Backing up the Homey OS – Part 2

Introduction

In Part 1, we bought the hardware. Now, before we rip the heart out of your Homey, we need to save its soul.

The new Raspberry Pi Compute Module (CM4) you just bought is completely empty. It has no operating system, no apps, and definitely no flows. To make this upgrade work, we need to clone your current setup so we can transplant it later.

The Mission: A Perfect Clone

We are going to pull a full system image from your current Homey Pro 2023. This isn’t just a settings backup; it’s a bit-for-bit copy of the operating system, the software, and your data. This file will be our “Golden Image” that we flash onto the new 8GB/32GB module.

The Toolkit

• Your Homey Pro 2023 (Still assembled).
• USB-C Cable: The one that came with Homey works best.
• A Paperclip or the SIM-eject-like tool in the box.
• PC with windows 10 or 11: Running Google Chrome (this is mandatory for the USB tools).

Step 1: Enter DFU Mode

To talk to the hardware directly, we need to boot Homey into Device Firmware Update (DFU) mode. It’s a bit of a finger-gymnastic move, so read this first:

1. Unplug the power from your Homey Pro.
2. Locate the tiny pinhole on the bottom of the device.
3. Insert your paperclip and press and hold the button inside. Do not let go!
4. While still holding the button, connect the USB-C cable to your computer.
5. Keep holding the paperclip until the LED ring lights up Yellow/Orange (within 1 second).

Troubleshooting: If the ring turns White, you didn’t hold the button long enough. Unplug and try again. Orange is the color of success here.

Step 2: The Digital Extraction

Now that Homey is in the right mood, let’s get that data.

1. Open Google Chrome on your computer.
2. Go to the official USB tool: https://usb.homey.app (or the older ota-usb.homeypro.net if you feel nostalgic).
3. You should see a “Connect” button. Click it, and a popup will appear showing a device (often named “BCM2711 Boot” or similar). Select it and click Connect.
4. Once connected, you will see a few options. Select Create a Backup.

Step 3: Secure the Asset

The backup process takes around 5 minutes. Once it’s done, you’ll download a file to your computer. Guard this file with your life… Name it something like “Homey-2023-before-upgrade”.

Warning: This backup contains your unique keys, passwords, and cloud tokens. Never share this file with anyone, and do not upload it to public forums. If someone gets this file, they effectively are your Homey.

With the backup safe on your hard drive, we are ready to perform surgery. See you in Part 3.

Follow on instagram

Comments and questions??

You are always welcome to leave a comment or share similar experiences in the comment section below (go there).
Have a great day. 🍀

The Roadmap

We are still going to take this step-by-step to ensure you don’t end up with a bricked device. I’ll have this paragraph in each post in order to easily go back and forth:

• Part 1: The Strategy & Shopping List

• Part 2: Backing up the Homey OS (YOU ARE HERE)

• Part 3: Swapping the CM4 Module & Restoration from backup

• Part 4: Unlocking Potential – Jailbreak & Storage Expansion

Want to help?