Migrating from sd to SSD - no bootup - Raspberry 3b+

1

I’m running HA on an Raspberry Pi 3b+ using an sd card, but am trying to migrate to a Kingston A400 120gb SSD. Using the official power adapter.

Used this video (Home Assistant Raspberry Pi 4 SSD Installation and Migration - YouTube) to migrate, but instead downloaded the image for my Pi 3 in the Raspberry Pi Imager.

The SSD did boot up once and I was able to log into a brand new HA-installation. Told it to backup from my latest backup/snapshot and that was it. Haven’t been able to get it working since. I’ve tried formatting the SSD again and doing the Imager-step once again. Still nothing.
My Pi works when booting from the sd-card.

When booting from the ssd, the first lines of the boot are:

"
net: no ethernet found
starting usb…
bus usb@7e9800000: usb dr_mode not found
usb dwc2
scanning bus usb@7e9800000 for devices… usb_new_device: cannot read configuration, smipping device 152d:0576
"

Is the formatting of the ssd that’s the cause? ve seen the same ssd used by others, so the model (hopefully) shouldn’t be the problem.

cheers,

2

The video you linked is actually for the Pi 4.

Anyway, as for the Pi 3 have you updated the bootloader to support booting from an USB SSD? Easy to understand instructions you can find i.e. here.

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3

Yeah, realised the 4-part after I pressed send. Did find a 3 video that didn’t seem to do it differently.

It’s my understanding that 3 mobel B+ are set to usd boot from factory settings?

Was hoping to be able to do without a wired keyboard, but that doesn’t seem to be possible. Have to find a cheap one then.

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4

Depends on how recent the bootloader on your RPI3 is. For updating it, as described with the link I sent, you don’t need a wired keyboard. Just connect through SSH and do it over LAN.

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5

ah, okay. You’re right. Only have an extra 64gb sd around, but that seems to be doable still :slight_smile:

6

Yup. Just install RaspberryOS on it, put it into your RPI3 and upgrade the bootloader.

Btw, if your Backup (Snapshot) is big better upload it to the RPI and restore from there after you have installed HA. This way seems to be more foolproof than doing the restore over the LAN.

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7

My backup is 205 mb, that doesn’t seem that big?

8

No, that is tiny :grin:

9

Managed to ssh into my rpi and started to follow the checklist in your link. But when entering “sudo rpi-eeprom-update -d -a” I get an error stating that the command is only for Pi 4’s.

Plus, the software configuration tool has no “boot options” as the screens in the checklist does :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

10

The issue seems not to be a problem with the bootloader since you wrote:

It looks like you ran into an issue similar to this (although the OP encountered this with an SD-card install).

Which installation method did you choose for your RPI3?

11

I used raspberry pi imager to format my ssd.

After deciding to give up, I wondered if balena etcher would make a difference - because that’s what the installation in your mentioned using.

Lo and behold, HA is now running from my ssd. Haven’t tried uploading my backup but that’s the next step :slight_smile:

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12

Keep us informed after you have restored a snapshot :+1:t3:

13

The restore worked, except now me and Home Assistant no longer agree on what my user password was before the migration, so now I’m just brainstorming different passwords :sweat_smile:

14

Nice :+1:t4:

Take a look here: I’m Locked Out!

15

already looked at a few of the suggestions, but trying to start again with the backup. Tried booting from the sd card again and I am able to login with the password I thought, weirdly enough.
At least it’s a learning experience!

16

Sorry to ressurect an old thread, but I am getting a bit desperate and suffering a similar issue to the above:

PiB3+ won’t boot from SSD - Hardware - Home Assistant Community (home-assistant.io)

I would be really grateful to know what, exactly, you did to get HA working on your SSD with Pi3B+

17

Unfortunately, I didn’t get it working, so decided to postpone the project until I upgrade to an rpi 4.

Rpi 3B+ seems to have issues with certain ssd-controllers and I couldn’t easily get one that was supposed to work.

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18

Having the same issue with the 3b+. I’ve given up hope. Been beating my head against the wall for weeks.

Getting my hands on a Pi 4 has been quite a different challenge though.

19

I’ve ended up moving to an Odroid N2+ instead of trying to buy a Pi 4. Seemed like the easier option if a little more expensive.