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Partitioning (LVM + Cache)

NOTE: This partition scheme is tailored towards a desktop computer setup with enough RAM and no SWAP (and therefore no hibernate/suspend-to-disk support).

CAUTION: This setup does NOT utilize LUKS disk encryption.

LVM cache combines the benefits of a fast mass storage device (e.g. SSD) with a slow mass storage device (HDD), utilizing the former as a read/write cache for the latter. This allows the system to manage blocks of data in a way such that often used blocks are kept on the fast cache device, making the whole system a lot more responsive. Over time the cache device fills up with frequently accessed data and the system accesses the cache device more often than the origin device (the HDD). This can be used to cost-effectively speed up an inexpensive large storage device (think Apple Fusion Drive).

This guide assumes anthe LVM + Btrfs setup. We are not going to create SWAP on disk but are rather going to employ Zram later on.following:

    • List disks with fdisk -l
    • Run cfdisk /dev/nvme0n1 (it's a little bit easier to use) Make sure that /dev/nvme0n1 is actuallythe primary disk (cache device)
    • /dev/sda is the secondary disk (origin device)

    Preparing the cache device

    1. List available disks

      fdisk -l

    2. Start partitionaing tool for primary disk (cfdisk is a little easier to use as it has a nice TUI)

      WARNING: Make sure to select your actually desired device!

      cfdisk /dev/nvme0n1

    3. Partition with the following scheme

      FS Type Size Mount Point Comment
      vfat 1G /boot EFI System
      LVM (remaining) Linux LVM

    Preparing the origin device

    1. Run

      Start partioning tool for secondary disk

      WARNING: Make sure to select your actually desired device!

      cfdisk /dev/sda
      Make sure that /dev/sda is actually your desired device!

    2. Partition with the following scheme

      FS Type Size Mount Point Comment
      LVM (all) Linux LVM

    Creating physical volumes, volume group and logical volumes

    1. Create LVM physical volumes
      pvcreate /dev/nvme0n1p2   # SSD
pvcreate /dev/sda1        # HDD
    2. Create LVM volume group
      vgcreate VOL_GROUP_NAME /dev/nvme0n1p2 /dev/sda1
    3. Create LVM logical volumes
      lvcreate -l 100%FREE -n lv_root vg0 /dev/sda1
lvcreate --type cache-pool -n lv_cache -l 100%FREE vg0 /dev/nvme0n1p2

# Link cache devices
lvconvert --type cache --cachepool vg0/lv_cache vg0/lv_root

    Formatting devices

    1. Create partitions
      mkfs.fat -F 32 /dev/nvme0n1p1        # EFI System Partition
mkfs.btrfs /dev/mapper/vg0-lv_root   # Btrfs root volumefile system
    2. Create Btrfs subvolumes
      # First, mount root file system
mount /dev/mapper/vg0-lv_root /mnt

# Create subvolumes
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/@
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/@home
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/@log
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/@pkg
    3. Mount partitions
      # Unmount the root file system
umount -R /mnt

# Mount the @ subvolume
mount /dev/mapper/vg0-lv_root -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@ /mnt

# Create mountpoints
mkdir -p /mnt/{boot,home,var/log,var/cache/pacman/pkg}home}

# Mount the remaining partitions/subvolumes
mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/boot
mount /dev/mapper/vg0-lv_root -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@home /mnt/home
mount /dev/mapper/vg0-lv_root -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@log /mnt/var/log
mount /dev/mapper/vg0-lv_root -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@pkg /mnt/var/cache/pacman/pkg
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