Cant access cameras through Dahua NVR

[jojo2504]

Hi!

I have a Dahua DH-XVR5108HS-I2 with 8 cameras attached by coaxial. The cameras get power via a CCTV Power Supply Box.

Yesterday I lost the ability to view the live stream of the cameras. The network/connectivity is working as I can access one of the 8 cameras which is a ptz and has it own power supply though POE Adapter unlike the other 7 cameras, which rely on the CCTV Power supply box.

I was able to login via the Dahua web login but when I try to view the camera feeds it just keeps loading and nothing happens.

Also when I try to view recordings from previous days it wont load either.

Same thing happens when I try through the DMSS app too.

In admin I can see that HDD health is "OK", Also I can see that the power supply is giving power too.

Earlier today I decided to do a format of the HDD in case the issue had something to do with the DVR's HDD, but since the format I can't login through Dahua web login now. It loads the Dahua login screen but when I input the credentials it does nothing. I have tried to do "forgot password" so I can reset the password. This actually send the security code to my email and I am able to reset the password. But when I try to login nothing happens.

I can't work out whether it's a fault of the DVR or the HDD or something different.

Any help, ideas, or guidance you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you
Joe

 

[Revo2Maxx]

8 cameras 7 of them are on a PDU? You say that the PDU has power? How are you sure that the PDU has power? Green Light? Does the PDU offer Single Fuses for each of the cameras? Have you tested that the cameras are getting 12v to the camera? A Light on the PDU can mean a few things but if there is no power getting to the cameras then it don't matter what the Power box says..

Need to confirm that the voltage to the cameras are getting 12v or almost that depending on distance or 24v if they are 24v cameras.. I have PDUs of both 12 and 24v.. Next who setup the PDU? What is the distance to the longest run camera? What I would do is confirm that the cameras are getting 12v. If there is a short in the run and the system isn't setup correctly it would only take 1 cameras fault to cause the whole system to go offline..

 

[jojo2504]

Thanks for your reply.

So yes my only indication that the 7 cams are getting power is the green light on the power box. This setup have been in place and working fine for the last 2 years without any problems. It only suddenly stopped yesterday. BTW i must mention that I'm not physically at the location and the only way I can see the power box is via a camera I have inside the house that I connect to, to see all the Dahua equipment and modem etc.

You are right, the green light is not a strong indicator that the cams are getting power, but why would the nvr not playback recordings from the previous days though, as it's unrelated to the power box of those cams.

Thanks again for help

 

[Revo2Maxx]

Well you said you Format the HDD, Nothing will playback if there was nothing recording from the cameras. While I don't know when you tried but hate to say that if the Format was after you tried to playback and there was nothing there then there was an issue with your PDU before yesterday..

On some PDUs there is a Display that also offers a Voltage Read out! does yours? If not I would say it might be important if you are remote to install 1, Want to make sure it isn't just the Voltage read out from PSU but after fused output. Even a multi LED array would be best..

Next something you could do for future. Please note that I have had a system in place for years. To find out 1/2 of my cameras went offline. Anyway in that my Closet camera also went offline lol so I couldn't even see my PDU, However I knew what cameras were offline that night when I used one of my outdoor PTZ to look at areas of the property for cameras that would have IR and the Blasters. Without them being on I know what PDU was offline and what cameras were affected. Because of the way I place my cameras and with the use of PTZs I was able to keep an eye on the areas until I could get out there seeing I live 10 hours from that property not something I can do on a moments notice always..

So if you have ability with PTZ camera that can see other cameras location you would know if the camera is getting power if the IR is on and can be seen from your PTZ camera.. Even if you like some of mine use Color PTZ cameras can still detect IR coming from 850nm IR cameras.. Now Power to cameras don't cover an issue with Coax back to the DVR.. But will give an idea of what is or isn't working..

 

[Revo2Maxx]

Oh sorry I re read your text again.. About after a Format and now not able to access the DVR it sounds like that you system needs a Reboot.. In my remote locations on systems that are Ai I do nightly reboots. On other systems not Ai I will do weekly reboots. Then issues HDD related happen less.. If now you are not able to access your system it sounds like the system failed on a Reboot after Format and the DVR needs to be rebooted. Also hope you don't but if you are like some others and use your PDU to power your DVR it very well could be that your issue is PDU related and the 12v PSU is not longer able to support the Current Output needs and even the Needs of the DVR is to much for your PSU to supply and will need someone on sight to repair or replace failing power supply..

 

[jojo2504]

Oh sorry I re read your text again.. About after a Format and now not able to access the DVR it sounds like that you system needs a Reboot.. In my remote locations on systems that are Ai I do nightly reboots. On other systems not Ai I will do weekly reboots. Then issues HDD related happen less.. If now you are not able to access your system it sounds like the system failed on a Reboot after Format and the DVR needs to be rebooted. Also hope you don't but if you are like some others and use your PDU to power your DVR it very well could be that your issue is PDU related and the 12v PSU is not longer able to support the Current Output needs and even the Needs of the DVR is to much for your PSU to supply and will need someone on sight to repair or replace failing power supply..

