Simple in-place dynamic resize of btrfs file systems with sub volumes


jimbo45

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Hi folks
If you use btrfs file systems having subvolumes with Linux VM's or physical machines they can be re-sized dynamically both ways (i.e bigger / smaller) without needing re-boot re-power on with a simple command,

e,g in this example I installed an ArchLinux system to originally a 256 GB SSD. I copied (via DD) the disk to 2TB Nvme2.

layout :

Screenshot_20231230_093738.png
now I simply wanted to use the whole disk rather than the 256GB allocated after the copy.
simply as follows as root (su)

btrfs filesystem resize +nng /<partition> where partition in this case is /home /root etc nng size in gb and + for increase. To shrink just replace the + with a -.

simple -- no reboot needed. C'mon Windows make partitioning dynamic and easy too -- ntfs has been around for ages now -- while it still works OK - but surely time for a better more dynamic file system - especially with larger HDD's and SSD's / NVME's.


cheers
jimbo
 

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