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

[gbhollr]

I am looking to install MX Linux alongside Windows 10 in my laptop, which I have taken a lot of time to set up.
I watched this video on how to do it and encrypt both systems.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAoCuq_p2us

Ordinarily, with Veracrypt, you have the option to encrypt your Windows partition based on whether it is the only OS installed or if there are already two or more installed. The author of the video encrypted his copy of Windows first before installing Linux.

But I wanted to test it out on a virtual machine before doing it for real in case I might risk damaging my Windows OS, but I haven't been able to
get Windows to run on a VM due to an error called "OOBEREGION" even though it worked perfectly before.

So since I'm dead in the water, I want to know if anybody has managed to make a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot machine with both OS's encrypted.

Thanks.

[fehlix]

So since I'm dead in the water, I want to know if anybody has managed to make a Windows/MX Linux dual-boot machine with both OS's encrypted.

If that's an UEFI install, both encrypted OS's would not share much - except the one would have in /EFI/Micrsoft.. entry
and the other a /EFI/MX18.1 entry withtin the ESP partition. Not shure where veracrypt entries would be on that EFI-partition. But as we encrypt with luks, we do not use any vercrypt realated lib's or container.
You deal with just thos MX partions:
Those would be the Luks encryped partitions:
rootMX
swapMX
and one un-encrypted
boot-partiton (for MX unencrypted holds grub-loader and modules and boot-kernel stuff)
and one folder with esp /EFI/MX18.1 (also unencrypted with the EFI-grub boot loader grubx64.efi)
So I cannot see an issues as long as you do not touch any partitions of the other installations.
Good Luck.

[gbhollr]

Hi.
I managed to fix the Windows 10 virtual machine problem I mentioned, successfully
installed Windows and encrypted the partition containing it in my virtual disk image.
Then I booted up MX Linux, using the same virtual drive but have found that I can only encrypt the Linux installation if I installed it in the entire drive.

I tried to re-partition it manually but, from some instruction videos I found, I would need to make a logical partition but I was unable to. GParted wouldn't let me.

[fehlix]

Hi.
I managed to fix the Windows 10 virtual machine problem I mentioned, successfully
installed Windows and encrypted the partition containing it in my virtual disk image.
Then I booted up MX Linux, using the same virtual drive but have found that I can only encrypt the Linux installation if I installed it in the entire drive.

I tried to re-partition it manually but, from some instruction videos I found, I would need to make a logical partition but I was unable to. GParted wouldn't let me.

Did the win10 installation take up the entire disk? And you have now no free space for the MX Linux install on that drive?

[gbhollr]

I divided the disk into two partitions and installed Windows into just one of them, leaving the other completely empty.

[fehlix]

I divided the disk into two partitions and installed Windows into just one of them, leaving the other completely empty.

Ahh ok, better show the current partition layout , e.g. a screen dump, of Gparted,
or/and also the text output of

Code: Select all

lsblk -f

when booted Live from the attached MX Linux ISO.

[gbhollr]

Here's a screenshot of my partitions.

GParted.jpg

And one of the readout in the terminal.

lsblk.jpg

Note the blank space represents the Windows partition already encrypted by Veracrypt.

I wasn't able to save any screenshots within the VM to a USB drive so I had to resort to PrintScreen from Windows,
which somehow (I think) made the screenshots all purple-ish but it should still be readable.

[fehlix]

Here's a screenshot of my partitions.
GParted.jpg

And one of the readout in the terminal.
lsblk.jpg
Note the blank space represents the Windows partition already encrypted by Veracrypt.

I wasn't able to save any screenshots within the VM to a USB drive so I had to resort to PrintScreen from Windows,
which somehow (I think) made the screenshots all purple-ish but it should still be readable.

OK, now prepare the partions for the luks-enrypted install:
- in gparted :
-> remove the ext4 partition ->right clikc remove -> click an action
-> add extended partition takin the whole free space -> click action
-> add boot partition : ext4 500MB , label boot -> click action
-> add root partition : label root, ext4 max space and but leave 2GB for swap -> action
-> add swap: type: linux-swap, 2GB, label swap -> action

Close Gparted.
Open MX Boot repair and backup MBR ( just safety measure , to restore MBR in case of issues)
Open MX Installer:
Install enrypted by using the above created partitions, GRUB target MBR
Good Luck

[gbhollr]

I've followed your instructions exactly to the letter but early during installation,
I came across an error which caused it to go back to the first part of the install menu.

I forgot to take a screenshot of the new partitions as well as the error itself so I'm going to recreate it
and provide you the screenshot then.

But I do remember the error message I got was titled "minstall".
Does that mean anything to you?

[fehlix]

I've followed your instructions exactly to the letter but early during installation,

let's hope I did not make a mistake

I came across an error which caused it to go back to the first part of the install menu.

I forgot to take a screenshot of the new partitions as well as the error itself so I'm going to recreate it
and provide you the screenshot then.

But I do remember the error message I got was titled "minstall".
Does that mean anything to you?

not much...
Better post the log-file I think it is under /var/log/minstall.log
Alternatively you can also start from the terminal command line

Code: Select all

sudo -E minstall

So you might better see on the terminal any error message also...
(Note: normally we do not recommend to run gui-apps this way, but this might be an exceptional case