Hello all,

I was tinkering with my HA instance and restarted it to apply some changes but it never came back afterwards.

Unraid however, appears to thing the VM is running, showing it as started. Trying to stop it however fails every time, the VM just going back to the green play icon and saying "started"

VNC fails to connect and the webui is unreachable so I can be quite sure it is not actually online.

What I tried so far:
reboot unraid

update unraid

reboot again

restore snapshot from today through vm-babysitter

restore older snapshot through vm-babysitter

set up new homeassistant vm

None of these things did anything to resolve or even alter the issue at hand. Even the new VM fails in the exact same way as the old one. No VNC, no nothing but showing as started.
Not a clue what could have caused this behavior as the only thing I changed as add something to the automations.yaml file which by right shouldn't prevent the whole vm from booting. Much less an entirely separate and clean one.

Old vm was set up according to this guide: https://community.home-assistant.io/t/install-home-assistant-as-a-vm-on-unraid/270195
The new one was set up through Homeassistant-inabox using the default parameters.

Here's the log of my old vm when trying to start it in case there's anything helpful in there. New VM spits out a near identical log which you can find beneath this one.

2026-01-25 17:24:35.795+0000: starting up libvirt version: 11.7.0, qemu version: 9.2.3, kernel: 6.12.54-Unraid, hostname: Tower
LC_ALL=C \
PATH=/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin \
HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain-16-Test \
XDG_DATA_HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain-16-Test/.local/share \
XDG_CACHE_HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain-16-Test/.cache \
XDG_CONFIG_HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain-16-Test/.config \
/usr/local/sbin/qemu \
-name guest=Test,debug-threads=on \
-S \
-object '{"qom-type":"secret","id":"masterKey0","format":"raw","file":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain-16-Test/master-key.aes"}' \
-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/usr/share/qemu/ovmf-x64/OVMF_CODE-pure-efi.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-format","read-only":true,"driver":"raw","file":"libvirt-pflash0-storage"}' \
-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/etc/libvirt/qemu/nvram/1577d354-4b9f-4fc5-b6a5-32a7fdc448ac_VARS-pure-efi.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-storage","read-only":false}' \
-machine pc-q35-7.2,usb=off,dump-guest-core=off,mem-merge=off,memory-backend=pc.ram,pflash0=libvirt-pflash0-format,pflash1=libvirt-pflash1-storage,hpet=off,acpi=on \
-accel kvm \
-cpu host,migratable=on,topoext=on,host-cache-info=on,l3-cache=off \
-m size=4194304k \
-object '{"qom-type":"memory-backend-ram","id":"pc.ram","size":4294967296}' \
-overcommit mem-lock=off \
-smp 4,sockets=1,dies=1,clusters=1,cores=2,threads=2 \
-uuid 1577d354-4b9f-4fc5-b6a5-32a7fdc448ac \
-no-user-config \
-nodefaults \
-chardev socket,id=charmonitor,fd=44,server=on,wait=off \
-mon chardev=charmonitor,id=monitor,mode=control \
-rtc base=utc,driftfix=slew \
-global kvm-pit.lost_tick_policy=delay \
