btrfs-progs/INSTALL

Install Instructions

Btrfs uses libcrc32c in the kernel for file and metadata checksums.  You need
to compile the kernel with:

CONFIG_LIBCRC32C=m

libcrc32c can be static as well.  Once your kernel is setup, typing make in the
btrfs module sources will build against the running kernel.  When the build is
complete:

modprobe libcrc32c
insmod btrfs.ko

The Btrfs utility programs require libuuid to build.  This can be found
in the e2fsprogs sources, and is usually available as libuuid or
e2fsprogs-devel from various distros.

Building the utilities is just make ; make install.  The programs go
into /usr/local/bin.  The mains commands available are:

mkfs.btrfs: create a filesystem

btrfs: control program to create snapshots and subvolumes:
	# mount a btrfs filesystem
	mount /dev/sda2 /mnt

	# create a subvolume
	btrfs subvolume create /mnt/new_subvol_name

	# snapshot of a subvolume
	btrfs subvolume snapshot /mnt/default /mnt/snapshot_of_default 
	btrfs subvolume snapshot /mnt/snapshot_of_default \
		/mnt/snapshot_of_a_snapshot

	# list of the subvolumes
	ls /mnt
	default snapshot_of_a_snapshot snapshot_of_new_subvol
	new_subvol_name snapshot_of_default

	# removal of a subvolume or a snapshot
	btrfs subvolume delete /mn/snapshot_of_a_snapshot

	# look a the btrfs man page for further information
	man btrfs

btrfsck: do a limited check of the FS extent trees.</li>

btrfs-debug-tree: print all of the FS metadata in text form.  Example:

	btrfs-debug-tree /dev/sda2 >& big_output_file