Enable Bcachefs Rollback

Bcachefs is basically quite similar to the Btrfs we know, and if you want to learn more about it, you can read here: Bcachefs Filesystem

Currently, there’s no clear explanation online for how to take snapshots of the / directory system in bcachefs, so we can now enable snapshots for bcachefs by running the bcachefs-rollback hook of mkinitcpio for initramfs.

Thanks to @bathtime for coming up with this method ❤️

Let’s proceed

Watch out!

Currently, this method is used daily by the owner on their personal computer, but there is no guarantee that it will not cause any problems in the future, and since it is not a common method, use it at your own risk!

First, we need to git clone this source before proceeding.

cd /tmp/ && git clone https://github.com/RengeOS/Bcachefs-Rollback-Initramfs

Danger

Do not modify hooks inside the source code if you do not understand how they work, as this could lead to Kernel Panic!

Next, we will install it by building it from source code with makepkg -si.

cd Bcachefs-Rollback-Initramfs/ && makepkg -si

After the package build and installation process is successful, our task is to restart the entire system.

# you can replace reboot to 'systemctl reboot' if not working
reboot

How to use Bacachefs Rollback

• After restarting following the first time you enable Bacachefs Rollback, you will encounter something like this.

• Now, the first thing you need to do is press [n] to create @current-root based on your / and located in the /.snapshots directory.
• Next, press the [enter] button to boot into the @current-root you created earlier, and I will explain about Bcachefs Rollback later.

Options in Bacachefs Rollback

Note

Currently, you may see many options like the image above and feel hesitant, but don’t worry because you’ll mostly use bcachefs snapshots rather than other unrelated things like squashfs and flags, and it’s very simple to use :)

note

• The / partition and the @current-root snapshot partition are two completely different things.
• @current-root will always be located in the following path: /.snapshots/@current-root
• @current-root can be created based on the / partition or other snapshots you have created.

---Boot Options---

• [b] boot root system : Allows direct booting into the / partition.

• [s] boot into a snapshot : Allows you to boot into the created snapshot you want in /.snapshots/. Simply enter the information on the listed created snapshot and you will boot into that snapshot.

• [x] boot into squashfs: Allow booting into the created name.sfs file, usually located in /.

• [c] boot into custom dir: This allows you to boot into the created snapshot with your desired path, and by default you will be at /.

---Restore Options---

• [p] restore root system from @current-root (using cp) : Allows you to restore / from the @current-root snapshot using the cp command, and you will be able to boot into / instead of just the @current-root snapshot.

• [r] restore other snapshot to @current-root (backup old) : This allows you to select the snapshot that was created as the primary snapshot, which will become the @current-root and will also back up the previous @current-root to @previous-root for safety in case you need to return to it later.

• [R] restore other snapshot to @current-root (using mv) : Allows you to select the snapshot that was created as the primary snapshot, which will become the @current-root using mv command.

• [u] restore other snapshot using rsync : Honestly, I haven’t tried this feature yet, so I can’t tell how it works :( but I’ll try it in the future.

• [y] restore squashfs : Honestly, I haven’t tried this feature yet, so I can’t tell how it works :( but I’ll try it in the future.

---Create Options---

(Everything will be finished soon!)