-no-shutdown \
-boot strict=on \
-device '{"driver":"pcie-root-port","port":8,"chassis":1,"id":"pci.1","bus":"pcie.0","multifunction":true,"addr":"0x1"}' \
-device '{"driver":"pcie-root-port","port":9,"chassis":2,"id":"pci.2","bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x1.0x1"}' \
-device '{"driver":"pcie-root-port","port":10,"chassis":3,"id":"pci.3","bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x1.0x2"}' \
-device '{"driver":"pcie-root-port","port":11,"chassis":4,"id":"pci.4","bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x1.0x3"}' \
-device '{"driver":"ich9-usb-ehci1","id":"usb","bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x7.0x7"}' \
-device '{"driver":"ich9-usb-uhci1","masterbus":"usb.0","firstport":0,"bus":"pcie.0","multifunction":true,"addr":"0x7"}' \
-device '{"driver":"ich9-usb-uhci2","masterbus":"usb.0","firstport":2,"bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x7.0x1"}' \
-device '{"driver":"ich9-usb-uhci3","masterbus":"usb.0","firstport":4,"bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x7.0x2"}' \
-device '{"driver":"virtio-serial-pci","id":"virtio-serial0","bus":"pci.2","addr":"0x0"}' \
-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/mnt/user/domains/haos_ova-13.1.S20260125143027qcow2","node-name":"libvirt-1-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap","cache":{"direct":false,"no-flush":false}}' \
-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-1-format","read-only":false,"discard":"ignore","cache":{"direct":false,"no-flush":false},"driver":"qcow2","file":"libvirt-1-storage","backing":null}' \
-device '{"driver":"ide-hd","bus":"ide.2","drive":"libvirt-1-format","id":"sata0-0-2","bootindex":1,"write-cache":"on","serial":"vdisk1"}' \
-netdev '{"type":"tap","fd":"45","id":"hostnet0"}' \
-device '{"driver":"virtio-net","netdev":"hostnet0","id":"net0","mac":"52:54:00:78:54:ed","bus":"pci.1","addr":"0x0"}' \
-chardev pty,id=charserial0 \
-device '{"driver":"isa-serial","chardev":"charserial0","id":"serial0","index":0}' \
-chardev socket,id=charchannel0,fd=43,server=on,wait=off \
-device '{"driver":"virtserialport","bus":"virtio-serial0.0","nr":1,"chardev":"charchannel0","id":"channel0","name":"org.qemu.guest_agent.0"}' \
-device '{"driver":"usb-tablet","id":"input0","bus":"usb.0","port":"3"}' \
-audiodev '{"id":"audio1","driver":"none"}' \
-vnc 0.0.0.0:0,websocket=5700,share=ignore,audiodev=audio1 \
-k en-us \
-device '{"driver":"qxl-vga","id":"video0","max_outputs":1,"ram_size":67108864,"vram_size":67108864,"vram64_size_mb":63,"vgamem_mb":64,"bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x1e"}' \
-global ICH9-LPC.noreboot=off \
-watchdog-action reset \
-device '{"driver":"usb-host","hostdevice":"/dev/bus/usb/001/005","id":"hostdev0","bus":"usb.0","port":"1"}' \
-device '{"driver":"usb-host","hostdevice":"/dev/bus/usb/001/002","id":"hostdev1","bus":"usb.0","port":"2"}' \
-device '{"driver":"virtio-balloon-pci","id":"balloon0","bus":"pci.3","addr":"0x0"}' \
-sandbox on,obsolete=deny,elevateprivileges=deny,spawn=deny,resourcecontrol=deny \
-msg timestamp=on
2026-01-25 17:24:35.795+0000: Domain id=16 is tainted: high-privileges
char device redirected to /dev/pts/4 (label charserial0)

