Thanks all for the help here.
The migration will take place at Christmas so until then I have a little time search, read and decide what is the best solution that I could follow. Until now the easiest way I believe is the Ubuntu & Hassio. (since I have a guide to follow - I have no experience in Linux environment at all)
@timpro
Ubuntu can installed only in a virtual machine?
I thought that I could install directly in the new machine Ubuntu and afterwards home assistant. Can’t I?
*with no research yet I from what I have read here and there I always thought that ubuntu is something like windows (operating system) and everything else could be installed on top.
Probably I am missing something. VMs have that same function as in windows? If for example I will need to record my cameras can I use them in ubuntu running home assistant simultaneously?
In which scenario I would need a VM?
A VM is a Virtual Machine. It runs a “machine” virtually, and that VM can be Windows, Linux, FreeBSD…
Say for example, your camera software (the recording and monitoring piece, not the viewer) only runs on Windows. You can add a Windows VM and run your software on the same physical box as your Ubuntu VM that is running Home Assistant.
If you don’t know what a VM is, then all of this doesn’t matter, and you obviously have no use for it.
I have a spare old pc in the basement and I think it is a good opportunity to see/test how I can manage it with ubuntu.
I tried to download it from the link of this guide (from Kanga are here) but it does not work
I think it is ok if I download it from here. right?
No you don’t need a desktop version, it’s better to use the server version. You can later SSH into the server or if you install proxmox you can access the GUI over a web interface, no need for the Ubuntu Dektop version.
I will need that for sure. So it is better to install the server version + proxmox.
In proxmox download site I see there are iso files also. Can I install only proxmox without ubuntu? No e?
No, read up on Proxmox, VMs etc. If you had just a basic understanding of these topics you wouldn’t ask such questions, that’s also why I said it will be a long journey for you.
You install Proxmox, which is a hypervisor vor VMs. In Proxmox you setup a VM with Ubuntu and install home assistant in this VM or use the scripts of @kanga_who (never used them so can’t provide you any more info about this). You can then for example set up another VM with Windows for your cameras and so on.
The original posting was to give advice to a user that does not know Linux at all.
It is hard to remember how it was to be a newbie and how much knowledge about basic things we have when we have played with Linux for years. The beginner has to read up and google everything when all you have is a command prompt window. Every single step is a learning.
You don’t know what you don’t know. You will not search for how to setup ssh if you do not know what ssh is.
As a Linux beginner my advice is to go mainstream and simple and even a Celeron based NUC has plenty of power to run a GUI desktop and Home Assistant. When you install with the GUI you get all the graphical help to setup things like fixed IP address, create a Samba share. You can have a browser window open and a terminal and copy and paste command line commands from a recipe to the terminal. Updates, installation of packages. You have all the GUI tools that helps you and guides you before you have setup ssh etc and you can find them in the menu system of the GUI. Click and learn.
For a beginner I will advice to install a standard mainstream Ubuntu desktop (or distribution based on Ubuntu incl Linux Mint). And you should choose latest LTS (long term support) version as this is supported for security updates years to come.
After having installed it and updated it as prompted by the GUI you continue to install Home Assistant.
And you have quickly a working Home Assistant running as a fully operating Hass.io in which you can install addons with one click. And you can access Home Assistant from a browser as described in the installation description.
And without knowing anything you have already installed Dockers (That Hass.io runs in) and you are set to go.
And from this nice starting point you can start learning about enabling secure shell (ssh), Samba share (so you can map the server as a drive on a Windows machine) etc etc.
And most important - you run mainstream which means that when you search for help - the guide and forum advice on Google searches will most likely fit your OS including command line fixes, package names etc.
No, you don’t install Ubuntu + Proxmox. Install ONE or the other.
You don’t know what you need from the sound of it. The GUI in Proxmox is ONLY for managing the VMs, not an OS that you use for HA.
BS. People need to learn what they are doing, and understand what’s going on. Randomly running scripts from the internet is one of the best ways to get nefarious stuff done to your computer. I disagree 100% with this statement.
First of all. let me thank you all of you for the help you provide.
Unfortunately, I feel and I am too old to learn Linux in order to run Home Assistant. (52 yo)
I installed hassio in a raspberry before 3 weeks. Until then I didn’t know anything, but some vba for excel.
I liked a lot HA and decided that I have to install it in a more reliable machine than raspberry in order to feel safe that my home automatons will run with minimum problems (I hope).
I need to know which is the best way to install the operating (linux based) system that will give me the freedom to run HA in such way that when I need something (that apparently don’t know now - eg windows cameras) after a few months or a year the operating system to be able to support it.
From what I read here and IF I understand everything correct a flexible configuration would to install Promox, after a VM ubuntu and HA in ubuntu. is that correct?
I am asking because in the begging I read that ubuntu was a good solution. However I didn’t know (and how I could) that it would be better to install the server version.
From the above post (thanks Burningstone) I came to the conclusion that it would be better to start with Promox etc.
So to sum up, Ideally I would like to have HA in a linux based system other than raspberry that will be flexible configuration and to have access from a windows browser (as I have right now).
One is never too old to learn new stuff you don’t need to know linux on a really deep level, but the basics are necessary in my opinion, like what is ssh, how to setup a samba share etc. The same goes for Proxmox, at least a basic understanding of how VMs work is needed, but you don’t need to know everything to the last detail.
I mean i’m far (really far) from an expert in Linux and Proxmox, but I know the basics, and with these basics, google and this forum, I was always able to solve my problems.
This was maybe a bit to extreme suggestion, I think for the learning process it’s a good idea to install a desktop version and do it like @KennethLavrsen suggested.
Poppycock. You’re never too old to learn technology.
Then install Proxmox.
After you get Proxmox installed, Install an Ubuntu VM.
After you install an Ubuntu VM, install hassio using the script provided from the home assistant page.
The thing to understand about this setup is that Proxmox will have one IP address on your network, and your Ubuntu (and subsequently your HassIO instance) will have another IP address on your network.
This gives you great flexibility, but realize that it’s not a plug and play operation, and you WILL have to learn a thing or 2 about networking and virtualization.
One thing is the years.Another one is that I have a family that is freaking out with all the new staff the home has.Another is one is time which is very limited. I can deal with all these every afternoon only.
And there is my overall strength. Which isn’t the same as it was before 10 years
However I do like technology so I am willing to learn.
Lets say that I can manage and install it in the above setup.
I already have configured my router so I have access in hassio:8123 and from ddns which it was not too difficult, (after several tries ) is it much harder in Linux?
you don’t need to know linux on a really deep level, but the basics are necessary in my opinion, like what is ssh, how to setup a samba share etc. The same goes for Proxmox, at least a basic understanding of how VMs work is needed, but you don’t need to know everything to the last detail.
) is it much harder in Linux?