Ok, so I haven’t installed this add-on but looking at the docs I don’t see anywhere that says you can relocate the HA database (so reducing wear on the SD). Have I mis-understood?
I dont have it installed yet but my ubnderstanding is that the add-on is a viewer, but if you follow the component instructions, you can run the server on another machine. I should have linked this in the first place
I agree with this. The very aggressive logging is killer for the database on the RPi. It’s the root problem behind slow reboots and SD card deaths. I don’t understand why the default config is setup this way.
Where / what is “it”? I don’t know where the snapshots are stored.
By default, when you take a snapshot using the Hass.io/Snapshot menu, the backup will go into the /backup directory/folder. It is a tar file.
I normally just drag and drop it using Samba from a files window of my PI to a files window of my laptop.
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Or you can automate it by scheduling a job in windows to do it every day (assuming you have an automation in HA that creates a snapshot every night)
@echo off
REM --- Robocopy
REM --------
REM
REM --- Copy Home Assistant Snapshots and config folder to OneDrive
REM
REM --- Parameters used:
REM
REM --- /MIR : MIRror a directory tree
REM
REM --- /DST : Compensate for DST time differences
REM
REM --- /XD : eXclude Directories
REM
REM --- /XF : eXclude Files
echo ====================================================================
echo COPYING - Home Assistant Snapshots
echo ====================================================================
echo.
echo ===
echo === Mapping to HASSIO...
echo ===
echo.
net use x: \\192.168.1.25\backup
x:
echo.
echo ===
echo === Deleting old snapshots (matching *.tar) on
echo === HASSIO that are older than 8 days...
echo ===
echo.
forfiles /m *.tar /d -8 /c "cmd /c del @file"
echo.
echo ===
echo === Robocopy new snapshots on HASSIO to
echo === OneDrive folder on PC...
echo ===
echo.
robocopy "\\192.168.1.25\backup" "D:\Users\USERNAME\OneDrive\Home Assistant Backups"
echo.
echo ===
echo === Deleting old snapshots from OneDrive folder
echo === on PC that are older than 14 days...
echo ===
echo.
forfiles /m *.tar /p "D:\Users\USERNAME\OneDrive\Home Assistant Backups" /d -14 /c "cmd /c del @file"
echo.
echo ===
echo === Robocopy current HASSIO config folder
echo === to OneDrive folder on PC...
echo ===
echo.
robocopy "\\192.168.1.25\config" "D:\Users\USERNAME\OneDrive\Home Assistant Backups\Latest config" /MIR /DST /XF *.db *.log /XD deps tts .*
echo.
echo ===
echo === List current snapshots on HASSIO...
echo ===
echo.
dir x: /o:-d /a:-d
pause
echo.
echo ===
echo === List current snapshots in OneDrive folder on PC...
echo ===
echo.
dir "D:\Users\USERNAME\OneDrive\Home Assistant Backups" /o:-d /a:-d
pause
REM --- Remove drive mapping
REM ---
net use x: /delete /y
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It’s funny… my automation has stopped working 2 nights ago and I have no idea why. It still creates the snapshot but doesn’t upload it. I did just run the automation manually and it worked perfectly… Reall odd as it’s one automation that creates the snapshot, waits an hour and uploads it… and the automation is ON.
I have no idea why it’s just now screwed the pooch.
And today it works… I did change a few things around in dropbox as it was getting full but no reason that would have caused this… (the notifications weren’t getting activated either for that automation. Maybe 0.87.1 fixed it?
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Simply click on the snapshot you want to copy in the Hass.io Snapshots menu .In the bottom corner next to bin icon is a download icon . Download to your PC and keep it safe 
FWIW - I gave up and recently came back. I gave up because the pi was underpowered, SD cards died all the time, and HA updates constantly broke compatibility. So I switched to smartthings. In the end, it was too limiting. I got myself a used intel NUC, loaded hassio, and HA runs great. Now the updates can still break compatibility, but that’s what backups are for!
Ah. I now have HA, so no more snapshots…
I moved to OnDroid XU4 with eMMC due to concerns with SD cards.