Great idea about the IR! The PTZ will be able to see the IR light from the cameras that aren't streaming. I will check tonight. Thank you!

If there is IR that would mean that there is something wrong with eh DVR and/or the HDD, what do you think?

The cameras get their power from this:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Channel-Security-Camera-Distributed-Surveillance/dp/B07R1YNG8Y

 

[Revo2Maxx]

Well from the sounds it could be an issue with the Power supply, Seeing you were saying that the HDD checked out OK on the DVR before format.. Again if you use PDU to power your DVR as well as your cameras and your cameras went offline first then PDU issue. However now with DVR acting up the DVR will need a Power Cycle at the least and might need another Format if the Power Supply was infact the power on the DVR because it very well could be that the Format failed and now the DVR is kind of in a Limp Mode with little to no access..

Your PDU with it being 5amps and running 7 cameras I hope you were not using it to power your DVR as well.. I personally don't know that PDU but if the PSU has gone bad and I have some from 2008 that I still run without being repaired. But some companies use low quality caps and normally is the first thing to fail. My guess 7 cameras at 500ma each cameras you are looking at 3.5amps.. I mean testing my 8mp CVI Amcrest Turret camera only uses 450ma with IR on. Now that number could go up with different things being in cameras view. But my guess is constant wouldn't be much over 500ma..

For your PDU with each having a LED you could leave it open to know what ones are working or could have something crafted that moves each light upto the cover and just have to drill some holes lol. But then not many people are in to doing things like that. But with Plastics and or some fibers someone could easy move the lights to the cover.. If you need to replace the PSU, I would buy a Meanwell PSU to replace it. Don't go to crazy on the Current seeing no telling the quality of the PCB and over current on the PCB could burn out the tracks.. I have even moved to resetting type fuses PTC on my boards.. Now this one has a 1amp and the rest are 3amp as what the board had on it in glass fuses normally. Now just because I do something don't always mean it is a good idea for others to go out and change out the Glass fuses on their PDUs. There are some PDUs out there that come with PTCs already this board was made back in 09 and had glass fuses. The holders were not all the greatest so I changed out to something that works best for my needs.

 

[jojo2504]

The IR light of the other cameras is working, meaning that it cant be the power supply. Right? So that means it's either the DVR is faulty or the HDD? Any thoughts?

Well from the sounds it could be an issue with the Power supply, Seeing you were saying that the HDD checked out OK on the DVR before format.. Again if you use PDU to power your DVR as well as your cameras and your cameras went offline first then PDU issue. However now with DVR acting up the DVR will need a Power Cycle at the least and might need another Format if the Power Supply was infact the power on the DVR because it very well could be that the Format failed and now the DVR is kind of in a Limp Mode with little to no access..

Your PDU with it being 5amps and running 7 cameras I hope you were not using it to power your DVR as well.. I personally don't know that PDU but if the PSU has gone bad and I have some from 2008 that I still run without being repaired. But some companies use low quality caps and normally is the first thing to fail. My guess 7 cameras at 500ma each cameras you are looking at 3.5amps.. I mean testing my 8mp CVI Amcrest Turret camera only uses 450ma with IR on. Now that number could go up with different things being in cameras view. But my guess is constant wouldn't be much over 500ma..

For your PDU with each having a LED you could leave it open to know what ones are working or could have something crafted that moves each light upto the cover and just have to drill some holes lol. But then not many people are in to doing things like that. But with Plastics and or some fibers someone could easy move the lights to the cover.. If you need to replace the PSU, I would buy a Meanwell PSU to replace it. Don't go to crazy on the Current seeing no telling the quality of the PCB and over current on the PCB could burn out the tracks.. I have even moved to resetting type fuses PTC on my boards.. Now this one has a 1amp and the rest are 3amp as what the board had on it in glass fuses normally. Now just because I do something don't always mean it is a good idea for others to go out and change out the Glass fuses on their PDUs. There are some PDUs out there that come with PTCs already this board was made back in 09 and had glass fuses. The holders were not all the greatest so I changed out to something that works best for my needs.
View attachment 209686The IR light of the other cameras is working, meaning that it cant be the power supply. Right? So that means it's either the DVR is faulty or the HDD? Any thoughts?

 

[Revo2Maxx]

Ok so at this point we have an idea that the cameras are getting the power needed to turn on the IR lights. This don't explain why the DVR issues.. It might be that the HDD is dead and causing the DVR to short out seeing last I heard you said that you were not able to connect to the DVR after trying to format the HDD..

