Home Assistant Stability on Pi

Eeeek!

The system cannot restart because the configuration is not valid: File configuration.yaml not found.

Sounds like your drive went bad. Check it for errors and then replace the configuration.yaml from a backup - how old is the drive? Consider a replacement

Drive was brand new, new pi, new ssd, new power supply, new nvme enclosure. But yes, it was the two day old Kingston SSD that was bust. There were hints along the way, EG saving changes to the config file would result in an error, but I refused to believe people make bad drives in 2023. Turns out I was wrong. I could’t even wipe it for a reinstall so have gone back to an SD card and all is working well (albeit slowly!)

Always start with the SD card

That’s really unlucky. I have 3 of these and they have been running on Pi’s for years now with no issues.
I hope you can get its replaced.

Its the way with electronics, generally very reliable, but if its going to break it will do it in the first few hours. Pretty bad luck and frustrating.

I’ve got spinning disks in the house that have runnning non stop for a decade, yet this is the second Kingston that has arrived broken for my HA setup, the first wasn’t recognised at all. Apparently that model (Kingston NV2 NVMe) is made from a lucky dip from the parts bin, some fine, some rubbish. Kingston returned, WD Blue on the way :v:

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Aaaand another disk failure. WD Blue bites the dust. I’m going to replace the nvme enclosure with another brand but are there any system changes required for external SSD storage that I’ve missed? Or am I just being super unlucky?

I’m probably jinxing myself. But here goes…

I keep hearing how you should never run HA off an SD card, and how you absolutely must switch over to SSD. Yet my SD card has been running HA for over four years now. I’ve got my replacement card and backups all ready to go. I keep waiting for it to die.

Meanwhile, I keep reading threads like this. And posts about problems migrating to SSD. I accept that there’s a large element of luck involved here. But still…

I don’t believe there are any system changes - just a good, reliable power supply.

This is the actual Kingston that was recommended to me and that I now have 3 off, all with no problems. I don’t know how to tell if it is NV2 NVMe though. This is the Kingston page for it.

I don’t think you are unlucky; I think there is a problem, but can’t reconcile that with the fact that your spinning disks are OK (unless they are very robust).

  • Are you using a UPS? …I am.
  • Do you know if you have power spikes / drops? …I do, hence the UPS.

Yup, same stats for my pi-hole and media server, there’s even a post above about not using a Pi for HA, yet the Pi is listed as a supported platform on the HA site (Installation - Home Assistant) I also know we shouldn’t use SD cards but I’ve never ever had one fail in a Raspberry. The move to SSD was simply for the vastly improved performance. I’m going to try one last time when my new nvme enclosure arrives…

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Nvme is just a smaller form factor for flash storage. I know the power is ok because the Pi complains like hell when it isn’t. Pretty sure I got unlucky with the enclosure (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BGS3NZ4C), will know for sure when the replacement arrives.

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Before running HA I ran openhab for 2 years on the same SD Card, After it failed the replacement card was still running HA a year later, till I moved on to the HP T630 i use now. I still use that SD card in pi on occasions now. They do fail but not that often.

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I purchased three 1TB Samsung SSD’s: 1 T3 (still going storng with no issues after ~5 years), two Samsung T7’s - one of those had corrupted sectors which caused all manner of hassle, exchanged it free just before the 30 day replacement window closed (about a year ago) with a new T7 which has been running great ever since. The actually come with the exact cable needed for the RPI as well (USB3.0 to USB-C.

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