Is it possible to compress /usr these days in Arch?

pogeymanz · 2013-06-26 03:29:38

Between aufs2 not being in the kernel, and systemd, and the move to symlink /bin and /usr/bin, etc, is it possible to compress /usr?

I'd still like to do it if it is reasonably manageable to do. My hard drive and its slow speed is a cause of much angst for me.

drcouzelis · 2013-06-26 03:33:42

BtrFS can do compression on the fly. Do you mean like that?

pogeymanz · 2013-06-26 04:12:02

I mean even more compression. It's my understanding that btrfs compression is limited by the 4k block size, whereas the squashfs+aufs method can have large block sizes, and thus better compression.

WonderWoofy · 2013-06-26 04:12:07

@ drcouzelis- On the wiki there are old instructions on how to use a unionfs and squashfs as a way to make /usr writeable while taking advantage of everything else being expanded into memory from a squashfs.

Yes this is possible, but it would take a lot of work not only to get going, but also to maintain. This is beause as you have already figured out, aufs2 is not in the kernel, but exists as a patchset. There is a pf-kernel user repo though, and the pf patchset includes aufs2. So I guess there is the possibility that it won't necessarily have to be as much a PITA to maintain as doing all of it manually.

falconindy · 2013-06-26 14:02:32

You'd need to write your own usr hook for the initramfs and possibly modify the shutdown script as well.

Why you'd want to do this is a mystery, though.

GI Jack · 2013-07-04 20:31:24

you can always use the aufs_friendly kernel in AUR, and aufs3, also in AUR.

why you'd want to or need to compress /usr in today's world is beyond me.

Arch Linux

#1 2013-06-26 03:29:38

Is it possible to compress /usr these days in Arch?

#2 2013-06-26 03:33:42

Re: Is it possible to compress /usr these days in Arch?

#3 2013-06-26 04:12:02

Re: Is it possible to compress /usr these days in Arch?

#4 2013-06-26 04:12:07

Re: Is it possible to compress /usr these days in Arch?

#5 2013-06-26 14:02:32

Re: Is it possible to compress /usr these days in Arch?

#6 2013-07-04 20:31:24

Re: Is it possible to compress /usr these days in Arch?

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