Dev1 Galaxy Forum / raid+encryption+lvm

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (golinux) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 17:56:44 +0000

bash64 wrote:

i am trying the minimal live installer.
how do i start the installer from the terminal?

Try http://www.ibiblio.org/refracta/docs/re … taller.txt

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (bash64) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 17:53:34 +0000

ok, the answer is graphical expert installer.
it lets you load extra modules.
crypt is listed.
lvm is not so i think lvm is preloaded.
thanks for all of your help.

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (devuser) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 17:51:42 +0000

Sorry, i have zero experience with the live installer. Unless someone else can chime in i guess @fsmithred (this forum needs a tagging mod...) would be your best bet since afaik hes the author.

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (bash64) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 17:40:32 +0000

i am trying the minimal live installer.
how do i start the installer from the terminal?

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (bash64) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 17:17:13 +0000

thanks
going for the usb drive install. if all goes well and i can perfectly do everything i did in linux mint then i go for the full replacement of mint.
i am amazed at how well i understand debian from the shell. never really understood how much ubuntu/mint is based on debian.

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (devuser) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 16:50:50 +0000

Hmm, it loading them after the partitioning might not be a deal breaker as you could go back to the main menu (not sure exactly how but iirc if cancel the dialogs the setup shows you'll sooner or later end up there) and redo the partitioning step. Also i think the expert installer would just drop you in this menu instead of automatically starting the install.

Edit: Might have been badly worded. I am not building a custom ISO i am trying to build my own installer as i dislike customizing the default one

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (bash64) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 16:44:51 +0000

side note: the text mode installer may see lvm volumes. my lvm volumes are in the encrypted volume and it had no way to enter the password for an existing encrypted volume. so not sure.

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (bash64) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 16:36:59 +0000

thanks.
making a custom iso was the next step.
the textmodeinstaller, unfortunately, loads cryptsetup and lvm2 AFTER you make new volumes.
if it did so before ... the volumes would appear
at least there is a way and i dont expect to install very often so recovering from a backup this one time is ok with me.
all of my tests in vmware are looking good.
i am ready for the real deal, or maybe a usb drive install for real hardware without blowing away the system yet.

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (devuser) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 16:18:29 +0000

bash64 wrote:

However, when I open a console I get busybox which is not a complete shell and I cannot install lvm2 and cryptsetup so that the textinstaller can see my volumes.

This is true. You could try with a statically linked lvm2/cryptsetup but it's a bit of a pain to build all the dependencies (i am toying with a custom installer on the side and building just a static cryptsetup is no fun and lvm likely is not much nicer). Not sure if this would solve the problem but trying is free (besides time). If you are interested i can post the part of my buildscript concerning cryptsetup. It also builds libdevmapper which is part of lvm2 so maybe you could get something running without to many adjustments.

Edit: Since the installer handles encryption/LVM are you sure there are no cryptsetup/LVM binaries when it runs the partition setup?

bash64 wrote:

It appears to see the raid just fine. I had to recreate the encryption and the logical volumes inside of it. This means I have to rebuild my partitions every time I want to reinstall the OS and recover my personal files from a backup. Considering I have over 3TB of personal files this is not desirable.

I see. If the above doesn't help the only idea i have is trying to work around it by setting the mount of the home partition post install. If can life without LVM for root the only downside would be that you have to unlock 2 partitions at boot.

bash64 wrote:

Is there a way to launch the text mode installer from the live desktop version?

Sadly i don't think that's possible.

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (bash64) — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 15:48:30 +0000

UPDATE:
The text mode installer works beautifully.
However, when I open a console I get busybox which is not a complete shell and I cannot install lvm2 and cryptsetup so that the textinstaller can see my volumes. It appears to see the raid just fine. I had to recreate the encryption and the logical volumes inside of it. This means I have to rebuild my partitions every time I want to reinstall the OS and recover my personal files from a backup. Considering I have over 3TB of personal files this is not desirable.

Is there a way to launch the text mode installer from the live desktop version?

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (bash64) — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 23:06:18 +0000

I will report back when I have succeeded.

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (devuser) — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 23:02:02 +0000

bash64 wrote:

p.s. will the textinstaller format the filesystems?

By default yes. Not sure if there is an option in the partition menu where you can unselect it. Iirc it won't touch unused partitions though. The textmode installer is virtually identical to Debian if that helps.

Edit: Thinking about it if theres an existing filesystem you might have to explicitly tell it to format (should be in the menu with the options for the partition) or maybe you will be asked about it. If you delete the existing partitions and create new ones they'll be formated for sure though.

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (bash64) — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 22:55:31 +0000

p.s. will the textinstaller format the filesystems?

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (devuser) — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 22:52:39 +0000

bash64 wrote:

devuser wrote:
I usually skip lvm and just do encrypted raid but the normal (non-live) textmode installer should be able to do that.
Edit: I am bit surprised the graphical installer would not let you switch to a shell (on VT4/VT5 iirc?) but then i never use it so i guess it's possible that wont work there.
sorry, wasnt thinking about using a console.
i was thinking about a terminal.
yeah, it was there i would imagine.
anyway, your saying that the textmode installer will see all of my volumes?

Tbh i am not sure about the lvm part. I know it'll let you create them so i guess it should also detect existing volumes.

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

dummy@example.com (bash64) — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 22:49:54 +0000

devuser wrote:

I usually skip lvm and just do encrypted raid but the normal (non-live) textmode installer should be able to do that.
Edit: I am bit surprised the graphical installer would not let you switch to a shell (on VT4/VT5 iirc?) but then i never use it so i guess it's possible that wont work there.

sorry, wasnt thinking about using a console.
i was thinking about a terminal.
yeah, it was there i would imagine.
anyway, your saying that the textmode installer will see all of my volumes?