Question: My cameras show a live picture, but when I try to play back there are no recordings, or files are missing and corrupted. What is going wrong?
Answer: When live view works but recording does not, the cameras and power are usually fine — the fault is in the recording side. The most common causes are a failed or failing hard disk drive (HDD), a recording schedule that was switched off or overwritten, wrong retention settings deleting footage too early, a network fault that drops the feed to the recorder, or camera firmware that has stopped writing correctly. The fix is to check the HDD health, re-confirm the recording schedule and retention, and test each camera's recording path — work a CCTV technician can usually complete in one visit.
Why a System Stops Recording
| Cause | Typical clue |
|---|---|
| HDD failure | No playback, or recorder reports a drive error |
| Recording schedule off | Live view fine, but nothing ever records |
| Retention set too short | Older footage missing, recent clips present |
| Network fault | Some or all cameras drop out of the recorder |
| Power supply to recorder | Recorder restarts or loses recordings |
| Camera firmware issue | A single camera stops recording while others work |
What to Check Before You Call
- Confirm the recorder is on and its power supply is healthy — a restarting recorder loses recordings.
- Check the recording schedule in the recorder or app. A wrong time or an accidentally disabled schedule is a common silent cause.
- Look at the HDD status. Most recorders show a drive health or error indicator.
- Test playback from one camera to see whether the fault affects all cameras or just one.
- Note when it started — after a power cut, a firmware update, or a network change.
What a CCTV Technician Does
A technician will typically:
- Test the HDD and replace it if it has failed, transferring or attempting recovery of important footage first.
- Reconfigure the recording schedule and retention so footage is kept for the intended period.
- Update camera and recorder firmware where that is the cause.
- Check network connections and power to the recorder.
- Verify every camera is actually recording by playing back a test clip from each.
KL Servis Rumah provides CCTV system health checks and relocation from RM 220, and works with common systems including Hikvision, Dahua, Ezviz and Tuya. CCTV work carries the published 12-Month Camera & Installation Warranty.
Costs in KL and Selangor
Published guidance for this problem is RM 180 to RM 850+, depending on the NVR or HDD issue. KL Servis Rumah publishes CCTV system health check and relocation from RM 220, condo Wi-Fi CCTV package from RM 2,200, and general CCTV services from RM 420.
If the cameras themselves show no live picture rather than just no recording, that is a different fault — see CCTV not recording or showing blank feed.
Related Problems
- CCTV not recording or showing blank feed — the live-feed-down version of the problem.
- CCTV installation buying guide — for choosing a reliable system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you recover lost footage?
Sometimes. We attempt data recovery from the HDD before replacing it, though success depends on the nature of the failure.
Do you install Hikvision and Dahua systems?
Yes. We work with common systems including Hikvision, Dahua, Ezviz and Tuya.
Why does live view work but nothing records?
The cameras are fine; the recording side is at fault — usually the HDD, the recording schedule, or retention settings. A technician can isolate which in one visit.
How long should a CCTV system keep footage?
That depends on HDD size, camera count and resolution, but most homes keep between two weeks and a month of footage. Too-short retention often explains "missing" older recordings.
How do I know if my HDD is failing?
Recorders usually show a drive error, missing playback, or beeping. A technician can run a drive health check to confirm.
Restore Your Recording
The useful first step is knowing whether the fault is the HDD, the schedule, or the network — because each has a different fix. KL Servis Rumah provides CCTV services across Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam, Puchong, Cheras and Klang.
Tell us whether live view works and roughly when recording stopped — WhatsApp our CCTV team.