Arch Linux

NominalSum

Member

Registered: 2025-12-02

Posts: 68

New archinstall with btrfs on 2 SSDs

I am using archinstall to reinstall on my gaming laptop and want to use btrfs this time. I have 2 ssds. I cannot get both SSDs to be used and I think it has something to do with btrfs as this hasnt been an issue before. How would I "unite" both drives so I can install as one? With ext4 I had my main ssd as boot and storage, and made the 2tb home and held my gaming stuff. Can I replicate that with btrfs?

Thanks

cryptearth

Member

Registered: 2024-02-03

Posts: 2,165

Re: New archinstall with btrfs on 2 SSDs

sure you can do - but manual instead of using archinstall: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide
btw: don't use any kind of raid for your OS - you better off by just using the 2nd ssd as it is: a 2nd drive - and create one big partition and mount that somewhere in your system to use
sure you can go LVM or even BtrFS - but keep in mind: if one drive has issues ALL of your data will be gone!

NominalSum

Member

Registered: 2025-12-02

Posts: 68

Re: New archinstall with btrfs on 2 SSDs

I want to go btrfs. I have done manual install using ext4 and its fine, but I wan tto go btrfs. I dont need to have raid for storage backup, just dont know enough about this stuff and thought raid0 was the way to get 2 ssds to run together in btrfs. I looked at the wiki and it does not have good documentation for those who arent linux savy on how to install btrfs and how to set up 2 drives to work togther in btrfs. I am ignorant in this for the most part.

cryptearth

Member

Registered: 2024-02-03

Posts: 2,165

Re: New archinstall with btrfs on 2 SSDs

to keep it simple but on point: arch isn't the right distro for you (yet)

NominalSum

Member

Registered: 2025-12-02

Posts: 68

Re: New archinstall with btrfs on 2 SSDs

Ive been using arch for 2ish years. Not everyone can read tech instructions and comprehend it on the same level. One also has to learn, cant do that without atempting it. I want to get better at my arch usage and have 2 laptops running it. My gaming laptop has 2 ssd's unlike my other one and btrfs is new to me, so I am reaching out to the help forum for help. I have manually installed arch many times. Its not difficult to a basic install. But I dont know har to get two btrfs ssd's to run together, so, again, I come to the place people come for help with arch. Specifically THE NEWBIE forum, because after a few years, I never needed to do much behind the scenes ion my installs and consider myself a newbie. I dont do tech data well like I dont learn math well without a tutor to give me a different perspective or explaination or at least a more clearly defined solution to the question so that I can write it all down and refer to it when needed. I take notes, and I understand better when I use this forum made for people who dont completely know what theyre doing yet.

Last edited by NominalSum (2026-05-26 21:35:06)

Lone_Wolf

Administrator

From: Netherlands, Europe

Registered: 2005-10-04

Posts: 15,045

Re: New archinstall with btrfs on 2 SSDs

Btrfs can use multiple devices but that seems to be intended for raid setups.
Combining the devices below filesystem level with LVM is a probably a better choice for you.

I doubt that archinstall can handle such a setup though, you should first practice manual installation of archlinux following https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide  to improve your understanding of installing .

Moderator Note
Moving to Arch Linux Guided Installer board
(as we do with all topics related to archinstall)

---

Disliking systemd intensely, but not satisfied with alternatives so focusing on taming systemd.

clean chroot building not flexible enough ?
Try clean chroot manager by graysky

NominalSum

Member

Registered: 2025-12-02

Posts: 68

Re: New archinstall with btrfs on 2 SSDs

Btrfs can use multiple devices but that seems to be intended for raid setups.
Combining the devices below filesystem level with LVM is a probably a better choice for you.

I doubt that archinstall can handle such a setup though, you should first practice manual installation of archlinux following https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide  to improve your understanding of installing .

Moderator Note
Moving to Arch Linux Guided Installer board
(as we do with all topics related to archinstall)

Ill look into LVMs. I know nothing about it. Is the basic manual install for btrfs similar to ext4? I  know the subvolumes and what not are different. I have my writteen down notes for ext 4 manual installation, I guess Ill follow that and try and fill in the gaps.