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

[gbhollr]

PArt 1.jpg

Here is the partition table as it was after I encrypted Windows 10 with Veracrypt.
For some reason, both partitions are "unknown" (and possibly encrypted) even thought I explicitly chose to just encrypt the Windows partition as opposed to the entire drive. If I remember right, this wasn't how it turned out last time.

Part 2.jpg

I deleted the second partition.

Part 3.jpg

I created the new partitions which you laid out.

Part 4.jpg

I added the "boot" flag to the boot partition and switched "swapon" on the swap partition, which I didn't do last time.

Part 5.jpg

Here is how I set the installation up.
sda6 (labelled "root") as the root.
The root as the home directory.
sda7 (labelled "swap") as the swap.
sda5 (labelled "boot") as the boot.

[gbhollr]

Part 6.jpg

This time, the installation progressed much more than last time.
I believe, among other things, it could be because I switched the swap partition on.

Part 7.jpg

I chose to install GRUB for Linux and Windows with "MBR" selected.

Part 9.jpg

Installation was finished. I rebooted the system.

Part 10.jpg

Both MX Linux and Windows 10 are found in the GRUB menu.

Part 11.jpg

However, Windows 10 was broken. I attempted a startup repair but nothing worked.

[fehlix]

However, Windows 10 was broken. I attempted a startup repair but nothing worked.

Post the content of /boot/grub/grub.cfg
probably the win entries might get adjusted - not sure never installed win encrypted.
EDIT: I meant /boot/grub/grub.cfg :lipsrsealed:

[gbhollr]

Code: Select all

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  set have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
if [ "${next_entry}" ] ; then
   set default="${next_entry}"
   set next_entry=
   save_env next_entry
   set boot_once=true
else
   set default="0"
fi

if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}
function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos5'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos5  4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
fi
    font="/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ] ; then
  set timeout=30
else
  if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
    set timeout_style=menu
    set timeout=5
  # Fallback normal timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
  # unavailable.
  else
    set timeout=5
  fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos5'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos5  4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
fi
insmod png
if background_image /grub/.background_cache.png; then
  true
else
  set menu_color_normal=cyan/blue
  set menu_color_highlight=white/blue
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
function gfxmode {
	set gfxpayload="${1}"
}
set linux_gfx_mode=
export linux_gfx_mode
menuentry 'MX 18 Continuum' --class mx --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-a2ba2b2f-5995-4730-8c48-f363fe144d47' {
	load_video
	insmod gzio
	if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='hd0,msdos5'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos5  4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
	fi
	echo	'Loading Linux 4.19.0-1-amd64 ...'
	linux	/vmlinuz-4.19.0-1-amd64 root=UUID=a2ba2b2f-5995-4730-8c48-f363fe144d47 ro  quiet splash
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/initrd.img-4.19.0-1-amd64
}
submenu 'Advanced options for MX 18 Continuum' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-a2ba2b2f-5995-4730-8c48-f363fe144d47' {
	menuentry 'MX 18 Continuum, with Linux 4.19.0-1-amd64' --class mx --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-4.19.0-1-amd64-advanced-a2ba2b2f-5995-4730-8c48-f363fe144d47' {
		load_video
		insmod gzio
		if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos5'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos5  4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 4.19.0-1-amd64 ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-4.19.0-1-amd64 root=UUID=a2ba2b2f-5995-4730-8c48-f363fe144d47 ro  quiet splash
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/initrd.img-4.19.0-1-amd64
	}
	menuentry 'MX 18 Continuum, with Linux 4.19.0-1-amd64 (systemd)' --class mx --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-4.19.0-1-amd64-init-systemd-a2ba2b2f-5995-4730-8c48-f363fe144d47' {
		load_video
		insmod gzio
		if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
		insmod part_msdos
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,msdos5'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos5  4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 4.19.0-1-amd64 ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-4.19.0-1-amd64 root=UUID=a2ba2b2f-5995-4730-8c48-f363fe144d47 ro  quiet splash init=/lib/systemd/systemd
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/initrd.img-4.19.0-1-amd64
	}
}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
if [ "${grub_platform}" == "pc" ]; then
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='hd0,msdos5'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos5  4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4d5a8f54-9e15-46bd-8855-40679c143952
	fi
	linux16	/memtest86+.bin
}
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry 'Windows 10 (on /dev/sda1)' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-chain-3608DE0808DDC6D1' {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ntfs
	set root='hd0,msdos1'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  3608DE0808DDC6D1
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3608DE0808DDC6D1
	fi
	parttool ${root} hidden-
	drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
	chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

[fehlix]

OK, first: Can you please edit the last post, mark/highlight the text of grub.cfg
and click an </> code-tag-icon.
This would make the long post more readable.
Now, remember I asked to save/store MBR:

Open MX Boot repair and backup MBR ( just safety measure , to restore MBR in case of issues)

as this is bios-booting, it might come now handy to have this backup-mbr ready, which could be used for chainloading into encrypted windows. Alternative we need to hunt for a veracrypt bootloader file on the unencrypted system-reserved partition.

