How to Run Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi Using an SSD

If you're running Home Assistant on a Raspberry Pi or planning to, it's crucial to know that using a regular SD card may lead to its quick wear out. This happens because Home Assistant frequently writes data, which can degrade SD cards rapidly. To avoid this issue, consider using a more durable solid-state drive (SSD), like those found in laptops.

This guide will be divided into two parts. First, we'll cover the process for a Raspberry Pi 4, which is straightforward and also applicable to the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+. If you have an older Raspberry Pi 3 Model B (without the plus), the process will be a bit more involved, and we'll go through that next. In both cases, you'll need an appropriate SSD. Typically, Home Assistant doesn't require much space unless you plan to use it for media streaming. A 64GB SSD is usually sufficient, but for this guide, I'll use a 120GB Transcend M2 SATA SSD. I'll link to this in the description.

Choosing the Right SSD

There are two types of M2 drives: NVMe and SATA. NVMe drives are faster but more expensive and unnecessary since we’re connecting via a USB 3 port. Therefore, a SATA drive is a better choice. You'll also need a USB caddy specifically designed for M2 SATA drives. I’ll link to a suitable option in the description. Ensure you get the right keyed adapter for your drive. SATA drives can be either B key or B&M key but never just M key.

Required Hardware

1. SSD Drive: Preferably M2 SATA.
2. USB Caddy: Designed for M2 SATA drives.
3. Ethernet Cable: For initial setup (you can configure Wi-Fi later).
4. Raspberry Pi: Model 4 or 3 B+ for the first part; 3 B for the second part.

Setting Up on Raspberry Pi 4 or 3 B+

1. Download Raspberry Pi Imager: Visit the official Raspberry Pi website and download the imager software. I’ll link to this in the description.
2. Prepare the SSD: Connect the SSD to your computer using the USB caddy.
3. Install Home Assistant:
   • Open Raspberry Pi Imager.
   • Choose the OS: Scroll down to "Other specific purpose OS" > "Home assistant and home automation" > "Home Assistant".
   • Select storage: Choose your SSD.
   • Click "Write" and confirm with your password if prompted.
4. Boot Raspberry Pi:
   • Connect the SSD to your Raspberry Pi.
   • Ensure the Ethernet cable is connected.
   • Power on the Raspberry Pi.
   • Wait a few minutes for it to boot up.
   • Navigate to http://homeassistant.local:8123 to complete the setup.

Setting Up on Raspberry Pi 3 Model B

1. Image the SSD:
   • Follow the same steps as above to image the SSD with Home Assistant OS for Raspberry Pi 3.
2. Prepare a Micro SD Card:
   • Insert a micro SD card into your card reader.
   • Choose the OS: "Raspberry Pi OS (32-bit)".
   • Configure settings: Set the hostname (e.g., testpi3.local), enable SSH, and set a temporary username and password.
   • Write the image to the SD card.
3. Boot and Configure:
   • Insert the SD card into your Raspberry Pi.
   • Connect the Ethernet cable and power on the Pi.
   • SSH into the Pi using an SSH client like Putty (Windows) or Terminal (Mac/Linux).
   • Enable USB booting: Run the command provided in the linked article.
   • Reboot the Raspberry Pi.

Final Steps for Both Models

1. Connect SSD:
   • After enabling USB booting, disconnect the power and remove the SD card.
   • Connect the SSD to the Raspberry Pi and power it back on.
2. Complete Setup:
   • Navigate to http://homeassistant.local:8123 to finish the setup process.
   • Configure Wi-Fi if preferred, although a wired connection is recommended for better reliability and performance.

Conclusion

Following this guide will help you set up Home Assistant on your Raspberry Pi with an SSD, ensuring better performance and longevity. If you found this tutorial helpful, please like and subscribe to my channel for more guides.