Dual boot two CachyOS on the same BTRFS partition with Limine

Issues & Assistance
1

Hi,

I’m currently running CachyOS with GNOME on a single BTRFS partition with the usual subvolume layout ( @ , @home , @root , @cache , @log , @tmp , @srv ). Boot partition is a separate vfat on /boot, and I’m using Limine as bootloader.

I’d like to install a second CachyOS alongside it, with KDE this time. The reason I want two separate installs rather than just adding KDE to my current one is to avoid conflicts between GNOME and KDE. I’ve heard they can step on each other’s toes with config files, themes, and all that.

My idea is to create a second set of subvolumes on the same partition, something like @kde , @kde-home , @kde-root , @kde-cache , @kde-log , @kde-tmp . Keeping @home and @kde-home completely separate.

A few things I’m unsure about:

  • Can the CachyOS installer work with this, or would I need to create the subvolumes manually and then point the installer at them?
  • How do I add the second install to Limine so I can pick between the two at boot?
  • Is it safe to share the same EFI partition for both? I’d rather not risk one install overwriting the other’s boot entry.
  • Anything I should watch out for with BTRFS having two root subvolumes on the same partition?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

2

Isn’t be better/easier to shrink old partition, refresh btrfs size on shrinked one and install new copy on second partition?

3

The last time I did that, gparted failed to move my data, I ended up with corrupted btrfs and boot partitions, and I lost everything. Not risking that again. :smiley:

4

use clonezilla