FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Does BackupCheckup create, delete, or restore backups?

No. It monitors and reads native Home Assistant backups. The optional runner also uses only a temporary copy and never calls a production restore endpoint.

Which backup is verified?

The newest regular backup. Small technical app-update snapshots are not recovery points. An available local copy is preferred; otherwise another reachable native storage agent is used.

Does a successful check guarantee recovery?

No. Structural verification proves download, decryption, and complete reading. The runner adds isolated startup evidence. External data, accounts, networks, and hardware may still be unavailable. Only a full test on a separate system exercises the complete process.

Does automatic verification run at every poll?

No. It runs once for each newly detected regular backup. Controlled retryable failures use bounded backoff.

Why is a small app-update backup ignored?

Supervisor can create app-only snapshots before updates. They are not full-system recovery points and would distort age, size, and redundancy evaluation.

Are encrypted backups supported?

Yes, when Home Assistant supplies the matching password. BackupCheckup does not request or persist a separate password.

Where does verification run?

Structural checking runs in private temporary storage on the Home Assistant instance. Runtime checking runs in the optional app. Temporary data is removed afterward.

Why are many entities disabled?

Standard mode keeps the device compact. Expert mode enables timestamps, checksums, database details, and storage-agent entities. User-disabled entities remain disabled.

Can the panel be disabled?

Yes. Monitoring, entities, actions, Repairs, and notifications continue without it.

Why do Developer Tools show raw English states?

Enum values are intentionally stable for automations. Normal cards and device views translate them; Developer Tools show raw states.

Does the checklist store passwords or notes?

No. It stores only fixed states and timestamps. Keep the real information securely outside BackupCheckup.

Why do confirmations expire?

Preparedness data becomes stale. After 180 days, BackupCheckup requires deliberate review instead of treating old confirmation as permanently valid.

Can the runner access my home network?

Restored Home Assistant has loopback only in a separate network namespace. It receives no runner or Supervisor credentials and runs without Linux capabilities.

Must the runner be updated separately?

Yes. HACS updates the integration; the App Store updates the app from the default repository branch. Check the version line after updates.

Why does the runner report home_assistant_permission_denied?

Runner 3.0.10 could create its temporary startup log under the controller user, preventing the unprivileged Home Assistant process from opening it. This is fixed in 3.0.11. Refresh the App Store, rebuild or reinstall the current runner, and verify the 3.0.12 version line before retrying the test.

How much temporary space is needed?

At least the backup download plus reserve. Deep verification additionally extracts the database. The runner needs space for the archive and extracted Home Assistant configuration.

Can checks run in parallel?

No. BackupCheckup prevents overlapping integrity and runtime tests. A cooldown also limits repeated manual downloads.