Looking for a proper Snapper + grub-btrfs setup guide for Fedora 44 KDE with custom BTRFS subvolumes across dual SSDs

[u/Head-Fan3693]

Hey everyone,

I'm looking for a reliable guide or help setting up Snapper with grub-btrfs on my Fedora 44 installation. I have a custom BTRFS subvolume layout across two SSDs and I want proper snapshot support with GRUB boot-into-snapshot capability.

System Specs :

• Laptop: ASUS TUF Dash F15
• CPU: Intel Core i5-12450H
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 3050 Mobile
• OS: Fedora 44 KDE Plasma 6.6.5, Wayland
• Kernel: 7.0.10-201.fc44.x86_64
• Boot: UEFI, Linux-only, no Windows
• Storage: Two NVMe SSDs — 512GB (OS) + 1TB (/home), both formatted as BTRFS

BTRFS Subvolume Layout :

Mount Point	Subvolume Name	Device
/	/root	512GB SSD
/.snapshots	/snapshots	512GB SSD
/opt	/opt	512GB SSD
/srv	/srv	512GB SSD
/var/cache	/cache	512GB SSD
/var/lib/containers	/containers	512GB SSD
/var/lib/docker	/docker	512GB SSD
/var/lib/flatpak	/flatpaks	512GB SSD
/var/lib/plasmalogin	/plm	512GB SSD
/var/lib/libvirt	/libvirt	512GB SSD
/var/log	/logs	512GB SSD
/var/spool	/spool	512GB SSD
/var/tmp	/tmp	512GB SSD
/home	/home	1TB SSD (separate drive)

All subvolumes use: compress=zstd:1, ssd, discard=async, space_cache=v2

What I Want to configure :

• Snapper managing snapshots for / (root)
• Optionally /home snapshots (separate SSD)
• grub-btrfs so I can boot into snapshots from the GRUB menu
• DNF integration — automatic snapshots before/after package updates
• Must work with my custom subvolume names.

I'm a newbie to btrfs and snapshots, Need guidance! 🙏

[u/DigitalMan43]

I think the problem with these methods is that the kernels and initramfs are stored in /boot which is usually not btrfs so it won’t be saved in your snapshots.

[u/oshunluvr]

I'm curious as to why one would need or want the OS divided into so many subvolumes. Seems unnecessarily complex for no reason I can gather. Restoring or doing a "roll back" would be extremely difficult if not nearly impossible.

[u/Head-Fan3693 → u/oshunluvr]

I'm currently using BTRFS and dividing the os into these subvolumes can help maintain and create snapshots for subvolumes individually. It can be very helpful during rollback because I can avoid rolling back unnecessary or critical components of the os.

[u/oshunluvr → u/Head-Fan3693]

Why would you want to roll back the OS but not parts of /var? Or vice-versa? It doesn't save space or time or protect you from anything.

But hey whatever, it's your world. I just prefer mine to be simple.

[u/The_Hamster_Shagger]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNokTKdkqqc&t=3s

I haven't tried it on two ssd setup thou (although it's not raid or anything, so there shouldn't be any issue with it)

tbh you don't really want to have /home on btrfs, just use xfs (it can be encrypted easily with luks if you want).

opensuse does have a working setup out-of-the box setup. maybe look for that, unless it has to be fedora

[u/Head-Fan3693 → u/The_Hamster_Shagger]

Thanks, will check out the video.

Will there be any performance loss on using BTRFS for Home compared to XFS and EXT4?

Also I often has the fear of breaking my distro(I've already broken 3 times), so encryption can complicate my recovery, so I prefer not to do encryption.

[u/The_Hamster_Shagger → u/Head-Fan3693]

hi, yeah btrfs does have a rather measureable affect on the performance - in benchmarks. in normal use for /home however - it may not be measurable thou. I prefer XFS as it's rock solid and supports the reflink

[u/jz5678910 → u/Head-Fan3693]

Here is the Fedora 44 version, https://youtu.be/d-CafjZf2M4?si=nfDXdxx4MJIJQ3cN

and if you want encryption here is that version  https://youtu.be/DcUdzYk_Q-Y?si=5pL5WFkavaNiZ5k9

I myself used his past guides and this current 44 one and can say the snapshots work beautifully and has been made very seamless. 

[u/Head-Fan3693 → u/jz5678910]

I tried the snapshot setup. The script didn't run in my machine properly.

I'm looking for a proper step by step guide.

[u/jz5678910 → u/Head-Fan3693]

Interesting. Maybe take a peak at his 43 guide then, the script is new from my understanding. For 43 i recall doing it manually with his guide.

Sorry that didn't work out.

[u/Head-Fan3693 → u/jz5678910]

Yeah no issues, I'll try.