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Diagon

Member

Registered: 2018-05-16

Posts: 1  

Using the installer to install to non-standard partition/disk layout.

I just posted this as a bug against the debian installer, though who knows if it will have any effect.  Others might be interested in how to do this.

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I am just switching from Ubuntu to Debian, and finding the installer creating serious obstacles that were not present in Ubuntu. I am doing an install using non-default settings for cryptsetup, though the issues are not specific to using cryptsetup. Typically, I would prepare my disks, do the install, and then pivot in, correcting fstab & crypttab, and updating the initramfs. For Debian it's taken quite some struggle. My procedure is below, and the "**"s indicate where problems are that I believe are unnecessary.

Run the installer. During "Load Installer Components from CD", make sure to include crypto-dm-modules. **Note that there is no crypsetup.** Continue installation up to but not including "Partition Disks".

Drop to a shell and:
anna-install cryptsetup-udeb
partition & format disk(s), or **at least the ones the installer's partitioner is incapable of creating, eg. luks containers on a whole device or non-default cryptsetup options.**
make filesystems in the devices in /dev/mapper (eg. encrypted containers), otherwise **the installer's partitioner always demands to make partitions in these devices.**
exit

Run "Detect Disks" again. Then continue with the paritioner, which will now recognize the /dev/mapper devices. Associate the appropriate devices with /boot, /, etc. and "write changes to disk". Then continue the installer through and including "Select & Install Software".

Drop to a shell and:
apt-install cryptsetup
edit /target/etc/{fs,crypt}tab
I need cryptsetup, and I find I have to **edit /target/etc/cryptsetup-initramfs/conf-hook setting "CRYPTSETUP=y"**
exit

Continue with installation, running through the end of the install.

On reboot, re-edit /target/etc/cryptsetup-initramfs/conf-hook, as "CRYPTSETUP=y" is no longer needed. update-initramfs, if you want.

(1) Please allow us to select cryptsetup in "Load Installer Modules"
(2) Please allow us to use containers, eg /dev/mapper/*, or even whole disks, without demanding the creation of a partition.
(3) Why does the installer not include cryptsetup in the initramfs, and recognize crypttab, without my editing /target/etc/cryptsetup-initramfs/conf-hook?