Installing Home Assistant on a RPi 4b with SSD boot

bschatzow · March 18, 2021, 3:18pm

Snapshots do not restore the OS. That is why a restore takes two steps. Etcher to install Home Assistant and the snapshot to restore your configuration. This is why you can move between hardware with (mostly) no issues.

Vahaldor · March 18, 2021, 3:23pm

I solved this behavior of black screen by using the above recommended cable and using 64bit installation. This combination worked for me.

jibin_08 · March 20, 2021, 3:27pm

Thank you for the detailed note. With the right hardware, the move to SSD was a simple 3 step breeze.

Updated EEPROM with PI Imager
Flashed SSD with Etcher
Restored backup at onboarding.

Thanks again for the detailed documentation.

KCYeoh · March 21, 2021, 5:07am

I’m now updating the RPi4 bootloader firmware to have the USB boot. I flashed the USB boot firmware using the Raspberry Pi Imager and insert the SD card into my RPi4.
However, it’s now more than 10 min and green LED is still blinking, longer than I expected.

How long does it takes actually? Do we need to have internet connection while it’s updating?

carsten_h · March 21, 2021, 11:04am

When the green LED is flashing, it is ready. You can also connect a Monitor to HDMI and you will see a complete green screen when it is ready. it doesn‘t need an Internet connection!

KCYeoh · March 22, 2021, 2:20am

Thanks. I have successfully migrated to SSD boot.

KCYeoh · March 22, 2021, 2:21am

Hi, I have just moved HA to Argon M.2 case with RPi4 8Gb + Kingston A400 M.2 SSD. The migration process is easy and smooth. I have CC2531 hooked up to the RPi4 with an USB extension cable to USB2 and it seems stable.

Here are the quick re-cap on what I did for the migration,

Update the bootloader firmware by flashing the USB boot firmware with the Raspberry Pi Imager software. There is USB boot firmware under Misc section and the flashing is very quick, ~1min.
Put the SD card into RPi4 and hooked up the power supply, no internet access is needed. The green LED should starting flashing. I was told the firmware update is completed in seconds, but to be safe, just wait for +/- 10min and shutdown the power supply and pull the SD card out.
I flashed the SSD with Etcher using a male to male USB cable connect to the Argon M.2 case. This complete in less than 5min.
Complete the case assembly and fire it up, the new HA installation complete in less than 10min.
I created a new account and upload my snapshot and do a recover everything. This takes around 15min to complete.

And that’s it, migration complete.
I plan to activate the active cooling some days in this week.

Thanks @Jpsy for this amazing guide.

carsten_h · March 22, 2021, 7:00am

Why didn’t you used the Raspberry Pi imager also? It works with it without any problem!

KCYeoh · March 22, 2021, 7:05am

Yeah…with pi imager it will work also. Just that I like the Etcher interface more…

naijaping · March 22, 2021, 9:19am

Thanks for this info, I am in the process of doing same thing with Argon m.2. I will keep watching this space, will like to know fan settings aswell. I heard there is a special command to use. please let the info keep coming.

Regards

bschatzow · March 22, 2021, 9:43am

To update:
I have been asking on the raspberry forums

https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=307132&e=1&view=unread#unread

about the differences between the boards and have not gotten much information. The following may be helpful to understand why many people with the 4G are having issues:

even if your only using 30% of the 4gig, linux may randomly use all of the 8gig, in any order, and may run into compatibility problems with 64bit addressing
using total_mem, you can force it to stay in the lower 4gig, and test if that's the issue

The response is a little confusing as I don’t have 8G, but it still may point to a memory address issue.

I have re-checked the spreadsheet used to track issues on the github 1119

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iHTVvaNlTUqwFUgsUhUNws2Sw115INIx5ChEgTnIfoc/edit#gid=0

and the vast majority users with problems are using the 4G board.
I have sent the question to @agners @pvizeli.

Hopefully they can offer some insight and help.

KCYeoh · March 22, 2021, 10:04am

Hi, I have just enabled the Argon active cooling fan using I2C Configurator and HassOSArgonOneAddon.

Here the guides for you, make sure to follow the sequence,

Install the I2C configurator addon. Disable the protection mode and start the addon. Check the log as it will tell you to reboot 2 times.
Do a power reboot, means shutdown host completely and turn off the power and start the power back. Have to repeat this for twice.
Install the HassOSArgonOneAddon. Set the low, medium and high threshold temperature and save the configuration and start the addon. Check the log as it will tell you the RPi4 temperature and current fan speed %.

That’s all. Let me know if you have any question.

naijaping · March 22, 2021, 10:15am

Thanks I will try it out, and come back if more help is needed.

phairplay · March 23, 2021, 9:58am

Hi,
I’m thinking of moving over to an SSD and on a rpi4

Currently I’m running hass.io with a zwave aeotec on a USB extention.

I read a few places that hooking a SSD to the usb3 port of the pi could interfere with the z wave dongle.

This is still correct? what are you guys doing to get around it!

Jpsy · March 24, 2021, 1:25am

It really looks like that. I am tempted to include that information in the guide. But I am also a bit reluctant because the numbers could be the result of the fact that the 4G version is bought more often than the others and thus appears more often if you collect samples. It would be helpful to normalize these figures with selling statistics of the different Pi models.

KCYeoh · March 24, 2021, 2:31am

Yes. This is still correct. Basically it is more on hardware related issue. You can’t get over it unless they re-design the board by putting better shielding or move apart USB2 and USB3.

So use the USB extension is the only workaround.

Jpsy · March 24, 2021, 5:38am

I could not find any official sales figures. But I tried a Google Trends search:

Looks very much as if 4Gb is not the most requested version. I will add a hint to the guide soon.

bschatzow · March 24, 2021, 8:47am

I still think something was changed with the HAOS and how 64 bit is done. When I get a chance I’m going to try the spilt system again (sd to boot and everything else on SSD). This time I’ll use the 32 bit version of the OS. I tried the 64bit OS and it failed. 5.2 through 5.4 have never failed for me.

naijaping · March 25, 2021, 5:38pm

Please what format is your ssd, I have 128GB M.2, I flashed HA on it with etcher and everything works well but I am unable to setup WIFI because my Macbook Pro cant read the ssd.

So I am not able to put the CONFIG folder. I am using Argon M.2 case.

Thanks for your help.

Jpsy · March 25, 2021, 7:41pm

You can change the WIFI settings directly from within HA. Go to Supervisor -> System -> Host -> click the Change button near IP address.