Difference between revisions of "Installing Arch Linux on ZFS"
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==Boot from the installation media== | ==Boot from the installation media== | ||
− | + | It is a good idea make an installation media with the needed software included. Otherwise, you will need the latest archiso installation media burned to a CD or a USB key. | |
− | + | To embed {{ic|zfs}} in the archiso, download the {{ic|archiso}} package. | |
+ | |||
+ | Start the process: | ||
+ | # cp -r /usr/share/archiso/configs/releng /root/media | ||
+ | |||
+ | Edit the {{ic|packages.x86_64}} file adding those lines: | ||
+ | spl-utils | ||
+ | spl | ||
+ | zfs-utils | ||
+ | zfs | ||
+ | |||
+ | Edit the {{ic|pacman.conf}} file adding those lines (TODO, correctly embed keys in the installation media?): | ||
+ | [archzfs] | ||
+ | SigLevel = Never | ||
+ | Server = <nowiki>http://demizerone.com/$repo/core/$arch</nowiki> | ||
+ | |||
+ | Add other packages in {{ic|packages.both}}, {{ic|packages.i686}}, or {{ic|packages.x86_64}} if needed and create the image. | ||
+ | # ./build -v | ||
+ | |||
+ | The image will be in the {{ic|/root/media/out}} directory. | ||
+ | |||
+ | More informations about the process can be read in [http://kroweer.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/creating-a-custom-arch-linux-live-usb/ this guide] or in the [Archiso] article. | ||
+ | |||
+ | If you are installing onto a UEFI system, see [[Unified Extensible Firmware Interface#Create UEFI bootable USB from ISO]] for creating UEFI compatible installation media. | ||
==Setup pacman== | ==Setup pacman== | ||
Line 33: | Line 56: | ||
{{hc|# nano /etc/pacman.conf|<nowiki> | {{hc|# nano /etc/pacman.conf|<nowiki> | ||
[archzfs] | [archzfs] | ||
− | Server = http://demizerone.com/ | + | Server = http://demizerone.com/$repo/core/$arch</nowiki> |
}} | }} | ||
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===UEFI systems=== | ===UEFI systems=== | ||
− | Use EFISTUB and | + | Use EFISTUB and rEFInd for the UEFI boot loader. See [[Beginners' Guide#For UEFI motherboards]]. The kernel parameters in refind_linux.conf for zfs should include "zfs=bootfs", or "zfs=rpool/ROOT/arch", so the system can boot from ZFS. The 'root' and 'rootfstype' parameters aren't needed. |
===BIOS systems=== | ===BIOS systems=== |
Revision as of 01:45, 27 January 2013
Template:Article summary start Template:Article summary text Template:Article summary heading Template:Article summary wiki Template:Article summary wiki Template:Article summary end
The Zettabyte File System (ZFS) is an advanced copy-on-write filesystem designed to preserve data integrity from a multitude of possible corruption scenarios as well as provide simple administration features. ZFS makes disk administration effortless with support ZFS storage pools (zpools) and automatic mount handling. First released in 2005 for Solaris OS, ZFS has since become the flag bearer for next generation filesystems.
ZFS was first developed and released by Sun (now owned by Oracle) as Open Source Software licensed under the Common Development and Distribution License (CDDL) which is famously incompatible with the GNU Public License. This incompatibility prevents ZFS from being merged into the mainline kernel, and generally presents some obstacles for users that want to use ZFS in Linux.
ZFSonLinux.org is a project funded by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to develop a native Linux kernel module for its massive storage requirements and super computers.
Contents
- 1 Notes before installation
- 2 Boot from the installation media
- 3 Setup pacman
- 4 Install needed packages
- 5 Partition the destination drive
- 6 Format the destination disk
- 7 Setup the ZFS filesystem
- 8 Mount the boot partitions
- 9 Install and configure the Arch Linux installation
- 10 Setup the bootloader
- 11 Unmount and restart
- 12 Troubleshooting
- 13 See also
Notes before installation
- This guide uses the unofficial archzfs repository hosted at http://demizerone.com/archzfs. This repository is maintained by Jesus Alvarez and is signed with his PGP key: 0EE7A126.
- The ZFS packages are tied to the kernel version they were built against. This means it will not be possible to perform kernel updates until new packages (or package sources) are released by the ZFS package maintainer.
- This guide currently targets UEFI compatible systems. It should be relatively easy to install ZFS on bios compatible systems using this guide. The sections for BIOS installations exist in this article as stubs to allow easy contributions of content.
Boot from the installation media
It is a good idea make an installation media with the needed software included. Otherwise, you will need the latest archiso installation media burned to a CD or a USB key.
To embed zfs
in the archiso, download the archiso
package.
Start the process:
# cp -r /usr/share/archiso/configs/releng /root/media
Edit the packages.x86_64
file adding those lines:
spl-utils spl zfs-utils zfs
Edit the pacman.conf
file adding those lines (TODO, correctly embed keys in the installation media?):
[archzfs] SigLevel = Never Server = http://demizerone.com/$repo/core/$arch
Add other packages in packages.both
, packages.i686
, or packages.x86_64
if needed and create the image.
