SD to SSD

[wouterlet]

Hello guys,

I couldn't find a topic/manual for this. But a want to convert my domoticz installation from SD to SSD. But I would like to prevent an new installation, is this possible? Or do I have to completely start over?

[HansOtten]

Easy. No reinstallation required.

Look at the general SD to SSD recipes for Raspberry Pi, it is just a matter of copying the SD image to the SSD.
https://github.com/billw2/rpi-clone for example

Make sure you have a USB 3.0 adapter that is supported, the ASmdia chipset works fine.
And have a look at the the EEPROM update and boot order in raspi-config.

Keep the SD safe until the SSD is working. You can always restart the process then.

[sammyke007]

This is the best thing you can do with your Pi in my opinion. Just keep your SD somewhere safe. If something fails, you can always revert to it without a problem. I use BENFEI and UGREEN SATA to USB adapters and both work fine for +1 year.

Just check your Pi version and see if it needs additional programming before booting from SSD or not.

[wouterlet]

Ok,sounds good. My Pi is an 3B+. I'll have a look how to change the boot options.

Do you have any thoughts about this combination:

https://geekworm.com/products/x820-v3-0 ... 4783619160

Looks nice that I can build it all in a small housing. Or are there known issues with this board?

[EddyG]

I use a similar housing from Geekworm for 2 ssd drives, I use those 2 ssd drive in raid 1, so if 1 ssd drive fails the system still runs.
I also use the power unit from Geekworm.

[HansOtten]

Ok,sounds good. My Pi is an 3B+. I'll have a look how to change the boot options.

Do you have any thoughts about this combination:

https://geekworm.com/products/x820-v3-0 ... 4783619160

Looks nice that I can build it all in a small housing. Or are there known issues with this board?

Expensive. I use a USB 3 cableadapter (7,50 euro Pihut) and a SSD 240 GB 20 euro and a Raspbery Pi 4 and printed my own case.

[EddyG]

SSD 240 GB 20 euro and a Raspbery Pi 4 and printed my own case.

Cheap SSD my WDC_WDS250G2B0A costed around € 40,-- per pce
Can your case be found on Thingiverse?

[thomasbaetge]

I did that last year, copied the image from SD to a small 120GB SSD from Amazon.
It took me about 30 minutes and the system is running 24/7 ever since. I think 120GB is plenty of storage for this purpose, I am running domoticz with 500+ devices, mosquitto, Phoscon and node-red on a headless buster installation and still have 95% free storage.

[HansOtten]

SSD 240 GB 20 euro and a Raspbery Pi 4 and printed my own case.

Cheap SSD my WDC_WDS250G2B0A costed around € 40,-- per pce
Can your case be found on Thingiverse?

A small SSD like 120GB is more than enough, you are only replacing a 16 GB SD. And they are about 20 euro now.

Yea, there are many cases on thingiverse, look for HDD + Raspberry. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2407893 is the one I use.

[Thorgal789]

And noone have tried eMMC card used with a SSD adaptator (no power needed) or a RasPiKey ?

[thomasbaetge]

nope, small SSDs are dirt cheap, very reliable and don't need external power supply.
Total no-brainer with a lot of benefits

[Thorgal789]

don't need external power supply

Yep but still need one, by the USB port, so more consumption, and less for other USB devices.

[thomasbaetge]

not necessarily.
I have a z-wave stick, a conbee Zigbee stick and said SSD in the PI (3b+).
Plus it has a cooling fan.
it does not report undervoltage with the standard power supply and works perfectly fine.

maybe just because nobody told the PI that it may be too much

[RobertM]

RPi SD Card Copier

https://linuxhint.com/how-to-clone-a-ra ... i-sd-card/

[HansOtten]

don't need external power supply

Yep but still need one, by the USB port, so more consumption, and less for other USB devices.

Not true, most RPi's and small SSD's run fine without external power supply and are very fast and reliable.

And other USB devices? I have two more, the zigbee stick and a RFlink.

Do not over engineer!

[HansOtten]

RPi SD Card Copier

https://linuxhint.com/how-to-clone-a-ra ... i-sd-card/

Good advice!

[thomasbaetge]

just remember, if you clone a 16GB SD card to a 120GB SSD you will still have a 16GB image, not 120

[EddyG]

Not true, most RPi's and small SSD's run fine without external power supply and are very fast and reliable.

And other USB devices? I have two more, the zigbee stick and a RFlink.

Do not over engineer!

See what power is needed for an SSD, just to get an idea: https://www.anandtech.com/show/8747/sam ... -review/10
You will have to set "max_usb_current=1" in the config.txt to be able to power an USB SSD drive properly.
For an Raspberry Pi 4B you will have to buy a 3 Amps charger because the Raspberry Pi 4B can consume 6 Watts.

[thomasbaetge]

I would not make it more complicated than it actually is.
I've just picked the first no-name SSD from Amazon, put my image on it and fired it up.
No undervoltage reported, no crashes or any issues for more than a year in 24/7 operation.

If I would search the internet long enough I will for sure find a website that tells me that it is a shitty idea, but I tend to not solve problems, that I don't have in the first place.

[user4563]

It would be wise to get a SSD that is proven to be reliable through unless you don't mind starting over (Samsung, Plextor, WD, Kingston, etc)