[gbhollr]

Yeah, while I was installing MX Linux I forgot to backup the MBR... Sorry.
I'll be sure to try again later next week.

So how would one look for that bootloader file in the reserve partition?

[fehlix]

So how would one look for that bootloader file in the reserve partition?

Simplest probably open Disk manager in MX and mount the first partition /dev/sda1
open terminal and with that partition and run a simple file list like this

Code: Select all

ls -l

On bios system they might have similar file like they have on UEFI system. They do place the VeraCrypt bootloader on EFI-partions here: \EFI\VeraCrypt\DcsBoot.efi.
But I'm not sure in BIOS-mode, in worst case they placed the whole Veracrypt bios-botloader into MBR+post-MBR-gap.
BTW: Is you real system UEFI or BIOS?
If UEFI, you might consider to run the simulation in VirtualBox also in UEFI mode.

[gbhollr]

So here's what I found from the reserved partition...

Code: Select all

[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved[/b]
[i]$ ls -l[/i]
total 417
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root   8192 Mar 17  2019 Boot
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 408342 Jan  7 20:05 bootmgr
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root      1 Sep 15  2018 BOOTNXT
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root   8192 Mar 17  2019 BOOTSECT.BAK
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 Recovery
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 Recovery.txt
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17 10:26 System Volume Information
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved[/b]
[i]$ cd Boot[/i]
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved/Boot[/b]
[i]$ ls -l[/i]
total 1216
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root  24576 Mar 17  2019 BCD
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root  32768 Mar 17  2019 BCD.LOG
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 BCD.LOG1
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 BCD.LOG2
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 bg-BG
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root  65536 Mar 17  2019 BOOTSTAT.DAT
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root  18944 Sep 15  2018 bootuwf.dll
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 100152 Jan  7 20:05 bootvhd.dll
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 cs-CZ
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 da-DK
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 de-DE
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 el-GR
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 en-GB
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 en-US
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 es-ES
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 es-MX
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 et-EE
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 fi-FI
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root   4096 Mar 17  2019 Fonts
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 fr-CA
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 fr-FR
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 hr-HR
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 hu-HU
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 it-IT
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 ja-JP
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 ko-KR
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 lt-LT
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 lv-LV
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 992272 Jan  7 20:05 memtest.exe
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 nb-NO
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 nl-NL
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 pl-PL
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 pt-BR
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 pt-PT
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 qps-ploc
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 qps-plocm
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 Resources
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 ro-RO
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 ru-RU
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 sk-SK
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 sl-SI
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 sr-Latn-RS
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 sv-SE
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 tr-TR
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 uk-UA
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 zh-CN
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root      0 Mar 17  2019 zh-TW
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved/Boot[/b]
[i]$ cd ..[/i]
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved[/b]
[i]$ cd Recovery[/i]
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved/Recovery[/b]
[i]$ ls -l[/i]
total 0
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root 0 Mar 17  2019 Logs
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root 0 Mar 17 10:31 WindowsRE
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved/Recovery[/b]
[i]$ cd WindowsRE[/i]
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved/Recovery/WindowsRE[/b]
[i]$ ls -l[/i]
total 391876
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root   3170304 Sep 15  2018 boot.sdi
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root      1113 Mar 17 10:31 ReAgent.xml
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 398105833 Jan  7 19:57 Winre.wim
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved/Recovery/WindowsRE[/b]
[i]$ cd ..[/i]
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved/Recovery[/b]
[i]$ cd Logs[/i]
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved/Recovery/Logs[/b]
[i]$ ls -l[/i]
total 5
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root   72 Mar 17  2019 BootUX (1).sqml
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root  120 Mar 17  2019 BootUX (2).sqml
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 1358 Mar 17  2019 Reload.xml
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved/Recovery/Logs[/b]
[i]$ cd ../..[/i]
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved[/b]
[i]$ cd "System Volume Information"[/i]
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved/System Volume Information[/b]
[i]$ ls -l[/i]
total 20
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 20480 Mar 17 10:26 tracking.log
[b]johndoe@mx:/media/System_Reserved/System Volume Information[/b]
$ 

My host computer's pretty old so I'm sure its BIOS.

[fehlix]

Looks like, we need to keep the VeraCrypt BIOS-MBR intact.
So instead of install MX Grub into MBR do install into the PBR of the MX-boot partition.
VeraCrypt does provide it's own chainloader to boot into the MX-Linux Boot partition or to boot into it's veracrypted installed OS.

EDIT: In addition, if you have created a veracrypt recovery media, you might be able to boot into win and mx-linux,
and probably also re-cover the lost veracrypt-mbr.
You would first need to boot into MX Linux and install GRUB also into the PBR of mx-linux boot partition.

[gbhollr]

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.