i have a VM setup with Virtual Box Running Linux and it works wonderfully but i need to get my USB stick in the VM i got the drivers all fixed up for windows but i cant get the zwave and zigbee stick over to the box
It sounds like you’re running a windows machine with a VirtualBox VM running Linux with HA on it (correct me if i’m wrong).
If that is true, then you can “mount” the USB into the Virtualbox VM so that it doesn’t show up on the host computer and only shows up on the VM. This article explains how to do it: https://www.net-usb.com/virtual-usb/virtualbox-usb-passthrough/#:~:text=Right-click%20on%20the%20VM,VirtualBox%20and%20click%20on%20it.
I’m hoping to do a similar thing with the HUSBZB-1 if/when I migrate from my rPi to my NUC, so hopefully this works for you!
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Amazingly, I figured out how to do this without seeing the instructions provided by that link - didn’t see it before now, but thanks anyway.
To be honest though, I abandoned my first install of Home assistant on Virtual Box in Windows back in July since I couldn’t figure out how to add the HusbZb-1 and instead placed it on a Raspberry Pi. Now that I have it up and running in VB, is there any way to make VB mount the USB automatically on restart in case of computer reboot due to power loss (UPS rundown)? I tried disabling the Husbzb in Windows via Device Manager but I still have to remove and reinsert it after a reboot for the VB to see it and by then Home Assistant has started so I have to do a restart of that also. Plus, if I’m not home to do this, I am without my alarm and home automation devices using Zigbee and Zwave
That’s a good question - I’m not sure - I still haven’t transitioned over from the rPi (it’s been working pretty well still). A quick google seems that it might be tough to do (see discussion here - virtualbox.org • View topic - Automount USB key to guest on host power on).
That said, maybe you can buy something like this - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T9BRNHW/ and figure out a way to hook it up to HA (with an Esp device or something). That way, if everything get’s restarted while you’re away, HA will have booted (without the Husbzb-1), but you can switch that USB switch off and then back on again. Once you’ve done that, you can reboot HA and it all should be back up and working?
Kinda a roundabout way of doing it, but could work for those few off times when you lose power for an extended period of time.
Great(?) minds must think alike. I saw that device actually, but it wouldn’t seem (to me at least) to satisfy the scenario where I am not at home when the computer reboots and/or the virtual box restarts. I have a similar solution though. I wired a Sonoff mini into a USB extension cord and added it to HA. I then wrote an automation in Home Assistant that, upon startup, 1) shuts off power to the Husbazb-1; 2) reconnects power; 3) restarts HA. I’m still kinda messing with the delay times between these steps to account for the lag between the VB and HA startup. I also had to add a Boolean switch that is normally on, but changes to off in the automation so that there is a condition if “off” upon restart it won’t run a continuous loop (ie keep restarting). This sort of makes it a one time deal - if the UPS runs out of juice, and the power comes on and off again before I set the Boolean to “on” it will not run the automation. I can run it remotely too as you suggest as long as HA is running and the UPS notifies me when it is on backup power. UPS is supposed to be good for 75 minutes
As far as the transition, I am pretty happy with the Virtual Box. It starts HA much faster and though I never had a problem with USB cards, I hear it’s a thing.