So are you remote to the location? If you can see the DVR and have it connected to a Monitor does it show that it is not booting? Or has it boot up but you no longer have access?

Here is what I would do. Turn off the power, Remove the top and remove the HDD wires from the HDD.. Then restore power. If the DVR powers up to the Main Menu and you can see the Cameras we know the DVR is working.. Then shut down and install the HDD back. Boot back up and see if it will power up. If it don't replace the HDD. If it happens to boot up and you can access the Storage menu I would check the HDD and if it is showing ok. I would try to Format it again and make sure that the HDD is ready for the task of being your DVRs HDD.. If not then Replace the HDD.. Out of all my systems the ones that last the longest is WD Purple. Other brands seems to last about 10k hours less it seems if not more.. One that just went down is 4 years old and only has 35k hours. Where my other machines have lasted 49k to over 55k depending on the recorder. Or 5.5 to little over 6 years.. Todays HDD might last even longer.

 

[jojo2504]

Ok so at this point we have an idea that the cameras are getting the power needed to turn on the IR lights. This don't explain why the DVR issues.. It might be that the HDD is dead and causing the DVR to short out seeing last I heard you said that you were not able to connect to the DVR after trying to format the HDD..

So are you remote to the location? If you can see the DVR and have it connected to a Monitor does it show that it is not booting? Or has it boot up but you no longer have access?

Here is what I would do. Turn off the power, Remove the top and remove the HDD wires from the HDD.. Then restore power. If the DVR powers up to the Main Menu and you can see the Cameras we know the DVR is working.. Then shut down and install the HDD back. Boot back up and see if it will power up. If it don't replace the HDD. If it happens to boot up and you can access the Storage menu I would check the HDD and if it is showing ok. I would try to Format it again and make sure that the HDD is ready for the task of being your DVRs HDD.. If not then Replace the HDD.. Out of all my systems the ones that last the longest is WD Purple. Other brands seems to last about 10k hours less it seems if not more.. One that just went down is 4 years old and only has 35k hours. Where my other machines have lasted 49k to over 55k depending on the recorder. Or 5.5 to little over 6 years.. Todays HDD might last even longer.

Yeah, I have a feeling the HDD is dead. I'm remote from the location, and I can only see the actual DVR from an indoor camera , no monitor connected to it. The only thing I can see related to the DVR is that the lights are on on it.

Before the format, I could access admin, I even downloaded the settings/configuration backup and also saw that the health of the HDD was "OK" (could the HDD be corrupt and still show health "OK"?). So I had full control of the admin, but streaming and video playback weren't playing. After the format I can't access anything related to the DVR. As you mentioned, I suspect that the faulty HDD is causing DVR not to boot properly, maybe.

You've been a great help mate, I really appreciate you taking the time to troubleshoot with me.

 

[Revo2Maxx]

I would look at the Docs for the recorder and make sure that you test the Power supply to the Recorder. If it says it needs 4amps give it 4 to 5amps of a known good company. I have a 5amp power supply that is a fake mean well that says it is 5amps and when I test it I can only get 3.5amps before it fails. So I took apart to find out why to find out that it was fake and was power from different device changed out to pretend to be a 5amp power supply lol.. Next if you know that the Power going to the recorder is good and able to support the Power Needs of the recorder and the HDD is still not working. Then next step is removing the Power supply to see if you can again access the recorder over WebUI.. If you can once the HDD has been removed the replacement of HDD is going to be needed. Remember the Power Supply is important test. If it is bad or to weak for the recorder and you buy a new HDD install it the system will fail.. That is why I always say start with Power supply for testing. Making sure it is correct type Amps for the device..

Never just test a power supply with a meter. The whole idea of 12v must be good isn't always the case because the power supply needs a load to confirm that it is infact good..

 

[jojo2504]

I would look at the Docs for the recorder and make sure that you test the Power supply to the Recorder. If it says it needs 4amps give it 4 to 5amps of a known good company. I have a 5amp power supply that is a fake mean well that says it is 5amps and when I test it I can only get 3.5amps before it fails. So I took apart to find out why to find out that it was fake and was power from different device changed out to pretend to be a 5amp power supply lol.. Next if you know that the Power going to the recorder is good and able to support the Power Needs of the recorder and the HDD is still not working. Then next step is removing the Power supply to see if you can again access the recorder over WebUI.. If you can once the HDD has been removed the replacement of HDD is going to be needed. Remember the Power Supply is important test. If it is bad or to weak for the recorder and you buy a new HDD install it the system will fail.. That is why I always say start with Power supply for testing. Making sure it is correct type Amps for the device..

Never just test a power supply with a meter. The whole idea of 12v must be good isn't always the case because the power supply needs a load to confirm that it is infact good..

Noted, thank you.