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Troubleshoot storage errors

Nx Support
Updated

This guide helps you identify and resolve common storage-related errors in the  Video Management System (VMS). In the event log, the VMS lists these issues under Storage Failure.

NOTE: While the VMS reports the error, the root cause is typically related to the chosen storage solution rather than the VMS applications itself. Because storage infrastructure, disk performance, and hardware limitations fall outside our direct product environment, troubleshooting or resolving storage hardware issues is beyond the scope of the Support Team.

System disk is almost full

This error occurs when the free space on the Operating System partition falls below:

  • 5 GB on x64 devices

  • 1 GB on ARM devices

Why it happens

Both your operating system and the Nx Server application require reserved partition space to function correctly. Nx Server stores critical data on the system partition, including:

  • System databases

  • Motion detection indexes

  • Audit logs

How to fix it

  1. Move non-essential files off the system drive to free up space.

  2. Verify that video storage archives are directed to a secondary drive rather than the main system partition.

  3. If necessary, upgrade your system partition drive to a larger capacity.

Not enough HDD/SSD speed for recording to [drive_name]

This error occurs when your storage drive cannot write data as fast as the incoming video stream arrives.

Why it happens

The Media Server temporarily stores incoming video frames in memory buffers before writing them to disk. If the write speed falls behind, these buffers overflow, forcing the Media Server to drop the oldest frames to keep up.

To identify which specific camera streams lost frames, open and review the main Media Server log files.

How to fix it

Your response depends on how frequently the error occurs:

  • Occasional errors with few dropped frames: Your system is operating near its throughput capacity. If you plan to add more cameras or increase stream resolution, upgrade your storage infrastructure first.

  • Persistent errors or high dropped frame counts: Video footage is being actively lost. Perform the following troubleshooting steps:

    1. Verify that your chosen storage solution and drive architecture are suitable for continuous multi-stream video recording.

    2. Check the physical health and smart status of the affected drive(s).

    3. Verify that network-attached storage drives are online and connected over a stable network link.

    4. Lower the incoming camera bitrate by reducing resolution or frame rate (FPS) in camera settings.

    5. Add more drives to distribute the write load, or replace existing drives with faster models.

I/O error occurred

This error indicates that the operating system encountered a physical or logical failure when attempting to read from or write to a drive.

Why it happens

Common causes for I/O errors include:

  • Bad sectors or physical hardware failure on local drives

  • Drives automatically remounting in read-only mode due to file system corruption

  • Network storage unmounting or becoming unreachable during operations

How to fix it

  1. Check drive status and SMART logs for hardware failures.

  2. Reconnect or test cables, physical ports, and network mounts for external storage.

  3. Replace failing drives or repair corrupted file systems using your operating system's disk utility tools.

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