Thinkware U3000 Pro kills Viofo SD cards since January Update

SafeDriveSolutions

SafeDriveSolutions

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Viofo A329S, Vueroid S1, U3000 Pro & more....
Since the January update of Thinkware U3000 Pro we have noticed that their dash camera is bricking and killing Viofo SD cards(I noticed I did not specify Viofo) .

This only started in January and only started after their update in January came out. We have had customer who have even done an update for example a week ago and within days the SD card is completely dead and bricked. These are customer using a high quality VIOFO SD card.

We easily have 10 plus clients this happened to since January.

We have changed all of these customers to Vueroid SD cards and they no longer have issues. Some of them have had it for months.

To be clear we had customers who had zero challenges for months. FOr example 1 customer had no issues for 4 months. Did update and bricked the Viofo SD card. We swapped it with another Viofo SD card and within a week it bricked another Viofo SD card. I find this very interesteding as there were no issues prior to update.

However the high quality Viofo SD card is being bricked by the Thinkware U3000 Pro update in January.

Does anyone have the capability to see if something was written into the dash camera firmware to cause these challenges? I would ask Thinkware but I am still waiting for them to respond to emails from months ago. They have proven to be unreliable with responding.

If someone has the capability @rcg530 @Chuck McCoy @jsmith @lufa6977

Have a great day
 
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Yikes!
That sounds scary if Thinkware is doing this on purpose.
If only we had an industry standard for memory cards, that dash cam manufacturers were required to adhere / comply.
Like an association, or something.
 
Chuck McCoy said:
Yikes!
That sounds scary if Thinkware is doing this on purpose.
If only we had an industry standard for memory cards, that dash cam manufacturers were required to adhere / comply.
Like an association, or something.
Click to expand...
We dont know if its an accident, on purpose or what the update even did
 
@SafeDriveSolutions

1. Have you updated to the February Firmware? https://thinkwarestore.com/u3000pro...HCC1lzbEgqdp8KRsg3eKc6_sm9NK-xnMwHKvpalLVE8M5

Same Problem?

2. Does this happen to any other brand MicroSD other than Viofo? --- I.E. Vantrue? Blackvue? etc?

3. If you flash back to the previous firmware, do the Viofo MicroSD cards work without issue?

You need to work backgrounds (if you haven't already).

Not sure how to analyze the bin for readable changes. Looked in a hex editor but didn't show anything I could figure out. Bit beyond my paygrade.
 
You can see my story I have already used the original thinkware SD card and got a new one last july. Thinkware is more like crapware.
 
jsmith said:
@SafeDriveSolutions

1. Have you updated to the February Firmware? https://thinkwarestore.com/u3000pro...HCC1lzbEgqdp8KRsg3eKc6_sm9NK-xnMwHKvpalLVE8M5

Same Problem?

2. Does this happen to any other brand MicroSD other than Viofo? --- I.E. Vantrue? Blackvue? etc?

3. If you flash back to the previous firmware, do the Viofo MicroSD cards work without issue?

You need to work backgrounds (if you haven't already).

Not sure how to analyze the bin for readable changes. Looked in a hex editor but didn't show anything I could figure out. Bit beyond my paygrade.
Click to expand...
January/February was first time we seen update. Any update since then has been same outcome. We could look at backdating the firmware. However a customer may lose something that may be important.

We have not tried other sd cards. As these are seriously bricking the sd cards and nothing you can do will bring them back to life
 
SafeDriveSolutions said:
Since the January update of Thinkware U3000 Pro we have noticed that their dash camera is bricking and killing other SD cards that are not using a Thinkware SD card.

This only started in January and only started after their update in January came out. We have had customer who have even done an update for example a week ago and within days the SD card is completely dead and bricked. These are customer using a high quality VIOFO SD card.

We easily have 10 plus clients this happened to since January.

We have changed all of these customers to Vueroid SD cards and they no longer have issues. Some of them have had it for months.

To be clear we chad customers who had zero challenges for months. FOr example 1 customer had no issues for 4 months. Did update and bricked the Viofo SD card. We swapped it with another Viofo SD card and within a week it bricked another Viofo SD card. I find this very interesteding as there were no issues prior to update.

However the high quality Viofo SD card is intentionally being bricked by the Thinkware U3000 Pro update in January.

Does anyone have the capability to see if something was written into the dash camera firmware to cause these intentional challenges? I would ask Thinkware but I am still waiting for them to respond to emails from months ago. They have proven to be unreliable with responding.

If someone has the capability @rcg530 @Chuck McCoy @jsmith @lufa6977

Have a great day
Click to expand...

Possibly, and I mentioned this briefly to Robert on a private chat a few months back. These SD cards have a hex field containing a vendor code. If you have the list (I do, or did, somewhere), you can check who actually made the SD card. This code can be a manufacturer code or a vendor code. So, 'Big Name Manufacturer' makes SD cards for 10 brands, and they can put that brand code in there, especially if that brand is a subsidiary.

