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bash64

Member

Registered: 2018-06-27

Posts: 18  

raid+encryption+lvm

I normally install linux distros using raid, encryption, and lvm.
I chose the graphic installer but there was no terminal.
I used the desktop live installer and everything went fine until I launched the GUI and was not able to select volumes and specify how to mount them...root, swap,home,boot. gparted didn't seem to understand encryption.

There seems to be a LOT of installers for this distro.
Can someone recommend the correct installer to use?

I want to set it up as follows:
/dev/md0 raid1 /boot
/dev/md1 raid1 encrypted as /dev/mapper/root

encrypted drive /dev/mapper/root is broken up using lvm as follows:
volume group is called vg
/dev/mapper/vg-root
/dev/mapper/vg-home
/dev/mapper/vg-swap

I simply need to be able to select these volumes in the gui or if a text installer can get this done then that is fine.

I noticed the desktop iso said it would install the live version to the hard drive. Is that the same as the other installers?

Also, it seemed to insist on uefi. Not a problem but I have secureboot turned off.

devuser

Member

Registered: 2018-04-30

Posts: 176  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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.

Last edited by devuser (2018-06-27 22:47:06)

bash64

Member

Registered: 2018-06-27

Posts: 18  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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?

devuser

Member

Registered: 2018-04-30

Posts: 176  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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.

bash64

Member

Registered: 2018-06-27

Posts: 18  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

p.s. will the textinstaller format the filesystems?

devuser

Member

Registered: 2018-04-30

Posts: 176  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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.

Last edited by devuser (2018-06-27 23:04:48)

bash64

Member

Registered: 2018-06-27

Posts: 18  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

I will report back when I have succeeded.

bash64

Member

Registered: 2018-06-27

Posts: 18  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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?

devuser

Member

Registered: 2018-04-30

Posts: 176  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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?

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.

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

Sadly i don't think that's possible.

Last edited by devuser (2018-06-28 16:22:33)

bash64

Member

Registered: 2018-06-27

Posts: 18  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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.

bash64

Member

Registered: 2018-06-27

Posts: 18  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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.

devuser

Member

Registered: 2018-04-30

Posts: 176  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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

Last edited by devuser (2018-06-28 16:52:13)

bash64

Member

Registered: 2018-06-27

Posts: 18  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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.

bash64

Member

Registered: 2018-06-27

Posts: 18  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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

devuser

Member

Registered: 2018-04-30

Posts: 176  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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.

bash64

Member

Registered: 2018-06-27

Posts: 18  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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.

golinux

Administrator

Registered: 2016-11-25

Posts: 3,319  

Re: raid+encryption+lvm

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

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