Anyone else notice that all module names are again disappearing in HomeGenie Version v1.3-stable.19?
Not just x10 security modules but all x10 module names. They seem to stick for a day or so then disappear, going back blank. Not a great issue as after all these years I pretty much know what each modules x10 function is in each group.
But what is killing me is that in addition to names going away, so do all the module settings. security settings can be set to be alarm/strobes, smart emailer settings turn off, and smart lights program shut off so the turn off sigs never come.
I can reset all these but a day or so later they are all gone again. Defeats the whole HG security system when none of the DS10 doors are labeled to be part of it and thus no indication of one open and no alarm goes off.
I have to say I don’t have this problem on my install. Yes I have noticed that a server restart or reboot does produce something similar but only on X10 security modules. Once you re-enrol those sensors with HG by tripping them everything is back to normal. I may have a solution for this but I’ll need to make a few changes to the program at my end when I get the time.
When you start HG and inspect your log do you see a message relating to a missing X10 Security modules folder.
Is your server restarting without your knowledge. Not noticeable until you start digging. Try catching a section of the log that relates to this behaviour.
What service daemon are you using to start or stop your server. Maybe post the contents here so we can see it.
It may well be happening on reboots; I have done a dozen these last couple weeks due to testing cm15 modules, updating pi linux, making changes in HG.
I do not believe I have any reboots not instigated specifically by me.
My test today is to change the name and settings in configure group list instead of just in HG group itself to see if that makes it stick. Will know after a reboot or two or few days.
I did not mention but email addresses disappear also from each of 3 email test send programs I have.
I have seen the names reappear too when a module is not seen yet after a reboot; this is not that issue.
Depending on how your HG service is scripted if your server is stopping/crashing it will restart automatically so you may not actually notice unless you are checking logs.
If your server is stopping without a clean shutdown this could explain a possible corruption in your Configuration file, hence the problem with your modules. Again without seeing any logs I’m just guessing.
If you check in your Program sections do you have more than one instance of the Email Account program. This is known to happen after a HG Restore. What program ID no is your Email Account program listed as.
What other services, if any do you have running on the RPI besides HG.
No idea how Tuicemen’s x10hub is scripted; but if it is set to auto restart on fault I say that is much more important than not screwing up a config file. My log was always so active with its constant notify lines of api stuff it would be a miracle to find a single line in 50 pages that says something like restart, so that search is not in my future.
I could study up and find how to not start HAbridge on my pi since I no longer use it, but Ii have zero reason to believe it is causing any issue so am for now leaving it running.
Now that you say it, my pi did stop communicating a few times, before last new x10hub image start over, and it made me pull power to reset it… Perhaps THOSE were the times I lost data…
I just did a sudo reboot & a restart in HG maint menu… all still good…
I will just pay attention next time it screws up and try to compare that to a power outage (my pi is on my comp UPS, with auto start generac online so power should never go off).
My email is #142 and only one. IT does not lose data, just the other 3 email test programs I made.
I have suggested before that you start with a fresh install of RaspberryOS (formerly called Raspbian Buster) followed by a fresh install of HG from Gene’s HG repository http://genielabs.github.io/HomeGenie/#/get_started
This takes approximately forty minutes from start to finish. This will ensure your foundations are solid with nothing else cluttering up your SD card. From there you can simply copy over your setup manually to your new install knowing that you are not introducing old problems to a new setup. This will ensure going forward anyone trying to help you troubleshoot your setup will know exactly how your setup is structured.
I did ask you to post a number of items here but as you say you’re not in a position to do so. Suffice to say if your foundations are shaky these problems will keep coming back to haunt your setup.
Even a copy of your homegenie.service file (your HG service daemon) would have helped. A simple sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/homeseer.service command followed by a copy/paste to here would have helped greatly.
Again it’s entirely up to you how you approach this but be warned if the basic setup isn’t sound you’ll keep revisiting this subject.
I have total faith in Tuicemen’s X10hub image, so no need to ‘start anew’ beyond using his image. Not shaky at all.
But your pointed to a cool link that finally would make starting fresh for someone else doable! Until that link, I never saw any link that offered a clear path to installing HG alone. Thanks for the link, I am saving it.
As for homeseer.service, I do not have such a file on my pi. Not sure why I should as I do not use homeseer.
