Depends. If you run HAOS easiest is probably installing the studio code addon and browse to the file. No you cannot copy, fill in your own details. It already has most filled out probably.
try with adapter in lower case.
Bottom line:
Error while starting zigbee-herdsman
My problem has gone from being 0 (zero = all ok) to -100 (full stop) over the course of that last couple of days. I haven’t touched or done anything, except:
- Suddenly one day Z2M had stopped for no apparent reason. No info in the log.
So I restarted Z2M and all was good - Half a days passed, and it stopped again. This time, the
database.dbfile was empty, so I restored the backup and restarted Z2M, and all was good. - A couple of hours later, it stopped again. No useful log info and
database.dbwas again empty. So, I repeated the procedure, restored the db backup and restarted Z2M and all was good. - The above repeated itself several times at some hours interval, until just now; Z2M completely refuses to start, with the error message:
Error while starting zigbee-herdsman
I have done the following:
- Restarted the Mosquitto MQTT server with no effect.
- Power cycled the Sonoff ZigBee Bridge, with no effect.
- Restarted Z2M several times but to no avail. So I removed the container and downloaded a fresh
image: koenkk/zigbee2mqtt:latest- still no-go!
Even with the restart: unless-stopped setting, Z2M keeps trying forever, but every time ends up with: Error while starting zigbee-herdsman
Restarting the coordinator does not help.
But restarting the coordinator and issue this command from the coordinator console, helps:
backlog rule1 on system#boot do TCPStart 8888 endon ; rule1 1 ; template {"NAME":"Sonoff ZHABridge","GPIO":[56,208,0,209,59,58,0,0,0,0,0,0,17],"FLAG":0,"BASE":18} ; module 0
This helps, for a while, until it crashes again a couple of hours later.
Why the above command helps, and why it crashes again, I don’t have a clue.
Please help.
Add me to the list of people who simply cannot get this to start. Same error/issue as everyone above. Error when loading zigbee-herdsman. Serial is set up correctly. I can ping the tubesZB POE coordinator via the browser so I know it’s online. I’ve tried a bunch of restarts, of both adapter and home assistant and the zigbee2mqtt addon and nothing gets me past this error. Do I need to specify an adapter type for the TubesZB device? If so, what would that be?
I also got this “zigbee-herdsman Failed to start” error.
In my case (Sonnof V2/ “E” / flashed for thread), the zigbee2mqtt “Config” in “serial” contains the following:
port: tcp://core-silabs-multiprotocol:9999
To solve the error, the “Silicon Labs Multiprotocol” had to be started under HASS/Config/Addons.
After that z2m could be started without any problems.
I also had the “zigbee-herdsman Failed to start” error. Trying to install Sonoff Dongle-E with stock firmware (bought autumn 2023) to HA running in Docker on a Synology NAS.
I poked around trying a lot of different settings in the zigbee2mqtt configuration.yaml, as suggested here. Since I am a total newbie and changed more than one parameter, I am not sure what actually did it, but after a lot of trial and error this config now works. I believe it was after changing the “serial” parameters to these, that the herdsman problem stopped:
Thanks to all who contributed to this thread!
serial:
port: /dev/ttyACM0 #edit to match your path to the USB adapter.
adapter: ezsp
mqtt:
base_topic: zigbee2mqtt
server: mqtt://[NAS/server IP]:8888 #mqtt port as configured in mqtt.
client_id: zigbee
permit_join: true
frontend:
port: 8099
url: http://[NAS/server IP]:8099
devices: devices.yaml
groups: groups.yaml
homeassistant: true
advanced:
pan_id: GENERATE
network_key: GENERATE
channel: 24 #someone somewhere claimed this will lessen Zigbee/wifi interference
Please help, I cant make my sonoff adapter work. I flashed it to Z-Stack 20221226 following instructions I found on internet. My MQTT broker is configured on the home assistant host and it’s working ok to gather Hoymiles solar panel information already.
