Re: BTRFS and debian
On 07/09/18 11:17, Ge wrote:
Hi there!
I am new here.
Welcome! :-)
I am trying to install debian on a VM to test it before i install it on
my laptop.
What hardware? What host OS? What hypervisor?
Since its a laptop i would like to encrypt the hard drive.
Disk encryption is a discussion unto itself. One choice is a laptop
with firmware that supports self-encrypting drives (SED) and a matching
HDD/SSD. One software choice for Stretch is dm-crypt/LUKS.
I
would also like to be able to return my whole system to a previous state
or just my home directory.
Backup/recover, imaging, snapshots, version control, etc., are yet more
discussions. Since the subject line includes btrfs, subvolumes and
snapshots may be an option:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Btrfs#Subvolumes_and_snapshots
I would need to work through the various use-cases to figure out what
can be done with the subvolume mounted and in use, with the subvolume
mounted but not in use, and with the subvolume not mounted. (I use
dd(1) to image partitions, with the LUKS container closed and/or the
file system not mounted.)
I would like to ask
1. Whats the appropriate layout?
My current layout is:
LVM VG Laptop-vg LV root 16.9GB Linux device mapper (linear)
#1 16.9GB f btrfs /
LVM VG Laptop-vg LV swap 4.3GB Linux device mapper (linear)
#1 4.3GB f swap swap
Encrypted volume (sda5_crypt)-21.2GB Linux device mapper (crypt)
#1 21.2GB K lvm
SCSI1 (0,0,0) (sda) 21.2GB ATA QEMU HARDDISK
#1 primary 254.8MB K ext2 /boot
#5 logical 21.2GB K crypto (sda5_crypt)
I use 16 GiB SSD's and/or 16 GiB USB flash drives for system drives. I
wipe and test them using the manufacturer's diagnostic tool before
installing Debian, or just wipe them with dd(1) if I do not have a tool.
In the Debian Installer, I choose 'manual' for 'partitioning method',
create a new partition table (MBR), and create three primary partitions:
1 ~1 GiB btrfs mounted at /boot
2 ~2 GiB LUKS (random key) with swap
3 ~10 GiB LUKS (passphrase) with btrfs mounted at /
10 GiB root is enough for single-user Xfce workstation (my bulk data is
on a file server).
The last ~3 GiB are unallocated -- for over-provisioning, because the
drives have different numbers of sectors, and because of the GB/ GiB
stupidity.
Should i make a different partition for /home/ ?
I don't -- I put my bulk data on a file server, including all e-mail
attachments. My home directory is ~1 GB.
(If/when I want to travel with my laptop, I will need to figure out how
to set up a VPN to my file server.)
2.I will obviously make the / partition btrfs. Do i have to use btrfs
also on my boot partition?
No, but I do.
3.Is there any btrfs GUI program to manage my system on debian stretch
or on debian buster? or i can only do this from the command line?
STFW I see:
http://carfax.org.uk/btrfs-gui
http://snapper.io/
Stretch has a package for Snapper:
https://packages.debian.org/search?keywords=snapper&searchon=names&suite=stable§ion=all
(I use the included command-line tools.)
David
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