Installing HS4 on Linux

[crabjar]

Thanks to all the help in this thread I was able to retire my HS4-Pi edition and move it to LXC (Linux Containers) on a Linux (Debian) server. The instructions, if any one else wants to try this, are here: https://megascope.github.io/notes/homeseer_lxc.html

[Mooose]

Thanks for the info. I am using systemd to auto start, so I will look into the linked thread.

[zwolfpack]

The archive with name starting 'hs4_sel' is a "patch" version; the one starting with 'linux' is a "full" version.

The full version is organized such that when unwound, it creates a HomeSeer folder and puts everything in that. You perform the unarchive from the folder above, e.g. /usr/local.

The patch version is organized such that you unwind it from within the HomeSeer folder itself (/usr/local/HomeSeer).
To illustrate, list the first few entries of each archive:

tar taf linux_4_2_14_0.tar.gz | head
tar taf hs4_sel_4_2_14_0.tar.gz | head

Results of the full archive:

HomeSeer/
HomeSeer/install.sh
HomeSeer/temp/
HomeSeer/run_command_raw.sh
HomeSeer/hs_sentry.log
HomeSeer/play_audio.sh
HomeSeer/updatehslinux.sh
HomeSeer/autostart_hs
HomeSeer/run_command.sh
HomeSeer/Grammar/

Note HomeSeer/ at the start of each entry.

For the patch archive

autostart_hs
bin/
bin/homeseer/
bin/homeseer/PluginSdk.xml
bin/homeseer/Mono.CSharp.dll
bin/homeseer/Newtonsoft.Json.xml
bin/homeseer/ffmpeg
bin/homeseer/Newtonsoft.Json.Schema.dll
bin/homeseer/Mail.dll
bin/homeseer/RssToolkit.dll

The two archives are virtually the same size. In the past (HS3), the patch versions were significantly smaller, and contained only files that had changed at some point. Nowadays with larger disk sizes, they probably decided it easier/more reliable to include everything with the patch. The extra 300 or so bytes is likely the (compressed) additional 'HomeSeer' path components for each file.

Regarding your updater issue --- are you using an auto-start method? One of the auto-start methods published on the forum has been shown to break the updater - discussion/solution here: https://forums.homeseer.com/forum/hs...d-as-a-service

[Mooose]

Well, I tried manually updating from the command line file hs4_sel_4_2_14_0.tar.gz and it seemed to work, but when I went back to the Setup page to check, the old version was still installed. So I installed the linux_4_2_14_0.tar.gz file using tar xvf and this time it worked.

Just to be clear, when I hit the Check Update button, Homeseer downloaded the hs4_sel_4_2_14_0.tar.gz file that did not work. I had to GET the linux file manually.

[Mooose]

I took a quick look at my HS4 Linux directories. I can't remember where the install tarball was stored in the past, but I can't find one now. I have no idea where you got that oddball version number. I'd just delete that file ("SEL" is Linux, not Windows), and do what rmasonjr suggests and refresh the update version list, and try again. It should offer you 4.2.14.0. And, yes, before somebody "corrects" me, I know that 4.2.14 is available via the link Rich posted: https://docs.homeseer.com/display/HS...lease+4.2.14.0

BTW, I went to the Homeseer downloads page and clicked the button to download the Linux version, and it downloaded 4.2.13.0. Sheesh.

Sorry. I am a poor typist. The file name is corrected above, but all the quotes have the error. The file is hs4_sel_4_2_14_0.tar.gz, no "24" in the name.

[SteveW]

Mine is in /usr/local/HomeSeer.

Not in mine. I thought it used to leave a copy on the system, but it isn't now. Nevertheless, it does perform the upgrade.

[Mooose]

I took a quick look at my HS4 Linux directories. I can't remember where the install tarball was stored in the past, but I can't find one now. I have no idea where you got that oddball version number. I'd just delete that file ("SEL" is Linux, not Windows), and do what rmasonjr suggests and refresh the update version list, and try again. It should offer you 4.2.14.0. And, yes, before somebody "corrects" me, I know that 4.2.14 is available via the link Rich posted: https://docs.homeseer.com/display/HS...lease+4.2.14.0

BTW, I went to the Homeseer downloads page and clicked the button to download the Linux version, and it downloaded 4.2.13.0. Sheesh.

Mine is in /usr/local/HomeSeer.

[Mooose]

Did you click the "Check Update" button first? I think it will go check for all release and beta versions.

I did but it made no difference. I just thought this was fixed by now.

[SteveW]

I have just tried to update to 4.2.14.0 and the button does not work again. I am running HS4PRO on a RPi 4B. When I look in the HomeSeer folder, I see the file hs4_sel-4-2-24-0.tar.gz. Is that the windows version? Should the Linux version not be something like linux_4_2_14_0.tar.gz?

I took a quick look at my HS4 Linux directories. I can't remember where the install tarball was stored in the past, but I can't find one now. I have no idea where you got that oddball version number. I'd just delete that file ("SEL" is Linux, not Windows), and do what rmasonjr suggests and refresh the update version list, and try again. It should offer you 4.2.14.0. And, yes, before somebody "corrects" me, I know that 4.2.14 is available via the link Rich posted: https://docs.homeseer.com/display/HS...lease+4.2.14.0

BTW, I went to the Homeseer downloads page and clicked the button to download the Linux version, and it downloaded 4.2.13.0. Sheesh.

[rmasonjr]

I have just tried to update to 4.2.14.0 and the button does not work again. I am running HS4PRO on a RPi 4B. When I look in the HomeSeer folder, I see the file hs4_sel-4-2-24-0.tar.gz. Is that the windows version? Should the Linux version not be something like linux_4_2_14_0.tar.gz?

Did you click the "Check Update" button first? I think it will go check for all release and beta versions.

[Mooose]

My memory is getting fuzzy on the history, but I believe there was a bug (mistake) that broke the update function in the version you have. It was fixed in the new version, so this was just a one-time fluke. Future upgrades using the button will work fine.

I have just tried to update to 4.2.14.0 and the button does not work again. I am running HS4PRO on a RPi 4B. When I look in the HomeSeer folder, I see the file hs4_sel_4_2_14_0.tar.gz. Is that the windows version? Should the Linux version not be something like linux_4_2_14_0.tar.gz?

[savageautomate]

Thank you to the many contributors in this thread! 🙏

Based on much of the information here I have published a Ubuntu/Debian installer package and a Docker Image & Repository for simplifying Homeseer (HS4) installation and management on Linux systems.

More details in the threads below:

• HS4 Homeseer Linux - Ubuntu/Debian Installer (APT repository)
• HS4 Homeseer Linux - Docker Image & Repository

Thanks again for all the research and effort that has gone into making HS4 viable on Linux. I have been running HS4 in Linux for more than a year now and just wanted to share some of the tooling that I use in case its helpful for others.

[jgb]

Your installation directory may be in a different location than mine, so modify these commands as appropriate. Mine is installed in /usr/local/HomeSeer

Navigate to the directory above ../HomeSeer (e.g /usr/local)

Get the package: sudo wget https://homeseer.com/updates4/linux_4_2_7_0.tar.gz

Extract the package into the HomeSeer directory: sudo tar -xvf /usr/local/HomeSeer/linux_4_2_7_0.tar.gz

Is it safe to assume that the service should be stopped before untarring the upgrade package & then restarted when complete?

[zwolfpack]

[Demusman]

Ha! That did it!
Thanks a lot! Would've never even considered that.