The error is the following:
[12:25:08] INFO: Socat not enabled
[12:25:10] INFO: Starting Zigbee2MQTT...
Zigbee2MQTT:info 2024-02-11 12:25:17: Logging to console and directory: '/config/zigbee2mqtt/log/2024-02-11.12-25-17' filename: log.txt
Zigbee2MQTT:info 2024-02-11 12:25:17: Starting Zigbee2MQTT version 1.35.3 (commit #unknown)
Zigbee2MQTT:info 2024-02-11 12:25:17: Starting zigbee-herdsman (0.33.8)
Zigbee2MQTT:error 2024-02-11 12:26:28: Error while starting zigbee-herdsman
Zigbee2MQTT:error 2024-02-11 12:26:28: Failed to start zigbee
Zigbee2MQTT:error 2024-02-11 12:26:28: Check https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io/guide/installation/20_zigbee2mqtt-fails-to-start.html for possible solutions
Zigbee2MQTT:error 2024-02-11 12:26:28: Exiting...
Zigbee2MQTT:error 2024-02-11 12:26:28: Error: Failure to connect
at Ezsp.connect (/app/node_modules/zigbee-herdsman/src/adapter/ezsp/driver/ezsp.ts:364:19)
at Driver.startup (/app/node_modules/zigbee-herdsman/src/adapter/ezsp/driver/driver.ts:158:13)
at Controller.start (/app/node_modules/zigbee-herdsman/src/controller/controller.ts:132:29)
at Zigbee.start (/app/lib/zigbee.ts:60:27)
at Controller.start (/app/lib/controller.ts:109:27)
at start (/app/index.js:107:5)
And I used the following configuration:
socat:
enabled: false
master: pty,raw,echo=0,link=/tmp/ttyZ2M,mode=777
slave: tcp-listen:8485,keepalive,nodelay,reuseaddr,keepidle=1,keepintvl=1,keepcnt=5
options: "-d -d"
log: false
mqtt:
server: mqtt://core-mosquitto:1883
user: mqtt-user
password: my password
serial:
port: >-
/dev/serial/by-id/usb-ITEAD_SONOFF_Zigbee_3.0_USB_Dongle_Plus_V2_20230221110315-if00
adapter: ezsp
zigbee_herdsman_debug: true
or
socat:
enabled: false
master: pty,raw,echo=0,link=/tmp/ttyZ2M,mode=777
slave: tcp-listen:8485,keepalive,nodelay,reuseaddr,keepidle=1,keepintvl=1,keepcnt=5
options: "-d -d"
log: false
mqtt:
serial:
port: /dev/ttyUSB0
zigbee_herdsman_debug: true
I got the same issue 
do you have an idea? thanks in advance
this work for me.thank you very much
I’m having the same issues and using Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus ZBDongle E
And no clue how to fix it? I have also disabled ZHAto see if that would help but still getting the same error’s showinf in the MQTT log file
I also cannot get the indentation correct for this to work! Is this the issues relating to why MqTT wont connect? Has I know its not set 100% correct in the code but I thought it might of been related to Cloudflare or me not adding a port number!
This is my log file and errors Im getting!
Be great if this is the fix as I think many people will be getting the same issues with it!
Thanks if it is the soluctions but I still need to know whats best way to do the indents correctly? 
Maybe show your configuration
where do I find them?
I also do not have zigbee_herdsman_debug
Do I need that too?
That screenshot with the blue arrow, configuration
1 Like
Thank you!
Seems to be how many spaces to indent it but I d dtry that with failed results, but willing to keep trying?
Just remove “1883”, move the /dev/serial… after port:, put adapter on a newline and change it to adapter
Can I keep running ZHA at the same time as Zigbee2MQTT?
Now I relized it was my spellign mistakes!
Goign to try now!
No you can’t with the same dongle
1 Like
Ok great thanks!
that is disabled will that be ok?
I do have another Sonoff but not used or done anything with it yet but there in case I do need it!
yes, ok if disabled