Have to say after a bit of faffing about with the install it runs really fast and stable.
Referencing @zegikniet - I do feel for you. There’s been times I had to slam my head against the wall. But that’s the fun isn’t it? Or not for you.
He’s gone, last login was this post. HA is not for everyone… yet.
It never will be for everyone, it will always require some time and investment like with any kind of software. This person is probably better off with Homekit or Google Home.
This thread should probably be closed in my opinion as it is no use and it doesn’t contain a question nor a solution to anything.
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The SD card issue in my opinion is a big one. In order for any software or technical product to become mainstream it must have a low barrier of adoption and a high level of reliability. Many of us here work in software. I write automation tools for enterprises. I never once assumed my needs would be served by a PI to start with. But we must assume most users don’t have this background. Hass.io is easy to get up and running and its almost so easy to use its pitfalls are of it’s own making. Automation is pretty addicting and soon a not so technical user has outgrown the PI + SD card combo but aren’t aware and get frustrated. I’m personally onboard with the bass install on a PI + SD being preconfigured to limit reads and writes. Let the use opt in to unlock advanced features with a big warning that the system could become unstable. This allows the novice to get their feet wet in relative safety and when they out grow it they can come to the great community here for guidance and a bigger build out.
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Not had any issues for a long time with Pi3 B+, Genuine Pi power supply and Genuine SD cards- Sandisk or Samsung. Was new to this when I started and patience is virtue in this world, especially when things don’t go to plan. Backups are a must of config files and every so often before upgrades an image file
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Just 1 more voice to add… glad to see this thread used as a sounding board rather than a troll feeder. To that end, I have to give a +1 to adjusting hassio defaults for a more reliable experience. I am a newb to hassio, yaml and java, but have been a tinkerer for decades (already knew c, custom built/programmed drones, DIY 3dprinters, etc) so was able to get my pi3+ with sd working acceptably well for now (and likely at least a year with adjustments to recording and a 10A supply). I will probably get bored before than and invest in a nuc… but that doesn’t help anyone who may be stepping into what they will feel is a trap for newbs.
That said, I think folks that have developed the required patience & research skills to be successful with (hope this doesn’t sound too pejorative) ‘hacky projects’ like the current hassio release are more of an exception to the average newb (also hope that didn’t sound too grandiose). The reality is there are and will be many truly non-tech types (by 2020 standards) happening upon hassio as an intro to home auto… or even for an alarm system… and maybe even more folks just seeking to upgrade from limitations with popular hubs (wink, st, etc).
Hassio doesn’t have to be a headache for these users. While it may be fun at times to observe some newb debauchery (a right of passage if you will), but there is limit to that. It is one thing when a newb is overly thankful for a simple config line that ended hours of frustration. It starts to become evil imho when newbs have to spend $ to replace broken hardware due to just a poor config for an assumed choice of hardware (getting started guide of course assumes rpi w/ sd… at the same time defaults to record all zwave entities including attributes, weather, etc… stuff even advanced users would rarely need).
I’m all for defaults with no recording to help newbs, or at least just the bare minimum (binary states maybe). Then recording and its implications can be introduced as a ‘once all is running smoothly’ lesson… with appropriate bold warnings about instability, sd cards, etc… heck probably a good time to inject thoughts about a nuc. Something like a… ‘we see you are running hassio off an sd and adding recordings… going down this road can reduce sd card life… after a point you need to consider a nuc or similar’.
Kenneth’s post above really brought the wisdom here… we are all human, and looking at it from a non-tech perspective we can easily understand the frustration. Sometimes it is hard to fully ‘wear the other person’s shoes’, but in this case it should be easy enough for us to see why the frustration and how it could have been avoided. Wasting $ isn’t fun for anyone, especially if the ‘howto guide tells you to do so’.
2 Likes
Java? O.o
“Java is to JavaScript what Ham is to hamburger, or what car is to carpet”
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Hehe, I am learning the basics of js and yaml now (so green I can still mix up java vs js)… one of the welcome side effects of this home auto project. I have had many friends tell me java is so easy… just needed a real reason to learn it and here it is. 
And you’re still mixing them up.
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