NVR not automatically overwriting old files

RafflesNH

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Hi all.
Got a bit of a weird one here. I've set my NVR (Dahua 4104P4KS2 with a WD 4 TB Purple) to automatically overwrite oldest files when the disk is full, but I'm starting to get "HDD No Space" alerts by email, and video playback of recorded files becomes very sluggish. However, this returns to normal when I reboot the NVR.

In order to try and avoid this, I resorted to setting it to also delete files older than 14 days, but I still get the 'HDD No Space' alerts. I'm only recording IVS and Motion events using just one IPCAM, so it's not continuously recording.

Any idea what is going on?
Cheers
Nigel
 

Bramboo

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I have a similar set up (4108-P-4KS2 & WD Purple 6 TB, set to overwrite when full), but recording continuously 4 channels. I'm at approx. 2 TB space left and expect to reach the 100% used state in a few days. I'll let you know what happens.
 

TVT73

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what firmware do you use? Guess it´s an older one. I noticed a similar behaviour with 5x -4ks2 Series, after some months I lost access to the recordings. After a hard disk format and now with a newer firmware I need to wait. The message is not false, because the disk is full, but it´s wanted, so you maybe should uncheck space warning and use only error and missing failure.
 

RafflesNH

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I have a similar set up (4108-P-4KS2 & WD Purple 6 TB, set to overwrite when full), but recording continuously 4 channels. I'm at approx. 2 TB space left and expect to reach the 100% used state in a few days. I'll let you know what happens.
That would be good, thanks. Incidentally, what Firmware are you using? Mine is the original as supplied by Empiretecandy. (3.212.0000.1 build date 2017-2-24) Is there a newer one somewhere?

Cheers
Nigel

UPDATE: Seems I have found a newer one here:
NVR4104/4108-P-4KS2 | Dahua Technology - Dahua Technology
file: DH_NVR4XXX-4KS2_Eng_V3.215.0000000.1.R.170902 although the only bug fixes/optimizations it mentions in the release notes is an "Adjustment startup wizard string", whatever that is. Something tells me it won't have the slightest effect on my particular issue, however. Fingers x'd ;-)
 
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RafflesNH

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what firmware do you use? Guess it´s an older one. I noticed a similar behaviour with 5x -4ks2 Series, after some months I lost access to the recordings. After a hard disk format and now with a newer firmware I need to wait. The message is not false, because the disk is full, but it´s wanted, so you maybe should uncheck space warning and use only error and missing failure.
My firmware is 3.212.0000.1 build date 2017-2-24. See my reply to Bramboo above.
I agree it would seem unnecessary to set a Disk Full alarm on an overwrite setup. But I wanted to play safe as I'm a complete newby with this stuff, and it wasn't until I started experiencing sluggish access to recorded files that the "HDD No Space" alerts started being triggered. Subsequent recordings do not seem to have been affected, however, so I wonder if this is just a bug in the software.

Anyway, my lack of experience simply caused me to wonder if I had incorrectly managed my settings somewhere, and thought I would ask the experts around here to see if this rang any bells with them.
Grateful for your interest.

Nigel
 

Bramboo

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I've upgraded it to V3.215.0000000.1, immediately after powering it for the first time, about 3 weeks ago.

You can do a search for the latest fw from the menu on the NVR, no need to manually search the web. There's also a setting for automatic updating, but I wouldn't recommend that. It probably works fine, but I'd like to decide myself if when to do the update.
 

RafflesNH

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I've upgraded it to V3.215.0000000.1, immediately after powering it for the first time, about 3 weeks ago.

You can do a search for the latest fw from the menu on the NVR, no need to manually search the web. There's also a setting for automatic updating, but I wouldn't recommend that. It probably works fine, but I'd like to decide myself if when to do the update.
Hi and yes, I have now upgraded the firmware and very pleased to see the new firmware Online Upgrade facility! Let's just hope it works. ;-)
I've checked my recordings, and everything seems to be there and up-to-date, in spite of the disk still showing as full in the Storage section with only 14 days of recordings. However, I can live with that as long as access to the recordings doesn't become sluggish and difficult to navigate. All seems well on that front too at the moment, but will see what happens over the next few days.