Now, it is possible, and I will not make this accusation, that some company is checking that code, and if it does not match their code, they make the SD inoperable by various means. The fact that it is destructive and that the non-branded card is rendered useless on other devices leads to a bit of a legal mishmash. If the card were left intact and usable on other devices, then no harm, no foul. Of course, it is possible that a botched firmware update has rendered some SD useless.

If you have an Apple Mac Studio or a Mac with a built-in SD card reader, you can usually find the code in System Report. For Windows, I am not sure how to find that, though there are plenty of tools available that will probably find it.

If you want to mail a few of the bad SD to me, give me a call.
 
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SafeDriveSolutions said:
January/February was first time we seen update. Any update since then has been same outcome. We could look at backdating the firmware. However a customer may lose something that may be important.

We have not tried other sd cards. As these are seriously bricking the sd cards and nothing you can do will bring them back to life
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, the U3000 firmware is too large to throw into Grok and ask the software to analyze the files. There's a 150MB Limit.

1. When you say the Sd cards are "Bricked" will they no longer recognize in any computer or you can't get them to format? https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/

See if you can get them to work and format with that software.

2. The reason you need to flash back BEFORE January is to find out when exactly the change occurred that started bricking MicroSD Cards.

3. Grok can only analyze files up to 150MB and the thinkware firmware is too large. Chatgpt said it didn't have the tools. I tested a Viofo Firmware

4. You're going to need to find someone on here with programming skills that can decompile the bin file in binwalk and analyze it. Above what I know how to do without spending a lot of time trying to learn how with guides.
 
Since you mentioned Vueroid SD cards seem to be safe and unaffected, is the Thinkware firmware only killing:
  1. "Direct Competitor" (e.g., Vantrue, Viofo, BlackVue, etc.) branded SD cards
  2. Non-Korean Direct Competitor (e.g., Vantrue, Viofo, etc.) branded SD cards
  3. All branded SD cards from companies who are not direct competitors (e.g., Samsung, SanDisk, Kingston, etc.)
  4. Only non-Korean SD cards from companies who are not direct competitors (e.g., SanDisk, Kingston, etc.)
Finding out this information may be useful because so far it sounds like Option #2 but obviously much more testing (across brands and numbers of SD cards) needs to be done
 
Perhaps the members who are involved in firmware modification would be able to assist?

Do you know anyone at Viofo or Vueroid who may be able to explain why Viofo cards are being bricked but Vueroid ones are not?
 
USELESS SD CARD INFO

Q: What is the SD ASSOCIATION
A:
The SD Association is a global ecosystem of companies setting industry-leading memory card storage standards that simplify the use and extend the life of consumer electronics, including mobile phones, for millions of people every day.
SD Association was formed in January 2000 by Panasonic Corporation, SanDisk Corporation, and Toshiba Corporation.
Today, the Association is made up of about 800 member companies involved in the design, development or manufacturer of products using SD standards.
The small, postage stamp-sized removable memory cards are used by hundreds of brands across dozens of product categories and found in thousands of device models.
SD memory card and SD host device are the generic terms for any memory card or device built to SD standards.
SD Association does not manufacture, market or sell any product; it creates standards and then promotes the adoption, advancement and use of SD standards used by competing product manufacturers that make interoperable memory cards and devices.

Q: What is the function of the SD Association?
A:
The SD Association establishes the technical and specification standards for SD memory card applications, continuously promotes SD as the leading industry standard, and encourages the development of digital A/V, wireless communication, and digital networking products that utilize the many unique benefits of SD standards.

Q: What are the benefits of SD standards?
A:
SD is the leading standard for mobile phones, digital cameras, audio players, personal computers, printers, car navigation systems, electronic books, and many other consumer electronic devices.
Many SD standards are available in a variety of capacities and speed classes: SDHC/SDXC and microSDHC/microSDXC.
SD standards enable manufacturers to deliver high-performance products that simplify how millions of consumers capture and enjoy video, photos, and sounds every day.
With SD standards-based products, consumers have the ultimate flexibility and convenience to store and share digital contents anytime and anywhere.

Q: What specifications have been developed by SD Association?
A:
SD Association standards and specifications include;
Standard Memory Cards (up to 2GB): SD, microSD
High-Capacity Memory Cards (above 2GB, 32GB and less): SDHC, microSDHC
Extended Capacity Memory Cards (above 32GB up to 2TB): SDXC and microSDXC
Ultra Capacity Memory Cards (above 2TB up to 128TB): SDUC and microSDUC SDIO cards
SD Speed Class (Class 2, 4, 6, 10), UHS Speed Class 1 and 3 and Video Speed Class 6, 10, 30, 60, 90
Bus Speed: Normal, High and Ultra High Speed (UHS-â…  , UHS-â…¡ and UHS-â…¢), SD Express

Q: How are SD specifications developed?
A:
The SD Association Technical Committee is made up of working groups focused on the development of next generation specifications.
All members are allowed to participate in technical working groups but only Executive members are allowed to vote on the specifications.

Q: How can my company obtain the SD specification?
A:
Your company may have access to the complete specification by becoming a member of SDA.
If your company is in the R&D stages and requires the complete specification, it is available without membership by providing a signed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and payment of designated fees to the association for one year.
If you plan to manufacture products, please visit our Use and Licensing section for more details and appropriate forms.

