From Fedora Project Wiki
Description
This test case ensures that the data in the /home
directory is retained and usable on a Btrfs layout after another Fedora is installed on the same partition.
Setup
- Prepare a test system with a working, supported storage device of sufficient size for a Fedora install, and a Fedora installation medium that uses the GTK-based installer. Do not use Fedora Workstation live on Fedora 41+, as that uses the webui-based installer.
- Install Fedora 41 or 42 from any Edition or Spin which uses Btrfs filesystem by default. Ensure a separate /home subvolume is created. If you are installing to at least 50 GB of free space, this will happen if you use Automatic storage configuration during disk partitioning; otherwise, you will have to use custom partitioning and ensure a separate /home subvolume is created.
- On the installed system, create some distinct files and directories in your home directory or directly in
/home
.
How to test
- Boot the GTK-based installer using any available means. Do not use Fedora Workstation live on Fedora 41+, as that uses the webui-based installer.
- Proceed to the installer's main screen, making sensible choices, and enter the Installation Destination screen.
- In Installation Destination, use Advanced Custom (Blivet-GUI) partitioning
- On the disk drive containing the existing Fedora installation, make sure the existing partitions formerly used as
/boot
and/boot/efi
(if applicable) are reformatted and the same mountpoints are again assigned to them. (Alternatively, you can create new partitions and leave the old ones intact and without mountpoints). - In the list of existing btrfs volumes, locate the
home
subvolume of the existing installation and set the/home
mountpoint to it. - You can delete all the other btrfs subvolumes, or you can keep them intact, but without any mountpoints assigned.
- This refers to the
root
subvolume, but you can also see some additional subvolumes present as well, likeroot/var/lib/machines
orroot/var/lib/portables
.
- This refers to the
- Create a new
root
subvolume and set the/
mountpoint to it.- If you already have a
root
subvolume, because you decided to not delete the old one, that's not a problem, just name the new one differently.
- If you already have a
- Complete the installation process, making sensible selections for all other installer options.
- Boot the installed system.
- After logging in, check that your home directory or
/home
contains the files you created on your previous system (check their contents as well).
Expected Results
- The expected partition layout should be created on the target device(s).
- The install process should complete successfully and the installed system should boot as expected.
- The partitions and subvolumes which were assigned some mountpoints in the installer should be mounted. Any partitions or subvolumes which weren't assigned any mountpoints shouldn't be mounted.
- Your personal files on your
/home
partition must be intact.