Hello Hubitat Engineering Team, ( including @bcopeland and @bobbyD )
I am requesting engineering assistance with a reproducible failure involving the migration of an established Hubitat C-8 Z-Wave network to a new C-8 Pro.
After numerous unsuccessful attempts, I have restored normal operation on the original C-8 and have suspended further migration attempts to avoid jeopardizing a substantial, fully functioning Z-Wave installation.
System configuration
| Component | Source Hub | Destination Hub |
|---|---|---|
| Model | C-8 | C-8 Pro |
| Z-Wave radio firmware | 7.18.1 | 7.18 |
| Z-Wave JS | 15.29.0 | 15.29 |
| Current status | Operational | Powered down |
Platform versions: source and target hub fully current as of 10.24.2026
Hub IDs: Happy to provide privately
Sequence of events
-
I initially attempted the standard full-system migration using Hubitat's backup/restore functionality. The restoration repeatedly failed with an internal error, apparently associated with the Z-Wave component. Database rebuilding and repeated reboots did not resolve the failure.
-
To isolate the problem, I generated a standalone Z-Wave backup using the recently introduced local Z-Wave backup utility. The backup completed successfully, including the NVM extraction stage.
-
I transferred my existing paid backup subscription from the original C-8 to the C-8 Pro. The subscription was recognized on the new hub, but the Z-Wave Backup and Restore controls remained unavailable until the third reboot.
-
As part of the subscription transfer, the existing cloud backups associated with the original hub were deleted, as indicated by Hubitat's transfer warning.
-
I subsequently attempted to restore the standalone Z-Wave backup on the C-8 Pro. The operation failed with the following explicit error:
Z-Wave restore failed:
zwave_error: NVM_NotSupported:
Failed to convert NVM to target format:
The source NVM has an unsupported format,
which cannot be restored on a 700-series NVM!
(ZW0280)
- I have now returned to the original C-8, which is again operating the Z-Wave network normally. The C-8 Pro is powered down, and I do not intend to initiate additional experimental restoration or firmware procedures until this problem has been investigated.
Potential technical issue
The Z-Wave JS project documents limitations involving NVM backup/restore operations on 800-series controllers running SDK versions earlier than 7.19.0.
Both my source and destination controllers report firmware versions in the 7.18 family, raising the possibility that Hubitat's NVM backup or conversion process is encountering an unsupported format or firmware-specific incompatibility.
Interestingly, the failure identifies the destination format as a "700-series NVM," although the C-8 and C-8 Pro use newer-generation Z-Wave controllers.
I would appreciate clarification regarding whether this is expected terminology or reflects an incorrect determination of the destination NVM format.
Requested engineering assistance
I would appreciate help with the following:
-
Determine whether this is a recognized incompatibility involving NVM images generated by SDK 7.18.x controllers.
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Establish whether the original C-8 backup contains a valid, recoverable NVM image and whether that image can be converted to a format accepted by the C-8 Pro.
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Identify a supported migration procedure that preserves the existing Z-Wave Home ID, node identities, network security information, and device associations without requiring devices to be excluded and re-included.
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Determine whether a firmware compatibility issue is involved and, if so, whether a vendor-supported firmware upgrade or conversion procedure is available.
-
Review the engineering logs associated with the failed attempts to identify the actual cause of the restoration failure.
This installation includes a substantial number of Z-Wave devices and numerous interconnected automation rules. Manually rebuilding the network would involve considerable work and disruption.
I would therefore strongly prefer to recover the existing controller configuration using the backup and migration capabilities provided by Hubitat.
I can provide the original backup file, additional diagnostic information, and both hub identifiers through a secure channel if that would assist your engineering investigation. I recognize that the backup may contain Z-Wave network security keys and will not distribute it publicly.
Thank you for your assistance. I would greatly appreciate escalation of this issue to the engineering team responsible for Z-Wave JS integration and the recently introduced local NVM backup/restore functionality.
Best regards,
Ulysses Balis