. I've used 3 different, brand new MicroSD cards whose specs are supported by Arlo, and this keeps happening. I've had multiple cases open with Arlo Support on this (huge pain dealing with support; this is gotta be one of the worst-supported tech products I've purchased in a long time!) and they finally RMA'ed the base station. Now the new one is having same problem so clearly a hardware issue is unlikely, I'm guessing bad firmware they still haven't fixed? And since you all are seeing same issue, clearly this is a known problem. Why doesn't Arlo Support seem to know about this issue when you contact them?

[verheult]

Please educate your first-level Arlo Support staff on outstanding issues like these; they seem to be clueless about it.

[FlyingCooler]

For those who run into this problem, here's some minimal remediation we can do before Arlo fixes this bug.

• (1) Unplug your USB drive or SD card and plug it into your computer. Go to the "arlo" folder can click the folder with the largest sequence number (it should start from 0000000). If that folder has more than or equal to 513 files, then you hit this bug!
• (2) In arlo app, file a support request and ask for engineering escalation. Emphasize that there is no file overwritten. The folder got written more than 512 files and the SmartHub failed to write any more.
• (3) You don't have to reformat your USB drive or SD card. Simply delete enough files so the folder has 512 files should make it work again.
• (4) If possible, only trigger one camera recording at a time. This should greatly reduce the concurrency bug.
• (5) If you really have to trigger more than one camera recording at a time, try to space out the recording length. It seems that spacing them out helps a bit too (not 100% sure). E.g., camera 1 records for 20 secs, camera 2 records for 30 secs, etc.

[ShayneS]

Are we still experiencing this issue?

Thanks 

[turkeysub426]

No problem for me since I reformatted my USB (since 5/12/2023 @ ~1pm EDT).  The USB has stayed connected and I have 26.18 GB of data stored since then.  I am able to view the videos without a problem.

[ShayneS]

Hey @turkeysub426 

Thanks for that update!

[bmgoodman]

Thanks for this information @FlyingCooler ! I deleted a few files from my highest number folder (on my PC), put it back in my hub, and all is well.

They really need to fix this bug!

[edrevugh]

It's happening no matter the number of partitions or initial format. I've repartitioned to single,  tried XFAT and FAT32, several different cluster sizes, and quick or slow formatting. (I've used FAT32 gui)

It gets recorrupted every few days.

[JP_13]

I am having the same issue. Each time I reformat the SD card and it works for 1-3 days and then the same error. 

[bmgoodman]

I spoke too soon.  In a few hours, I was write back to having the problem again!  So I put the SD card bck in my computer and copied all the files to another location.  I then formatted NTFS and put it back into my Arlo hub.  I then let the hub format it.  Hopefully I won't hit the problem again for a while.

Still, this BUG should be fixed ASAP!

[Sport6929]

I have the same issue with IO error message on my VMB5000r5.  Tired of not having reliable stored videos for my cameras!

[SAub]

My USB drive stopped working again today. It worked correctly for about 2 weeks, but stopped working this morning. The Arlo iPhone app claims it needs to be formatted...just like last time, but it works just fine in Win 10. Any update from Arlo about fixing this bug?

[Ctrakarn]

I had this happen randomly on VMB5000, VMB4540 and VMB4500. Is there a storage limitation on this?  I used 128GB and 256Gb. Should I be using something smaller?  I don’t think it’s a power issue. It’s on a UPS. These are all brand new sd cards. 

[jguerdat]

There's a couple of different symptoms happening but try this:

Plug the drive into a computer. Check each numbered folder under Arlo to see how many files are in each. If 513, delete one. Does the drive now work properly?

[Vdubguy2k]

Arlo support sent me a new VMB5000 as they thought mine was bad.  Got the new one hooked up and all the cameras back online.....next day, same corrupt SD card error.  Replied to my support ticket and got a response a few days later asking for screen shots.  I replied that I already sent those weeks ago, and it's the same error.  I seem to be stuck in an endless loop of wasted time going back and forth with support.  Clearly it's a bug of some sort on Arlos end, just not sure how to get in touch with anyone who can actually do something about it.

[Stevewins]

This fiasco is getting ridiculous. Arlo needs to either make it a high priority and fix it ASAP or else roll back the firmware to the previous one without this bug. 

Everyone, go to twitter and let Arlo’s CEO Matthew McRae (@mbmcrae) know about this issue and demand he get it fixed ASAP. 

[Musicalfyre]

VMB4000 that has USB hard drive error and VMB5000 with corrupting SD card. SD card went first, about 3 weeks ago. Hard drive just stopped. It is a 2 or 4 terabyte drive, so it's not a matter of being full. I formatted both on a computer and neither work currently. Please fix this Arlo. Running Ultra and Ultra 2 cameras on hubs and 2 doorbell cameras on their own because the had green screen video when connected to a hub. That would be a cool fix also, so I can record to local storage. 

[JLN-ACCT]

Yes

[Baoviet]

Yes still have issue.  Thx