At this point, you can test a ZWave device Join.. verify it works by doing an Exclude first and if that works, an Include. That will tell you the hub is running normally. Remove the device and any Ghosts you might have created. (Or Soft Reset again and ZWave Radio Reset.)
Then restore your backup. The Zwave Details will be empty, but then going through the Exclude Then Include process, start adding your devices and adjusting your Rules for the device. Rinse-repeat.
You Can Not create a Ghost via Exclude, which is why I recommend it. If you can Exclude, then the entire radio, repeaters, etc. path is validated. Only Include when you have a successful Exclude is my Motto
As @csteele said, Zigbee devices will be relatively easy.
Re-pair them to your hub and they will slot into any automations you had them in.
Z-Wave is different...if you don't want to end up w/a bunch of broken automations, you'll want to use Settings>Swap Device to swap in virtual devices for your Z-Wave devices.
Create virtual device(s) for your real Z-Wave devices that still show up on the Device tab and in your automations.
Use Settings>Swap Device to swap the virtual devices for your "real" devices in your apps/automations.
Re-include your Z-Wave devices - best process is to first do an exclude on the Z-Wave device, and then include them. During each Z-Wave devcie inclusion use the "Replace" option that appears during inclusion to replace the virtual devices you've previously swapped into your automations w/the newly re-included Z-Wave devices. (The Replace function is like doing a Swap Device).
This will allow you to re-include all your Z-Wave devices and not have to break and then edit/update any of your automations.
However, since he doesn't have his Z-Wave radio devices he gets to start fresh!
@Dekade - when you exclude/re-include your Z-Wave devices make sure you start w/mains powered (light switches, plugs, etc.) devices, and begin w/devices closest to your hub and progress to farthest away. Then after your mains powered are connected/stable, you can start w/any Z-wave battery powered devices you may have, same way, closest to hub outwards.
I've also found that when I do a lot of exlusions/inclusions, doing a shut down/pull power for 30s/restart helps to keep things going smoothly. The shut down clears the Zigbee & Z-Wave radios...a restart does not do that so you do have to do the full shut down. Not required, but I'd recommend it.
@Dekade If you do by chance restore your backup before you go about pairing your zwave devices again, then it is NOT this simple. The old "devices" in the hub database will have the old DNI records in them and you will run into conflicts when paring new devices, and create a giant mess. There is a procedure to get around this but it is tedious.
If you stick with the Soft Reset hub and start from scratch then you are fine and can pair devices like it was a new hub.
Local backups include the HUBs device database of Zwave and Zigbee devices (what you see on the devices page). Local only does not include the radio database.
