Arch Linux

Blake227

Member

Registered: 2023-02-13

Posts: 3

Correct way to backup and restore EFI partition via BTRFS snapshots?

I recently installed Arch with BTRFS and UKI. Although snapshots are wonderful, the EFI partition cannot be snapshotted, which does not work well with UKI. I was trying to backup EFI partition to snapshots every time the kernel or bootloader get updated in EFI Partition. In that case, I'm able to restore EFI partition just by copying files in the snapshot to EFI partition. I've tried it but bootloader (systemd-boot) entry disappears on UEFI boot menu every time I restore EFI from snapshot. I have to go through the hassle of modifying the boot menu using efibootmgr. Is there any elegant way to backup EFI partition?

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 23,834

Re: Correct way to backup and restore EFI partition via BTRFS snapshots?

Not really, the only general way you can do this is to abuse the fallback location and boot systemd-boot from there. https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Unifie … ble_drives

Last edited by V1del (2023-02-13 12:44:48)

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,679

Website

Re: Correct way to backup and restore EFI partition via BTRFS snapshots?

Or just place the unified kernel image at the fallback location and do without a bootloader entirely. That way you don't have to back up the ESP, just regenerate the UKI.

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