# ./build -v
The image will be in the /root/media/out
directory.
More informations about the process can be read in this guide or in the [Archiso] article.
If you are installing onto a UEFI system, see Unified Extensible Firmware Interface#Create UEFI bootable USB from ISO for creating UEFI compatible installation media.
Setup pacman
Activate the required network connection and then edit /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
and configure the mirrors for pacman to use. Once that is done, edit /etc/pacman.conf
and add the archzfs repository:
# nano /etc/pacman.conf
[archzfs] Server = http://demizerone.com/$repo/core/$arch
Next, add the archzfs maintainer's PGP key to the local trust:
# pacman-key -r 0EE7A126 # pacman-key --lsign-key 0EE7A126
Finally, update the pacman databases,
# pacman -Syy
Install needed packages
This is also the best time to install your favorite text editor, otherwise nano will have to be used.
# pacman -S archzfs dosfstools gptfdisk vim
Partition the destination drive
UEFI systems
Use the cgdisk partition utility and create a GPT partition table:
Part Size Type ==== ===== ============= 1 512M EFI (ef00) 2 512M Ext4 (8200) 2 XXXG Solaris Root (bf00)
BIOS systems
This section has not been written yet.
Format the destination disk
UEFI systems
Format the EFI partition to FAT32
mkfs.vfat -F 32 /dev/sda1 -n EFIBOOT
Format the Ext4 boot partition
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda2 -L BOOT
BIOS systems
This section has not been written yet.
Setup the ZFS filesystem
First, make sure the ZFS modules are loaded,
# modprobe zfs
Create the root zpool
# zpool create rpool /dev/disk/by-id/<id-to-partition>
Create the root filesystem
# zfs create rpool/ROOT
create the descendant file system that will hold the installation:
# zfs create rpool/ROOT/arch
We will set the mount points after we have created the filesystems so that they are not mounted automatically by ZFS.
If so desired, sub-filesystem mount points such as /home and /root can be created with the following commands:
# zfs create rpool/HOME # zfs create rpool/HOME/root
For safety, unmount all zfs filesystems if they are mounted:
# zfs umount -a
Configure the root filesystem
Now it is time to set the mount point of the root filesystem:
# zfs set mountpoint=/ rpool/ROOT/arch
and optionally, any sub-filesystems:
# zfs set mountpoint=/home rpool/HOME # zfs set mountpoint=/root rpool/HOME/root
Set the bootfs property on the descendant root filesystem so the boot loader knows where to find the operating system.
# zpool set bootfs=rpool/ROOT/arch rpool
Export the pool,
# zpool export rpool
Finally, re-import the pool,
# zpool import -d /dev/disk/by-id -R /mnt rpool
If there is an error in this step, you can export the pool to redo the command. The ZFS filesystem is now ready to use.
Mount the boot partitions
UEFI systems
# mkdir /mnt/boot # mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/boot # mkdir /mnt/boot/efi # mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi
BIOS systems
This section has not been written yet.
Install and configure the Arch Linux installation
Install the base packages,
# pacstrap -i /mnt base base-devel archzfs sudo gnupg vim
Generate the fstab,
# genfstab -U -p /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab
Open fstab to edit contents,
# nano /mnt/etc/fstab
If installing on a UEFI system, you will need to load the efivars kernel module before chrooting into the installation:
# modprobe efivars
Chroot into the installation
# arch-chroot /mnt /bin/bash
Next, follow the Beginners' Guide from the "Locale" section to the "Configure Pacman Section". Once done, edit pacman.conf
, add the archzfs repository, and update the pacman database,
# pacman -Syy
Re-create the initramfs, edit /etc/mkinitcpio.conf
and add zfs
before filesystems. Remove fsck and then regenerate the initramfs:
# mkinitcpio -p linux
Finally, set root password and add a regular user.
Setup the bootloader
UEFI systems
Use EFISTUB and rEFInd for the UEFI boot loader. See Beginners' Guide#For UEFI motherboards. The kernel parameters in refind_linux.conf for zfs should include "zfs=bootfs", or "zfs=rpool/ROOT/arch", so the system can boot from ZFS. The 'root' and 'rootfstype' parameters aren't needed.
BIOS systems
This section has not been written yet.
Unmount and restart
This is it, we are done!
# exit # umount /mnt/boot # zfs umount -a # zpool export rpool # reboot
Troubleshooting
If the new installation does not boot because the zpool cannot be imported, you will need to chroot into the installation and properly export the zpool. See ZFS#Emergency chroot repair with archzfs.
Once inside the chroot environment, load the ZFS module and force import the zpool,
# zpool import -a -f
now export the pool:
# zpool export <pool>
To see your available pools, use,
# zpool status
It is necessary to export a pool because of the way ZFS uses the hostid to track the system the zpool was created on. The hostid is generated partly based on your network setup. During the installation in the archiso your network configuration could be different generating a different hostid than the one contained in your new installation. Once the zfs filesystem is exported and then re-imported in the new installation, the hostid is reset. See Re: Howto zpool import/export automatically? - msg#00227.