HOME ASSISTANT OS 12.3 (RPI 5) installed on USB drive won't boot USB3.0 but will boot on USB2.0 connector

Configuration
1

I installed HOME ASSISTANT OS 12.3 (RPI 5) via the Raspberry Pi Imager, on an external USB drive.

It won’t boot on the USB3.0 connector but will boot on the USB2.0 connector.

On the USB3.0 connector I watched the HDMI screen while it booted up.

It paused while "Start Job Running Docker Application, then failed with these two lines:
SQUASHFS Unable to read meta data
SQUASHFS Unable to read directory block

It boots up just fine on the USB2.0 connector.

The USB drive is a Toshiba 256GB PCIe NVMe in a SABRENT USB3.2 Enclosure.

It’s the same drive that works in the Rpi5 2.0 slot.

And it’s the same drive that is working on an Rpi400.

SABRENT USB 3.2 10Gbps Type C Tool Free Enclosure for M.2 PCIe NVMe and SATA SSDs (EC-SNVE)

Toshiba(Kioxia) 256GB PCIe NVMe 2230 SSD (KBG40ZNS256G) (OEM), 30mm

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RVC6F9Y
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HY56CS4

2

You will need to change your USB enclosure to boot from USB3

3

Change it how?
What is changeable?

4

Ok, it is a pre-assembled USB drive you bought. You can still open it up, but that will void your warranty.

5

The USB drive is a Toshiba 256GB PCIe NVMe in a SABRENT USB3.2 Enclosure.

What needs to be changed and how?

It’s the same drive that works in the Rpi5 2.0 slot.

And it’s the same drive that is working on an Rpi400.

SABRENT USB 3.2 10Gbps Type C Tool Free Enclosure for M.2 PCIe NVMe and SATA SSDs (EC-SNVE)

Toshiba(Kioxia) 256GB PCIe NVMe 2230 SSD (KBG40ZNS256G) (OEM), 30mm

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RVC6F9Y
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HY56CS4

6

The NMVE does boot if inserted on the Pineberry Pi hat drive.

7

Also when a different drive is plugged into the USB3 while it is already running, does it see the drive?

8

The NVME SSD is probably not the problem.
It is rather the adapter which is probably one of these problematic UASP adapters.
Such adapters usually only work with HA-OS on the USB3 port if they are blacklisted for UAS mode.
The first thing I would try is to update the firmware.
Sabrent offers a firmware update on its website.

1 Like
9

Thanks @Baxxy13

I went to Control Panel - Sabrent to update the firmware and tried to check the firmware version but it complained:
UPGRADE OVER USB NOT SUPPORTED
Firmware upgrades over USB connections are not
possible at this moment.

Please connect you drive internally or through a
Thunderbolt 3 enclosure.

So I tried a different computer that has a Thunderbolt USB slot and it checked OK:

LATEST FIRMWARE INSTALLED
Already running the latest Rocket firmware.
Make sure you are always running the latest version of this software.

But before I tried to check and update the firmware on the Sabrent enclosure, I checked one more time to confirm it wouldn’t boot on USB3.0.

I first unplugged the ribbon cable connecting the Pineberry Pi hat and confirmed that there was no microSD card installed.

I was able to boot USB3.0 no problem.

I don’t know what I was doing wrong before, but now it’s working.

The only thing I can think of was, I did change the boot order to boot NVMe before trying USB and then SD Card, and checked bootloader image was the latest bootloader installed. But I think I did that before
when I was having the problem.

So I don’t know why it’s working now.

Thanks for telling me about the Sabrent firmware checker and installer.

10

Oh wait a minute.

This is the community.home-assistant blog.

I was able to boot USB3.0 with Raspberry Pi Bookworm image on the Sabrent enclosure.

I still have the problem, home-assistant won’t boot USB3.0 from Sabrent enclosure.

11

Hello! Is any solution conceivable here? I am currently trying to boot HAOS via USB 3.0 with different devices, none works - is the problem of HAOS itself and no fix? Can i do something?