Troubleshooting Hikvision No Continuous Recording
One of the primary functions of a Hikvision security system is its ability to record footage 24/7. When you discover that your DVR or NVR is not recording continuously, it can compromise your security and peace of mind. This issue is almost always caused by incorrect configuration settings or a problem with the internal hard drive (HDD).
This comprehensive guide will walk you through the essential steps to diagnose and fix the problem, ensuring your system is back to providing uninterrupted, continuous recording.
Understanding Hikvision Recording Modes
Your Hikvision system has different recording modes, and selecting the wrong one is the most common reason for a lack of 24/7 footage.
- Continuous Recording: The system records constantly, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is typically represented by a blue colour in the schedule.
- Motion Detection Recording: The system only records when it detects movement in a camera's field of view. This is represented by a green colour.
- Event/Alarm Recording: The system records when triggered by a specific event, such as an alarm input or video analytics rule. This is often shown in red or yellow.
If your timeline is mostly empty with occasional green bars, your system is set to Motion Detection, not Continuous.
Step-by-Step Guide to Restore Continuous Recording
Follow these steps carefully by logging into your DVR/NVR's interface, either directly with a connected monitor or via a web browser.
Step 1: Verify and Correct the Recording Schedule
This is the most critical step. You need to tell the system you want it to record continuously.
- Log In: Access your DVR/NVR's main menu.
- Navigate to Schedule Settings: Go to Configuration > Storage > Schedule Settings.
- Select Your Camera: Choose the camera you want to configure from the dropdown list at the top.
- Edit the Schedule: Click the Edit button. A weekly schedule will appear.
- Set to Continuous:
- Ensure the 'Enable Schedule' box is ticked.
- Select the Continuous option.
- Drag your mouse across the entire timeline grid (from 00:00 to 24:00) for every day of the week. The entire grid should turn blue.
- Copy to Other Cameras (Optional): If you want the same schedule for all your cameras, you can use the 'Copy' button to apply the settings to all other channels.
- Save: Click OK or Apply to save your new schedule.
Step 2: Check the Hard Drive (HDD) Status
If the schedule is correct, the next most likely culprit is the hard drive. The system cannot record if the HDD is full (and not set to overwrite), faulty, or not properly initialised.
- Navigate to Storage Management: Go to Configuration > Storage > Storage Management.
- Check HDD Status: You will see a list of the installed hard drives. The status for your HDD should be Normal.
- If the status is Error or Offline, the hard drive may have failed or has a bad connection. You should power down the system, open the case, and check the data and power cables to the HDD.
- If the status is Uninitialized, the drive needs to be prepared for use. Select the drive and click the Format button. WARNING: This will permanently erase all data on the drive.
- Ensure 'Overwrite' is Enabled: In your recording settings (often under Record > Parameters or within Storage Management), find the setting for Overwrite or Recycle Record. This must be enabled. This setting allows the DVR/NVR to automatically delete the oldest footage to make room for new recordings. If this is disabled, recording will stop when the drive is full.
Step 3: Check Camera and System Status
Finally, ensure the system is operating correctly.
- Live View: Check that you can see a live video feed from the camera in question. If there is no video, you can't record it.
- Recording Icon: On the live view screen for each camera, look for a small, red recording symbol (often a circle or a filmstrip icon). If this icon is present, the system is actively recording that channel. If it's missing, it indicates a problem with the schedule or HDD for that specific camera.
- Reboot the System: If you have made changes, it's always a good idea to perform a system reboot. Go to Maintenance > System Service and click the Reboot button. This can often resolve temporary software glitches.
By systematically checking the schedule, verifying the health of your hard drive, and ensuring the overwrite function is enabled, you can resolve nearly all issues preventing your Hikvision system from recording continuously.