2026-01-25 17:15:28.044+0000: starting up libvirt version: 11.7.0, qemu version: 9.2.3, kernel: 6.12.54-Unraid, hostname: Tower
LC_ALL=C \
PATH=/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin \
HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain-15-HomeASSistant \
XDG_DATA_HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain-15-HomeASSistant/.local/share \
XDG_CACHE_HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain-15-HomeASSistant/.cache \
XDG_CONFIG_HOME=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain-15-HomeASSistant/.config \
/usr/local/sbin/qemu \
-name guest=HomeASSistant,debug-threads=on \
-S \
-object '{"qom-type":"secret","id":"masterKey0","format":"raw","file":"/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain-15-HomeASSistant/master-key.aes"}' \
-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/usr/share/qemu/ovmf-x64/OVMF_CODE-pure-efi.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"}' \
-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-pflash0-format","read-only":true,"driver":"raw","file":"libvirt-pflash0-storage"}' \
-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/etc/libvirt/qemu/nvram/bf7b21b6-ee0e-4e79-86d0-ee65241dad2c_VARS-pure-efi.fd","node-name":"libvirt-pflash1-storage","read-only":false}' \
-machine pc-q35-9.2,usb=off,dump-guest-core=off,mem-merge=off,memory-backend=pc.ram,pflash0=libvirt-pflash0-format,pflash1=libvirt-pflash1-storage,hpet=off,acpi=on \
-accel kvm \
-cpu host,migratable=on,topoext=on,host-cache-info=on,l3-cache=off \
-m size=2097152k \
-object '{"qom-type":"memory-backend-ram","id":"pc.ram","size":2147483648}' \
-overcommit mem-lock=off \
-smp 2,sockets=1,dies=1,clusters=1,cores=1,threads=2 \
-uuid bf7b21b6-ee0e-4e79-86d0-ee65241dad2c \
-no-user-config \
-nodefaults \
-chardev socket,id=charmonitor,fd=44,server=on,wait=off \
-mon chardev=charmonitor,id=monitor,mode=control \
-rtc base=utc,driftfix=slew \
-global kvm-pit.lost_tick_policy=delay \
-no-shutdown \
-boot strict=on \
-device '{"driver":"pcie-root-port","port":8,"chassis":1,"id":"pci.1","bus":"pcie.0","multifunction":true,"addr":"0x1"}' \
-device '{"driver":"pcie-root-port","port":9,"chassis":2,"id":"pci.2","bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x1.0x1"}' \
-device '{"driver":"pcie-root-port","port":10,"chassis":3,"id":"pci.3","bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x1.0x2"}' \
-device '{"driver":"pcie-root-port","port":11,"chassis":4,"id":"pci.4","bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x1.0x3"}' \
-device '{"driver":"pcie-root-port","port":12,"chassis":5,"id":"pci.5","bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x1.0x4"}' \
-device '{"driver":"ich9-usb-ehci1","id":"usb","bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x7.0x7"}' \
-device '{"driver":"ich9-usb-uhci1","masterbus":"usb.0","firstport":0,"bus":"pcie.0","multifunction":true,"addr":"0x7"}' \
-device '{"driver":"ich9-usb-uhci2","masterbus":"usb.0","firstport":2,"bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x7.0x1"}' \
-device '{"driver":"ich9-usb-uhci3","masterbus":"usb.0","firstport":4,"bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x7.0x2"}' \
-device '{"driver":"virtio-serial-pci","id":"virtio-serial0","bus":"pci.2","addr":"0x0"}' \
-blockdev '{"driver":"file","filename":"/mnt/user/domains/HomeASSistant/vdisk1.img","node-name":"libvirt-1-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap","cache":{"direct":false,"no-flush":false}}' \
-blockdev '{"node-name":"libvirt-1-format","read-only":false,"cache":{"direct":false,"no-flush":false},"driver":"qcow2","file":"libvirt-1-storage","backing":null}' \
-device '{"driver":"virtio-blk-pci","bus":"pci.3","addr":"0x0","drive":"libvirt-1-format","id":"virtio-disk2","bootindex":1,"write-cache":"on","serial":"vdisk1"}' \
-netdev '{"type":"tap","fd":"45","id":"hostnet0"}' \
-device '{"driver":"virtio-net","netdev":"hostnet0","id":"net0","mac":"ac:87:a3:f1:c8:56","bus":"pci.1","addr":"0x0"}' \
-chardev pty,id=charserial0 \
-device '{"driver":"isa-serial","chardev":"charserial0","id":"serial0","index":0}' \
-chardev socket,id=charchannel0,fd=43,server=on,wait=off \
-device '{"driver":"virtserialport","bus":"virtio-serial0.0","nr":1,"chardev":"charchannel0","id":"channel0","name":"org.qemu.guest_agent.0"}' \
-device '{"driver":"usb-tablet","id":"input0","bus":"usb.0","port":"1"}' \
-audiodev '{"id":"audio1","driver":"none"}' \
-vnc 0.0.0.0:0,websocket=5700,audiodev=audio1 \
-k en-us \
-device '{"driver":"qxl-vga","id":"video0","max_outputs":1,"ram_size":67108864,"vram_size":67108864,"vram64_size_mb":0,"vgamem_mb":16,"bus":"pcie.0","addr":"0x1e"}' \
-global ICH9-LPC.noreboot=off \
-watchdog-action reset \
-device '{"driver":"virtio-balloon-pci","id":"balloon0","bus":"pci.4","addr":"0x0"}' \
-sandbox on,obsolete=deny,elevateprivileges=deny,spawn=deny,resourcecontrol=deny \
-msg timestamp=on
2026-01-25 17:15:28.044+0000: Domain id=15 is tainted: high-privileges
char device redirected to /dev/pts/3 (label charserial0)

Any help would be much appreciated as I am thoroughly stumped by this issue.

So quick little update, turns out the clean VM was just taking its sweet sweet time to start up (>15 mins) but does actually work
No clue where my old vm is getting stuck though, logs are still unhelpful sadly as they produced no new lines.

Ended up just redoing the whole thing because I couldn't really find a way to fix it.