Arch Linux

Agamemnon

Member

From: France

Registered: 2011-05-05

Posts: 42

[Solved] Btrfs filesystem and UEFI boot

Hi all!

I was thinking of test the btrfs filesystem on my computer which boot with UEFI.

So, I wonder what should I do:

1) Can I create a btrfs subvolume called __active/boot and put my fat32 EFI partition inside this subvolume?

2) Or should I create a separate ext2 boot partition with the EFI fat32 as usual?

Is the option 1 possible?
What's your opinion?

Thanks!

(sorry for my bad english...)

Last edited by Agamemnon (2012-10-29 16:57:17)

---

Pc: Intel core i7, 8Gb RAM, Archlinux 64bits, Gnome 3
Laptop 1: Intel Core2Duo, 4Gb RAM, Archlinux 64bits, Gnome 3
Laptop 2: Intel P4 HT, 512Mb RAM, Archlinux 32 bits, Gnome 3 too

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 11,591

Re: [Solved] Btrfs filesystem and UEFI boot

Subvolumes don't work the same way as partitions. You can't make the subvolume be a different filesystem, so #1 is not possible.

DSpider

Member

From: Romania

Registered: 2009-08-23

Posts: 2,273

Re: [Solved] Btrfs filesystem and UEFI boot

First of all, did you read the UEFI article?

Most of the UEFI firmwares have support for accessing FAT12 (floppy disks) , FAT16 and FAT32 filesystems in HDD and ISO9660 (and UDF) in CD/DVDs.

A Btrfs subvolume is still Btrfs. And UEFI systems only read from the above scenarios. Sure, you can have a separate 100 MB Ext2/Btrfs partition mounted as /boot, and another separate 512 MB FAT32 partition mounted as /boot/efi (here's why 512 MB. Otherwise, you can use FAT -- FAT16, in other words, but that fs is from 1987!), or you could choose not to have a separate boot partition at all, which is only useful in multi-boot scenarios anyway; as in more than two operating systems. The kernel and initramfs images will simply be stored in the /boot folder on the root partition.

My advice is to read the article, from top to bottom. Twice.

---

"How to Succeed with Linux"

I have made a personal commitment not to reply in topics that start with a lowercase letter. Proper grammar and punctuation is a sign of respect, and if you do not show any, you will NOT receive any help (at least not from me).

Agamemnon

Member

From: France

Registered: 2011-05-05

Posts: 42

Re: [Solved] Btrfs filesystem and UEFI boot

Keep cool dude!

I've read the article...

I was just confused by subvolume in btrfs filesystem. I've read that it acts as a partition somewhere but wasn't sure about it. Now I'm sure it's not!

---

Pc: Intel core i7, 8Gb RAM, Archlinux 64bits, Gnome 3
Laptop 1: Intel Core2Duo, 4Gb RAM, Archlinux 64bits, Gnome 3
Laptop 2: Intel P4 HT, 512Mb RAM, Archlinux 32 bits, Gnome 3 too