I have just got hold of an old Dell Inspiron i3050 (d12u001) which I would like to convert to a Home Assistant machine…
I was just wondering what the best way to do this is? Can I just use the intel NUC image? It’s not a “NUC” but does have an intel cpu… not sure if there are other differences between a NUC hardware to a standard pc?
If not, what’s the best way?
Also, it has 2GB ram and a 32gb storage - should I upgrade either of these for Home Assistant? (I plan to use external storage to run a Plex server as well)
A NUC is just an Intel-branded mini-PC. The same things that work on a NUC will work on any Intel desktop/laptop/etc.
2GB and 32GB are enough to run Home Assistant but with PLEX, you’ll probably want to increase both a bit.
I’ve got HA running on an i7 miniPC with 512GB storage and 8GB RAM but I’m also running Windows 10 as the main OS, Blue Iris camera software, and HA on VirtualBox (with 2 cores and 32GB dedicated to it).
I installed my installation on a used 1u supermicro with 32gb of ram and 1tb. It has two xeon processors.
I run home assistant as a virtual machine and also interface with a dsc home security system on this server. Memory should not limit you. I use about 3gb of the 32 available. I had the TB drive so that’s what I used. It is a 5300 rpm drive. It is headless and I ssh into when needed but can log in at the rack. I dedicated one of the rj45 ports to home assistant. I also dedicate 3 cores to the virtual machine at 100%. I am running Ubuntu 20.04 desktop because I was having trouble getting the server version to start virtual-box on startup. I also have 19 integrations, 3 additional through HACS, 14 frontend toos, and 1 automation in HACS. I have 90+ z-wave nodes, 3 shelly nodes, 2 thermostats (ecobee), myQ.
I can share my systemd file for starting virtual-box at startup but I got off this forum. I run the supervised version.
To be sure, I’m doing that because Blue Iris runs on Windows 10. The one drawback to that is having to occasionally reboot the host in order to install a Win10 update.
I don’t actually know if there’s a way to run HA “directly”. Everything I see is HA running within Docker. I also see a lot of folks running that within a VM as well. Someone with more knowledge of the inner workings of VMs and Docker would have to explain the whys and wherefores. What can say is that the difference then would be just the “overhead” in implementing the VM on Linux vs Windows.
a good search on the forum will give you answers on those questions, for sure. I can’t remember the topics, but I’m sure, i have read discussions about this in the past.
Well, so far this isn’t going well
I’ve put the NUC image on a flash drive and booted on the system but when it loads there is a menu there but i can’t see what it says! Seems to disappear off the screen leaving just the underscore
Eventually after pressing a bunch of buttons I get to the
Enter exit to get back to the menu
HassOS-boot:/
command prompt but then no idea what I’m supposed to do here because presuably I want to be installing something before i get here! I want to run it off the internal drive…
You know you’re not being helpful, right?
I have of course searched… (and posted in another thread based on that search)
I’m looking for help, not a lesson in dealing with unconstructive comments
I’m sorry, but that was not ment that way. The advice to search was directed to a off topic post. If I have to say something on topic, I write it out, as you had seen.
But the discussion about well or not run on Win10 is not really on topic and I do not know much about that. I just remember, that there is a lot info about it somewhere. So I’ve said that.
Sorry, but I’m no one’s secretary to search the answers for them.
I’m trying to advise you on yours system, I think, I do that very well.
Well, it is actually quiet discouraging for me, getting this kind of reactions after I’m spending my time to help others…
Never mind, I still em focused on your original question and will help with that. I will from now on ignore the Win 10 part, if that suits better.
And try the method I’ve mentioned, if that’s, what annoys you, then - i just refer to already written answer back in the topic, do you want me to copy paste it or what? I don’t understand…
If you do have more questions about that method, fire them. But please, don’t shoot at me, when I’m trying to help. Just my 2 cents…
Okay, now we are off topic…
I’m not asking about Windows 10… “I’ve put the NUC image on a flash drive and booted on the system” If anything your answer is off topic! I want to install Home Assistant OS on a Mini-PC - your answer was around installing Home Assistant in a docker container… not what I want. Then telling me to go search and then referring me to said answer in another post is not useful or welcoming to a struggling new user.
Anyway, back ON topic
Is anyone able to please help me get this installed on my machine…
I’ve put the NUC image on a flash drive and booted on the system but when it loads there is a menu there but i can’t see what it says! Seems to disappear off the screen leaving just the underscore
Eventually after pressing a bunch of buttons I get to the
Enter exit to get back to the menu
HassOS-boot:/
command prompt but then no idea what I’m supposed to do here because presuably I want to be installing something before i get here! I want to run it off the internal drive…
I’ve told you, how you can do it, one of the possible ways. You chose another one, that’s fine. It seems not to be working. So I remind you, that I’ve told you already about a different way to achieve your goal, which in my eyes WILL work. You even liked that answer back then. What the hell is wrong with that?
Sorry guy, but if this is your attitude towards helpers, I’m out to next topic, where help is appreciated…
The HAOS NUC image only works on a limited range of hardware. If you don’t have NUC or identical hardware to a NUC you should install debian 10 and home assistant supervised, just like @BebeMischa correctly advised.
You can follow the official instructions HERE. This requires that you attach the drive you intend to use in the Mini PC to your Windows PC and flash it using Etcher.
Home Assistant OS also uses Docker, so if you don’t want to have Docker on you machine, the only choice you have is to install a Linux OS of your choice and install HA Core. Instructions on the same page I linked above.
You’re being a little combative for someone who is new, and, needs help.
I suggest you follow the Official instructions to install HA OS, or as Nick and BebeMischa have also suggested, follow the HA Supervised on Debian guide, unless you don’t want Docker, then install Core.
For what it’s worth, I installed the Home Assistant OS NUC image (2 days ago) on my Intel NUC8i3BEH and it’s been working fine so far. I updated to the new Home Assistant OS 6 (the NUC image has been renamed generic x86-64 in Home Assistant OS 6) and it’s still been working fine.
I did it by using BalenaEtcher on my MacBook to flash the NUC image from here onto my Samsung Evo Plus 970 M.2 nvme SSD. I did this by using an M.2 nvme SSD to USB-C adapter case (the specific adapter I used was made by this Chinese company called Ugreen), and connecting the SSD directly to my MacBook to flash the image.
After that, I took that SSD and installed it directly into my Intel NUC, disabled secure boot in my NUC BIOS, and Home Assistant could start up and was working.
