I noticed the download file is .gz. and the instructions say to insert into my device (RPI B+) and it will automatically download the latest Version of HA. If that’s a zipped file, how will it automatically open and run it?
Just curious
Step 2 has you use Etcher to image the SD card. It can read the compressed image. Once done, you will have a bootable SD card.
I used SD Card Formatter. Does it do the same as I have used it before?
I’ll try using Etcher.
BTW, I have loaded several NOOBS onto several SD cards over the last six months. I just got a 64GB and formatted it using SD Card Formatter and it won’t even load NOOBS, do you think it’s because I didn’t use Etcher?
Thanks!
As far as I can tell, that utility only formats the media, it doesn’t apply the image to it.
Etcher does the whole job.
I downloaded Etcher.
Problem:
Etcher is for an image
Raspberry Pi has a zip file not image. (NOOBS)
Both need formatting.
It worked on HA like a charm but won’t read a zip file or extracted file like NOOBS to load to SD card.
I didn’t realize this before looking it up, but 64GB and up uses exFAT not FAT so it won’t boot on a 64GB but it will with Etcher and it does. Just not sure how to get NOOBS on it as well?
i’m really confused.
does HA install come with a version of Raspbian already on it?
I had etcher format my 64gb sd card. loaded HA on it and it said I only had 3.7 MB of storage left. I tried to install NOOBs after installing HA but got this message I didn’t have enough memory?? very confusing. Any ideas?
Hassbian/Raspian is not required. Hassio installs a minimal OS (HassOS) and runs docker containers for the different applications. One of those containers is HA. You can add other containers through the add-on store(s). After imaging, just plug it into ethernet, and power it on. You should have a running HA instance in ~20 minutes.
I installed Raspian and HA from the startup page but was not able to create a volume named Config nor was prompted to create a folder named network. Etcher just flashed it
Nothing here:
Home Assistant will be available at http://hassio.local:8123. Shortly after the download has started
Nothing here:
For example, http://192.168.0.9:8123 (my ip)
i tried to find
configuration.yaml
and nothing??
i even tried this
python3 -m pip install homeassistant
Should have installed this? Because that’s not on the startup page. Looks like this is just for Docker.
ok.
Im going to start over.
BTW, I can only use two links here because I’m a new user
Here is what I am going to do:
-
Clear my SD Card
-
Download the image for raspberry pi B+
-
Flash the image to the SD card with etcher
-
I am going to SKIP Optional #3
(They won’t let me a link here to show you)
5.For image-based installs insert the SD card (and optional USB stick) into the device. I won’t insert another USB stick. Why would I?
-
Turn on your device or virtual appliance. On first boot, it downloads the latest version of Home Assistant which takes around 20 minutes (slower/faster depending on the platform and your Internet connection). [ IF I DONT USE WIFI, I NEED TO USE ETHERNET CABLE BEFORE I TURN ON DEVICE ]
-
You will be able to reach your installation at …) (if your router supports mDNS, otherwise see below). I also had a link here
-
Enable either the [Samba add-on]( or the [SSH add-on] to manage your configuration in
/config/(From the UI choose Hass.io which is located in the sidebar).
I WILL USE SSH.
And a link here -
Add SSH server
https://www.home-assistant.io/addons/ssh/
Since I am using HDMI to connect to my RPI I will use this method… I will Not be Generating a Private Key option, but by using the Password option
“To start this add-on for the first time, you either need to include a key (enclosed in quotation marks, on a single line without line breaks) or set a password in the options section.” I DONT SEE AN OPTIONS SECTION, ONLY “PASSWORD” with empty quotes? I WILL ENTER MY PASSWORD THERE.
DO I JUST LEAVE AUTHORIZATION KEY EMPTY?
- Then do this…
The username for login over SSH isroot. The complete login command is
a link here
After logging in, you will find yourself in this add-on’s container. The Home Assistant configuration directory is mounted on the path /config .
- Then this…
CONFIGURATION VARIABLES
IT SAYS THAT A PASSWORD IS NOT RECOMMNEDED. I guess, I will have to generate a key
authorized_keys
(string)(Optional)Your public keys for the authorized key file. Every element will be a line inside that file…
password
(string)(Optional)Set a password for login. We do NOT recommend this variant.
IS that correct?
Are you using an ethernet cable or wifi? Ethernet is easiest, it generally just works.
If ethernet cable with DHCP, then you can skip the stuff in step 3.
Since Hassio is headless and the UI is via the web browser, you don’t need to connect it to HDMI unless you are troubleshooting.
Once you connect through your browser, and HA is up, get logged in and go to the add-on section , from here you can and should add the SSH and Samba add-on.
I use the password option for SSH, it works just fine.
I use wifi with RPI and HDMI.
I aIso use a Chrome Book, I don’t think I can add Samba on Chrome Book?
So you are logging in via browser? I don’t have a ethernet on my chromebook.
I don’t really want to use my Windows pc and definitely don’t want to use Samba, only SSH, BUT my Windows pc does have ethernet. So just connect my Windows pc to RPI ethernet or do I connect my RPI to ethernet? This is confusing. I don’t like the Start Up instructions.
I want to connect via HDMI on my RPI. I could try connecting my RPI to ethernet and using HDMI. The only thing is why should I need to connect via ethernet when this is supposed to be offline? I should be able to do everything offline, right?
I will try connecting my RPI to ethernet and using HDMI.
If that doesn’t work, then I’m not sure what I will do?
So the only GUI you will get is via a web browser. The HDMI connection will only give you a text shell for some debug operations, not daily work. The screen shot is from the browser on my laptop.
The RPi can connect via wifi or ethernet and you should still be able to access it from your Chrome Book. My RPi is plugged into an ethernet port on my router.
I’m not sure what you mean by being off-line. HomeAssistant does not rely on public/external internet services outside of downloading the initial install and updates. But the user interface does at least need local access on your network since it is a headless appliance. There is no inbound connection from the internet into HA unless you decide you explicitly set that up. If your primary objective is automation, then once you have things configured, it just runs.
Hey!!
I got it!!
I was over thinking everything! It was too easy.
Thank you for your help and keeping me motivated! I would have not tried again for a while if it wasn’t for your help. Thanks for being patient!!
I’m glad it worked out.
Make sure you leverage the ‘check config’ functions as you tune your configuration and make automations. If you do this prior to restarting, you can save your self grief from configuration errors.
If you haven’t worked with yaml before, the spacing can be challenging, so be patient.
Also, backup!
So I turned off the power after awhile once I logged in.
I powered the RPI again and connected to router, but I could not connect to local via my browser?
Do I need to wait 20 min each time I power it on?
I’ll get into config today if I can get the GUI back up.
Back up locally of via the GUI to cloud?
I just answered my own question. I need to wait 20 min each time I remove power from RPI. I will use the restart method to avoid a full reboot. Since I have not set up my secret file, I am powering off my RPI.
Did you use the secrets.yaml file?
Which add-on did you go with? HASS configurator or SSH server? Which one is more secure?
It doesn’t typically take 20 min to come back up until you get a LOT of stuff running on it. It could be a name resolution challenge if you are just connecting to hassio.local:8123 … I have the IP address reserved from my DHCP server (possibly your router?), so that it always gets the same address. You can also change the hostname from hassio to whatever you want on your local network by going to hassio > system > change hostname
add-ons : I use ssh. It has less exposure in my opintion.
Secrets file. Yes. There isn’t a lot in it, but it offers a little more isolation.