Booting Unraid from XFS/BTRFS

Warning

This is an experimental configuration. It is not supported by Limetech. It might not work for your system.

Note

This process only works for EFI boot.

Required Files

• GRUB files

Instructions

1. Create backup of flash drive, or install second flash drive if running instructions on Unraid. Determine device path of target flash drive.

2. Partition flash drive:

   sgdisk -Z /dev/sdX
   sgdisk -n 0:0:+512MiB -t 0:ef00 -c 0:efi /dev/sdX
   sgdisk -n 0:0:0 -t 0:8300 -c 0:UNRAID /dev/sdX
   

3. Create filesystems:

   mkfs.vfat /dev/sdX1
   
   mkfs.xfs -L UNRAID /dev/sdX2
   -or-
   mkfs.btrfs -L UNRAID /dev/sdX2
   

4. Mount filesystems:

   mkdir -p /mnt/unraid-flash/efi
   mkdir -p /mnt/unraid-flash/data
   
   mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt/unraid-flash/efi
   mount /dev/sdX2 /mnt/unraid-flash/data
   

5. Copy backup of flash drive to /mnt/unraid-flash/data

6. Extract GRUB files to /mnt/unraid-flash/efi. This should result in a /mnt/unraid-flash/efi/EFI and /mnt/unraid-flash/efi/grub folder.
7. Unmount flash drive:

   umount /mnt/unraid-flash/efi
   umount /mnt/unraid-flash/data