How have you encrypted a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot PC?

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BitJam
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Re: How have you encrypted a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot PC?

#21 Post by BitJam »

gbhollr wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2019 3:17 pm Okay, but when I install MX Linux again from scratch, how do I install the GRUB into the PBR?
If you check my screenshots again, I could only choose the MBR to install GRUB in.
This screenshot show how you can select to install Grub to the root partition PBR.
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself -- and you are the easiest person to fool."

-- Richard Feynman
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gbhollr
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Re: How have you encrypted a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot PC?

#22 Post by gbhollr »

BitJam wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2019 4:02 pm
gbhollr wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2019 3:17 pm Okay, but when I install MX Linux again from scratch, how do I install the GRUB into the PBR?
If you check my screenshots again, I could only choose the MBR to install GRUB in.
This screenshot show how you can select to install Grub to the root partition PBR.
Thanks but you check one of my screenshots download/file.php?id=14471&mode=view,
the ESP checkbox was greyed out.
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fehlix
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Re: How have you encrypted a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot PC?

#23 Post by fehlix »

gbhollr wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2019 3:17 pm Okay, but when I install MX Linux again from scratch, how do I install the GRUB into the PBR?
If you check my screenshots again, I could only choose the MBR to install GRUB in.
As this is for BIOS-booting: PBR means partition boot record of the the partition you have installed grub into.
If you cannot select from the installer the boot partition - guess what : that looks like a bug in the installer.
As the boot partition is not encrypted, hence shall be free usable for PBR grub-install to install into.
I'll need to check the commandline alternative ...
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fehlix
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Re: How have you encrypted a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot PC?

#24 Post by fehlix »

fehlix wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2019 4:21 pm I'll need to check the commandline alternative ...
OK: Open a terminal from booted encrypted MX -Linux
and run

Code: Select all

sudo grub-install --force /dev/sda5
to install grub into the PBR of /dev/sda5 , which is your /boot partition , currently mounted under /boot
That shall do it.
NOTE: With this command you have now in addition to currently on the MBR also on the PBR of sda5 a grub-record installed and you can boot into e.g. from VeraCrypt boot-menu or also from another rescue stick via chainloading ...
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gbhollr
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Re: How have you encrypted a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot PC?

#25 Post by gbhollr »

Thanks fehlix.
I will get to work on this sometime this weekend.
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fehlix
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Re: How have you encrypted a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot PC?

#26 Post by fehlix »

gbhollr wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2019 4:37 pm Thanks fehlix.
I will get to work on this sometime this weekend.
It depends also whether you have installed first encrypted with veracrypt.
Probaly also good to have a verycrypt rescue media ready.
I would probably also combine the idea of the grub-resuce iso with this modification:
After you have install encrypted MX Linux you do this with the running MX Live

Code: Select all

mkdir -p /tmp/my-grub-rescue/boot/grub
Now you copy from /boot partition /dev/sda5 /boot/grub/grub.cfg:
like this
copy from /dev/sda5 the file /dev/sda5@/boot/grub/grub.cfg
to /tmp/my-grub-rescue/boot/grub/grub.cfg
and now create the rescue iso

Code: Select all

grub-mkrescue -o my-grub-rescue.iso /tmp/my-grub-rescue
Now have another USB stick ready and plugin and run:

Code: Select all

sudo dd-live-usb -f my-grub-rescue.iso
With the generated USB stick, you can boot into encrypted MX Linux.
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Adrian
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Re: How have you encrypted a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot PC?

#27 Post by Adrian »

I disabled installing on root on encrypted root. Is it possible/good idea to install GRUB on root if root is encrypted?
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fehlix
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Re: How have you encrypted a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot PC?

#28 Post by fehlix »

Adrian wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:34 pm I disabled installing on root on encrypted root. Is it possible/good idea to install GRUB on root if root is encrypted?
Not "/"-root but PBR of /boot -partition to install grub to is required to get the above scenario seamlessly working.
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gbhollr
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Re: How have you encrypted a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot PC?

#29 Post by gbhollr »

I'm going to try it all over again now.
This time, I made only ONE partition for Windows.

Last time, I made a second one for Linux while installing Windows and VeraCrypt clearly encrypted both at once.

In my laptop, I have two spare partitions for a possible Linux installation so I gotta delete them before I consider encrypting my Windows.
If I were to live boot Linux and delete those partitions in GParted, would it have any adverse effect on the partition containing my Windows OS and file system?

Thanks.
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gbhollr
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Re: How have you encrypted a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot PC?

#30 Post by gbhollr »

Well, yesterday I tried it again.

One time I did it exactly as before but I didn't install GRUB at all so I could try and just install in it the PBR via the command line method you showed me.
But it wouldn't work in a live boot.

I tried again, installed GRUB in both the MBR and PBR sectors.
However the encrypted Windows installation was still broken.

I think I'll try again by installing Windows, don't encrypt it yet, then install Linux encrypted and go back to Windows to encrypt its partition, using VeraCrypt's "multiboot" option.
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