What I have noticed though, is that I now cannot access the NVR Setup and Info pages using ONVIF Device Manager! They just show blank. The other pages are fine however. Most strange. If I use the Dahua Web Service app (Easy Viewer), thankfully all pages are still accessible. Is anyone else using the ONVIF DM with this NVR/Firmware setup?

Thanks again for the interest.

UPDATE: Typically, just after signing off, I tried it again and now ODM works properly. However, I now have to make sure the camera is selected in Preview first, or it won't show the Setup and Info pages for the NVR! /shrug/
 
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Hi all.
Got a bit of a weird one here. I've set my NVR (Dahua 4104P4KS2 with a WD 4 TB Purple) to automatically overwrite oldest files when the disk is full, but I'm starting to get "HDD No Space" alerts by email, and video playback of recorded files becomes very sluggish. However, this returns to normal when I reboot the NVR.

In order to try and avoid this, I resorted to setting it to also delete files older than 14 days, but I still get the 'HDD No Space' alerts. I'm only recording IVS and Motion events using just one IPCAM, so it's not continuously recording.

Any idea what is going on?
Cheers
Nigel
I have the 5216-4ks2, and yes the disk is full. But that's how it's supposed to work. It just overwrites automatically, older files. It does not delete anything before it overwrites. Doesn't matter what firmware you are on, this is how the NVR is designed to work. You really would not want to do your own maintenace, purging files would you? Let the NVR manage itself. Mine has been like this for about 8 months now, and it's working flawlessly.
 

RafflesNH

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I have the 5216-4ks2, and yes the disk is full. But that's how it's supposed to work. It just overwrites automatically, older files. It does not delete anything before it overwrites. Doesn't matter what firmware you are on, this is how the NVR is designed to work. You really would not want to do your own maintenace, purging files would you? Let the NVR manage itself. Mine has been like this for about 8 months now, and it's working flawlessly.
Hi, yes I get all that. But what I didn't get was the Disk Full email alerts I was getting and sluggish access to my recorded files, which also prompted more email alerts. Anyway, it seems to be doing its stuff ok, so I'll continue to monitor with the new firmware to see if those pesky 'alerts' subside.

Cheers
 
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Hi, yes I get all that. But what I didn't get was the Disk Full email alerts I was getting and sluggish access to my recorded files, which also prompted more email alerts. Anyway, it seems to be doing its stuff ok, so I'll continue to monitor with the new firmware to see if those pesky 'alerts' subside.

Cheers
Just turn off the email alert for "Disk Full" HDD Error in the NVR Setup Screen.
NVR_Setup5216.JPG

Makes no sense to even get an email for this. The disk will always be full.
 

TVT73

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@weigle2
I had mentioned this a few topics above...

Storing recorded events for a long time is in many countries forbidden. And it doesn't make sense to store it for longer than you need to notice a problem.

The auto update function has been released with .0 but in my case it doesn't found .01.
We still have no information of the update behaviour, we hope it will send only an email or notification. I have it active, so let's see when it works.
 

Bramboo

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I cannot imagine a country where it's against the law to keep surveillance recordings of my back garden for 6 months, if I want to. Except maybe in Little Rocketman's country.
Recording e.g. the street is restricted (not forbidden) where I live and then certain rules apply.
 

Bramboo

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Well it took quite a bit longer than the "few days" I expected, but it finally happened: the HDD is full. Space left: 0.00 MB.
No error messages/alerts, nothing weird. Oldest files are overwritten automatically by newer files.
 

RafflesNH

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Well it took quite a bit longer than the "few days" I expected, but it finally happened: the HDD is full. Space left: 0.00 MB.
No error messages/alerts, nothing weird. Oldest files are overwritten automatically by newer files.
Hi and sorry for delay replying but have been abroad.
Did you have the NVR set to alert you when HDD full? I have now turned that alert off, and the disc continues to function normally. So I guess it's a buggy implementation of the alert facility, and should be disabled if 'Automatically overwrite oldest files when full' has been selected as the preferred recording mode.

Nigel
 

Bramboo

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The alert is not activated on my NVR, since I was pretty sure it would use 100% of the HDD capacity. I get your point about the implementation, but if you look at it like a programmer does, it does exactly what it needs to do.
The NVR works nice here, stable and without any issues. Except event markers on the timeline of the app, triggered by IVS events. I wish they would have made this a bit more straightforward.
 
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