Pi 5 fresh install

[edwin1234]

Hi i have a pi4 with domoticz 2021.1

And want to do a new install on a pi5 with the newest domoticz
And have if possible all my devices on there with the original idx’s
Node red and scripts also

What is the best way to do this?
Can i just backup on the pi4 and copy the backup on the pi5 or is that giving problems?

Or is it just better to start new from the beginning for all devices and stuff

[Thorgal789]

It can depend of yours hardwares, but yes for me it's the better way.

- Make a full backup of old domoticz (can be usefull).
- Install full OS, official, with upgrade and update, not a lite version.
- Install Domoticz with official command
- On the previous OS make backup of database (using domoticz backup feature) and specific domoticz folder (like "plugins" or "script")
- On the new OS restore folder, restart, check all is (almost) working, no python error.
- Restore the domoticz settings (using domoticz restore feature)

You can have some hardwares not supported, (New OS, new libraries, deprecated one, new fucking security rules ...), but for me it's something necessary, better to have something in date, insteaod of having something "in palliative care" using walkaround or docker.

Can be a good idea to re-install python plugins starting by scratch (instead of copying folder), need more time, but better to have something clean and updated (you can miss some options, some plugins use a file as setting, but you can pick it on the full backup you have done in first).

You can too just copy the file domoticz.db insteaof of using the backup/retore feature.
In theory domoticz will update it to new version.

Or is it just better to start new from the beginning for all devices and stuff

No, the Domoticz backup is clean, I don't think you can found useless stuff inside.
And you will loose all yours previous data

Can check your hardware before, for exemple Zwave have moved a lot since 2021, MQTT too, so you can have some work to do according to it, but for me you won't be able to do otherwise, so ...

[edwin1234]

Thanks for your answer

[gmarchionni]

If you have equal or more than 2gb ram on the pi, maybe you should start using docker. in my opinion it's a better way for the future and it's not too difficult to learn.

[Thorgal789]

What are the advantages of using Docker on Raspberry Pi ? If you have a big server not able to run classic OS, or need outdated OS for not supported hardware ok, but on raspberry ?
You can have a full OS, always on date, with simple access, that can be always in date, with only 1 version of python, and other library in only 1 version (the last one), and the bigger community.

Backup ? Just need to make a domoticz backup, it take 1 mn.
Restoration ? every 5 years, you can have a problem on your SD card, but you just need 2 hour, to install a fresh debian with the previous backup, and if you don't use SD card ....
Rollback on wrong manipulation ? 1 min to restore a Domoticz backup.
Compatiblity ? All need to work on last versions, and need to be compatible, stop making "therapeutic obstinacy" on dead software, or not supported one. It don't work ? forget it and take new one, you can have a workaround today, but you will have issue an other day.
installation ? Just need 1 command line to install Domoticz.

And you are saying " not too difficult to learn" ? can you say to me how to do if I want to edit for exemple the file /usr/share/libraryX/setting.txt (inside the docker ofc) ? On debian it's just one command line, and all users know it.
Just make a search on all forum, you can found so much "How do X on docker", with no answsers, realy few people realy know them in reality, they know how to install them, update them and no more, you are on Domoticz, lot of "handyman" that like to custom code, docker are not for that.

[jannl]

Use docker and a lite version if you are not going to use the desktop. I would go for bookworm and not trixy.

Install the new pi, test it and finally swap them.

Also test the usb devices.

[Thorgal789]

Litle version are different than "headless" version, they are incomplete, some stuff is removed.
If he install the docker domoticz, he will no have lot of choice for the OS, he will have the one configured on the image.
We are in 2026 even my smartphone can support a Dekstop without problem, and it's a PI 5, better to have it, can be usefull and no disadvantages.
You are advising to install an old OS on a new machine ?
No more comments about docker versus normal OS.

[jannl]

Bookworm is not necessarily old. Installing trixy which is still being heavily developed is not the OS I would advise if being used on a production domotica system. I learned the hard way.

Remember to do full upgrades on trixy because dependencies change and expect problems if you don't.

I use a lite version of Raspian on my pi since 2014 without problems. The only issues I had when using the most recent OS.

At the moment my pi runs bullseye and my docker bookworm.

The pi running a desktop environment is of course no problem. Just the pi doing a lot of things and slowing it down without the need for it. Escpecially when doing an updatw/upgrade

[gmarchionni]

Well...i moved to docker, i also sometimes need to modify files or install programs....i created a dockerfile with all my customization. once it's done, it's there also on future updates.
I prefer to use it like that. if you prefer to stay on the bare metal, you are free to do so.
Considering the amount of dependencies when you have domoticz, homebridge and other tools...i prefer containers.