I do have a homegenie.service:
[Unit]
Description= Homegenie server
After=network.target
Once that’s complete you then have a vanilla install of HG and from there you have a solid foundation without any extraneous additions to your HG setup.
Again if you have complete faith in a third party image of HG so be it but I do strongly recommend you follow the standard HG installation instructions I linked to above if for no other reason than it gives you complete autonomy over your entire system.
Do you really want to keep revisiting this problem over and over again. The trick to a stable setup is keeping it as simple as possible and these links will do exactly that.
I’m afraid I can do nothing further to help you with your problem . If you follow the advice I’ve given you you’ll have no further issues with your basic setup.
In relation to HA Bridge, you can see from this link the ongoing issues that users are experiencing. It’s on ongoing battle to maintain a stable service with Alexa via HA Bridge. Probably better to purchase one of those cheap smart hubs with a certified Amazon Skill to ensure reliable continuous service https://github.com/bwssytems/ha-bridge/issues/1243
OK, I give up. You win. I doubt it will make any difference, but I will do the “40 min” that will likely be 3 hours make new plain HG SD card. Lost all my email, security names, regular x10 module names again.
I win nothing. Hopefully you will though. Win back all that time you’re spending on your HG install.
As I mentioned before follow the instructions clearly in the link for installing HG. Ensure you add the Mono repository from the Mono project as instructed. They’re all simple copy paste commands.
I don’t advise restoring any old backups either. You don’t want to introduce old corrupted config files into a new setup.
Once you have a vanilla HG setup installed, carefully configure any of the factory installed programs you are likely to use like Email Account settings, disable but don’t delete the ones you are not likely to use. From there you can slowly rebuild your system to the way you want it.
Be careful adding any programs that are not in the repository. You’ll get the full list when you choose the Add Programs option.
Most if not all of your automation needs should be addressable with the Wizard Script. They are easily scripted and easily deleted when the need arises.
Spending the time building a solid setup initially will save countless hours revisiting your setup.
As suspected, it is now going on 5 hours and I have only a very slow 8GB SD card with new buster on it; no HG or mono repository yet. no wifi enabled yet. So far, 1 hour per buster install on an 8GB card - where did you get 40 minutes TOTAL? 3 tries on faster 16GB card still do not produce a booting buster. So much for 40 minutes.
As a test, since I last posted I downloaded the RaspberryOS from the Raspberry Pi foundation forum. Total time 5 minutes. Extracted the image and created an image on a 16gb SD. Total time 5 minutes. As the image is quite up to date an upgrade took 4 minutes. Added Mono repo as per instructions from the HG link and installed HG 20 minutes. Actually took 35 minutes from start to finish this time. Unless you have an extremely slow download speed I’ve no idea what’s happening.
Could you post the exactly the procedure you are using to install RaspberryOS and HG.
Raspberry pi imager v1.4 took 1 hour to image the 8gb card. took 15 min to image the 16gb card but it does not boot the pi. no sure what this imager is doing; it is an exe file I downlkoaded to win10. 20mg in size. I assumed it was a zipped ver of buster? maybe not, maybe it is just the program and the program downloads buster each time I use it? anyway, trying a 3rd 16gb SD card now to see if it will get written in a way to boot the pi. My partician wizard shows me the 256mb boot partician and 3.3GB linux partician but it does not boot. I am using a keyboard and HDMI display altho this time I will write my wpa-supp and ssh files to this 16gb card to see if I can go in with putty.
So a 3rd 16gb card written with buster an d it too will not boot in either pi I am trying. Maybe older pi zero v1.1’s could not read past 8gb SD cards…
Now the 8gb card is getting stuck part way thru its boot…I like the desc ription: PANIC!not syncing VFSUNABLE TO MOUNT ROOT fs ON UNKONWN.
See why Tuicemen’s premade image is so wonderful?
I tried looking up how to uninstall the HA-bridge off my working HG SD card but none of the suggestions work. sudo … get… --purge remove and stuff. perhaps I can just screw it up by deleting the autostart line in its config file? Altho I really do not believe it is causing my issue with HG loosing its config data…
But tomorrow I will look for a FRESH buster install program that I can use with my trusty ImageUSB or BalenaEtcher programs. I half suspect this link you gave does not work with any SD cards over 8GB…
Forget that Balena Etcher. Just download the RaspberryOS file. Unzip the image and write that unzipped image to SD card with Win32 Disk Image. Simple and trouble free.
