What to Do When Your Hikvision NVR or DVR Storage is Full
A "Storage Full" or "HDD Full" error on your Hikvision security system is a critical issue. When the internal hard drive runs out of space, the system's default behaviour is often to stop recording new footage. This can leave your property unprotected without you even realising it.
This error doesn't mean your system is broken. It simply means the hard drive has been filled with recorded video data and you need to decide what to do with it. The solution is to enable overwriting and optimise your recording settings to manage your storage space efficiently.
Key Symptoms of a Full Hard Drive
You'll know your storage is full if you encounter these signs:
- Your NVR or DVR stops recording any new video footage.
- A "HDD Full" or similar storage-related error message appears on the monitor.
- The recorder begins to beep continuously as a audible warning alert.
- When you try to view playback, you can see old footage but nothing from the last few hours or days.
- In the storage management menu, the hard drive status shows 0% free space.
Step 1: Enable Hard Drive Overwriting
By default, some Hikvision systems are set to 'Stop Recording' when the disk is full. The most important setting to change is to enable 'Overwrite'. This will configure the system to automatically delete the oldest recordings to make space for the newest ones, ensuring the camera never stops recording.
How to Enable Overwriting:
- Log In to Your Recorder: Access your NVR or DVR's interface using a connected monitor and mouse, or through a web browser.
- Navigate to Storage Settings: Go to Configuration -> Storage -> Storage Settings.
- Select the Hard Drive: You will see a list of the hard drives (HDD) installed in your system. Select the relevant HDD.
- Set to Overwrite: Look for an 'Overwrite' setting (sometimes called 'Recycling'). Change this from 'Stop Recording' to 'Overwrite'.
- Save Your Changes: Click 'Apply' or 'Save' to confirm the new setting.
Your system will now run continuously without filling up. However, you can further optimise your settings to increase the total number of days you can store footage.
Step 2: Optimise Your Recording Schedule and Settings
Recording everything 24/7 at the highest quality will use up storage space very quickly. By being strategic, you can extend your storage duration significantly.
Use Motion Detection Instead of Continuous Recording
Instead of recording constantly, you can set the system to only record when activity is detected. This dramatically reduces storage consumption.
- Navigate to Schedule Settings: Go to Configuration -> Storage -> Schedule Settings.
- Select Your Camera: Choose the camera you want to configure.
- Enable Motion: Ensure 'Enable Schedule' is checked. You will see a timeline for the week. Click on the 'Motion' event type.
- Draw on the Timeline: Drag your mouse across the timeline for the days and hours you want motion recording to be active. You can cover the entire week in green (for motion) instead of blue (for continuous).
- Enable Motion Detection: You also need to ensure motion detection is enabled for the camera itself. Go to Configuration -> Event -> Basic Event -> Motion Detection. Check 'Enable Motion Detection' and configure the detection area and sensitivity.
- Copy to Other Cameras: Use the 'Copy' button to apply the same schedule to your other cameras.
Adjust Video Quality Settings
Slightly lowering the video quality can have a huge impact on file size without a noticeable loss in clarity.
- Navigate to Video & Audio Settings: Go to Configuration -> Video & Audio.
- Adjust Key Parameters:
- Bitrate: This is the most important setting. Lowering the bitrate will reduce the file size. For a 1080p camera, a bitrate between 2048 and 4096 Kbps is often a good balance.
- Frame Rate (FPS): For most surveillance purposes, 15-20 FPS is perfectly smooth. Lowering it from 25 or 30 FPS will save a lot of space.
- Resolution: Only lower the resolution from its maximum if you absolutely need to save space, as this has the biggest impact on image quality.
By enabling overwriting and optimising your recording schedule, you can transform your Hikvision system from one that stops when full to a reliable, continuous security solution.