Recovery
What to do when the storage in your system fails, or the hardware has to be replaced.
Before anything else, check you have what you need: a recent backup, and the key that unlocks it. On a Sensa-supplied unit that key is your emergency kit. On your own Home Assistant it is the password you set when you created the backup.
Putting your system back
If your system still runs, you do this yourself and you do not need us. Open the Sensa Settings panel, choose the Backup tab, and press Restore on the backup you want. Your system puts everything back and restarts. See Backups for what that covers and how long it takes.
That is the answer to most problems, including a change you want to undo, a device setup that went wrong, or an update you would rather not have taken.
The unit is damaged but the storage is fine
If the machine will not power on but the card or drive is undamaged, move the storage into a replacement machine of the same model and power it on. Everything comes back as it was, with no restore needed.
Your licence is tied to your hardware, so Sensa may ask you to enter your licence key again. Enter the same key and it rebinds itself.
The storage has failed
This is the one case you cannot finish on your own, because a wiped card has no backups left on it and a fresh unit has nowhere for you to put your copy back.
If Sensa supplied your unit, get in touch at support@sensa.systems with your licence key and we will send you a replacement card. Fit it, power the unit on, and enter your licence key when prompted. Send us your backup file and we will load it for you.
If you run Sensa on your own Home Assistant:
- Install Home Assistant on the replacement card or drive the way you installed it originally
- Boot the new hardware and wait for the Home Assistant onboarding screen
- Choose Restore from backup rather than creating a new install, then upload your backup file and enter its password
- Wait for the restore to finish
- Enter your licence key when prompted
Moving to new hardware
The steps are the same as for failed storage, with one addition at the start: take a final backup on the old system first.
Afterwards, open the Sensa Settings panel and check that your network scan and device assignments still match, particularly if the new system is on a different network or in a different vehicle.