There are 800 SD ASSOCIATION MEMBERS here’s a few.

FineVu
Rexing
Hikvision
Garmin
JVC KENWOOD
Pioneer
Motorola
Uniden
SigmaStar

Novatek
Ambarella

Kingston
KIOXIA
Transcend
PNY
TDK
Samsung
Lexar
Micron
SanDisk

Apple
Microsoft
HP
Amazon

Sony
Konica Minolta
Canon
Nikon
Panasonic
Philips
Toshiba
Texas Instruments
Sharp
Kodak

Q: How come VIOFO, Vantrue, 70mai, Thinkware, BlackVue, Vueroid, ROVE, all have branded SD Cards for their cameras but are not members of the SD Association?
A:
 
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Chuck McCoy said:
.
.
There are 800 SD ASSOCIATION MEMBERS here’s a few.
.
.

Q: How come VIOFO, Vantrue, 70mai, Thinkware, BlackVue, Vueroid, ROVE, all have branded SD Cards for their cameras but are not members of the SD Association?
A:
Click to expand...

Because there is no need to be a member of the SD unless you are deep into development, research, a manufacturer of devices like card readers, computers, SD cards, etc., and you want the latest information...or you want to have input.

Technically, FineVu is not a member...it is FineDigital that is a member.


Is there a need for Vueroid, Viofo, Vantrue, etc., to have membership? These dashcam companies are using a pre-manufactured product, whether it is the reader or the software, like Novatec, which is a member.
 
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I use a SanDisk Max Endurance 128 GB memory card with the U3000 Pro since it was installed in my car.

My U3000 Pro arrived with v1.00.01 installed. I installed the U3000 Pro into my vehicle in late November 2025. In December 2025, I updated the firmware to v1.00.02. I left v1.00.02 in place until mid-February 2026 when I updated it to v1.00.04. I had not checked for a several weeks for any updates so that why I didn't install v1.00.03 or it wasn't released to the public. I have not observed any memory card problems with the SanDisk Max Endurance card with any U3000 Pro firmware version.
 
rcg530 said:
I use a SanDisk Max Endurance 128 GB memory card with the U3000 Pro since it was installed in my car.

My U3000 Pro arrived with v1.00.01 installed. I installed the U3000 Pro into my vehicle in late November 2025. In December 2025, I updated the firmware to v1.00.02. I left v1.00.02 in place until mid-February 2026 when I updated it to v1.00.04. I had not checked for a several weeks for any updates so that why I didn't install v1.00.03 or it wasn't released to the public. I have not observed any memory card problems with the SanDisk Max Endurance card with any U3000 Pro firmware version.
Click to expand...

He's saying anything post .03 is bricking (post January)
 
jsmith said:
He's saying anything post .03 is bricking (post January)
Click to expand...
And I said I installed v1.00.04 in February 2026. I just mentioned I skipped v1.00.03 since I hadn't checked for any updates for several weeks in between when v1.00.02 and v1.00.04 were made available.

1782661027415.webp
 
rcg530 said:
And I said I installed v1.00.04 in February 2026. I just mentioned I skipped v1.00.03 since I hadn't checked for any updates for several weeks in between when v1.00.02 and v1.00.04 were made available.

View attachment 92107
Click to expand...
Great to know sandisk max endurance is working great. I believe Vueroid cards are similar maybe why they are working fine
 
newdriver9 said:
Since you mentioned Vueroid SD cards seem to be safe and unaffected, is the Thinkware firmware only killing:
Click to expand...

newdriver9 said:
"Direct Competitor" (e.g., Vantrue, Viofo, BlackVue, etc.) branded SD cards
Click to expand...
This isn't really something we can comment on. But honestly, I hate to admit that they aren't a direct competitor 😤.
newdriver9 said:
Non-Korean Direct Competitor (e.g., Vantrue, Viofo, etc.) branded SD cards
Click to expand...
This feels like a subset of number 1, so nothing much to add here.
newdriver9 said:
  1. All branded SD cards from companies who are not direct competitors (e.g., Samsung, SanDisk, Kingston, etc.)
Click to expand...
Since @rcg530 mentioned they've been running the Max Endurance with zero issues, it looks like this option isn't the culprit. From what I know, SanDisk actually makes its own SD cards.
newdriver9 said:
  1. Only non-Korean SD cards from companies who are not direct competitors (e.g., SanDisk, Kingston, etc.)
Click to expand...
Before putting a "nationality" on an SD card, we probably need to look at which foundry the wafers are actually coming from. It's not like all Samsung SD cards are made in Korea anyway.
newdriver9 said:
Finding out this information may be useful because so far it sounds like Option #2 but obviously much more testing (across brands and numbers of SD cards) needs to be done
Click to expand...
Just a heads-up, the VUEROID SD card isn’t made in Korea either. Plus, our SD card supplier is an official member of the SD Association.
As a dashcam brand, we believe that SD card reliability comes down to one thing: how much testing and validation you put the cards through before picking them and putting them on the market.

Have a good day, all~~
 
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