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Calamares - Fails reinstalling a system LUKS partition keeping existing others

Hi, annoying bug with Calamares, just for the record.

Consider the situation where I got on HD  (see attached):
- A system partition LUKS encrypted
- A data partition LUKS encrypted (for home)
I don't think it is a kind of an exotic partition configuration right? 
Now I want to reinstall the system partition **WITH LUKS** (because the current is an old deprecated Linux OS installed on it and I want Artix).
I want to reinstall WITHOUT destroying the data (home) partition

Calamares failed installing, because even if you can select LUKS, it never asks for a LUKS password.
The only other option you got from Calamares is to wipe the whole disk (see attached)
I don't think it is a nArtix bug, but a Calamares's (I tried with another calamares install from another distro).

How about that?
I tried RebornOS which uses Antergos/Cnchi and it worked without problem, because it asked for LUKS password, here attached is the password prompt and the installer did the rest of the job easily
I remember  people saying Cnchi was buggy, obviously it manages LUKS partitions better.

Re: Calamares - Fails reinstalling a system LUKS partition keeping existing others

Reply #1 –
I am NOT an Expert, but i TRY to help you.
If you want to install with calamares, you have to open your encryption, somethink like that:
Code: [Select]
cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sdX2 YOURMAPPERNAME
mount /dev/YOURMAPPERNAME/YOURROOTFSNAME /mnt
then set the mount point for your mounted "encrypted root device" like there in the tutorial:
https://wiki.artixlinux.org/Main/InstallationWithFullDiskEncryption Without UEFI, with BIOS or the alternative
https://www.rohlix.eu/post/artix-linux-full-disk-encryption-with-uefi/

EDIT: Sorry, wrong Link:
wiki.artixlinux.org/Main/InstallationWithFullDiskEncryption
 

Re: Calamares - Fails reinstalling a system LUKS partition keeping existing others

Reply #2 –
Thanks for the hint.
My post was mainly "for the record".

I tried this anyway. Just for the record.
- deleted system partition
- created new LUKS  system partition with a password (luksformat)
- opened it (luksOpen)
- created FS on it (mkfs.ext4 on /dev/mapper/xx)
- did the step mount /dev/YOURMAPPERNAME/YOURROOTFSNAME /mnt
- ran the setup

It fails after a while
"...is LUKS but no passphrase has been set"

I think there is something missing in Calamares, like a prompt of the luks password.

  What I will do next, in the end, is that I will backup the 400Gb of the home partition to an external drive, then wipe the whole disk.
I hope someone will fix this bug sometime.


Re: Calamares - Fails reinstalling a system LUKS partition keeping existing others

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Nadir – on
I hope someone will fix this bug sometime.
Well, I just got this bug with the following command sequence:
(tried to force Calamares to use an already-existing-and-mounted encrypted partition)
Code: [Select]
parted -s /dev/sda mklabel msdos
cryptsetup benchmark
parted -s -a optimal /dev/sda mkpart "primary" "ext4" "0%" "100%"
parted -s /dev/sda align-check optimal 1
parted -s /dev/sda set 1 boot on
cryptsetup --verbose --type luks1 --cipher serpent-xts-plain64 --key-size 512 --hash whirlpool --iter-time 10000 --use-random --verify-passphrase luksFormat /dev/sda1
cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sda1 cryptroot
mkfs.ext4 -L cryptroot /dev/mapper/cryptroot
pkexec env DISPLAY=:0 XAUTHORITY=/home/artix/.Xauthority QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=gtk2 calamares -d >calamares.log 2>&1
It is sad Calamares is such a blocker...

Re: Calamares - Fails reinstalling a system LUKS partition keeping existing others

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Nadir – on
Thanks for the hint.
My post was mainly "for the record".

I tried this anyway. Just for the record.
- deleted system partition
- created new LUKS  system partition with a password (luksformat)
- opened it (luksOpen)
- created FS on it (mkfs.ext4 on /dev/mapper/xx)
- did the step mount /dev/YOURMAPPERNAME/YOURROOTFSNAME /mnt
- ran the setup

It fails after a while
"...is LUKS but no passphrase has been set"

I think there is something missing in Calamares, like a prompt of the luks password.

  What I will do next, in the end, is that I will backup the 400Gb of the home partition to an external drive, then wipe the whole disk.
I hope someone will fix this bug sometime.





the truth is that after you backup your home directory...  i would copy the partition onto another hard drive qith gparted after unlocking it...  you can open the home directory and set it to show hidden files and directories and copy all your data and most of your settings using the file manager and you will have even your browsers info restored on the backup  so if you usually have facebook always logged in, it will be logged in on your same browser just like before.  i have not done it with encrypted partitions but you can def do this.  I'm sorry that it is not ideal.  be careful with your backup data.  wish i could be more helpful.
Cat Herders of Linux

Re: Calamares - Fails reinstalling a system LUKS partition keeping existing others

Reply #5 –
Calamares bugs should be reported upstream.

Keep in mind that, as stated on the download page, graphical installation is not intended as a comprehensive method of installation, but is for
Quote
People afraid of the Linux terminal or in need of a quick, intuitive installation
LUKS support in Calamares is relatively new, and its existence at all is already a plus. In contrast to graphical installation:
Quote
Base ISOs allow for a fully customised installation, which is done in a TTY and is intended for knowledgeable users. This is the recommended way of installing Artix and the team will be happy to support any issue.

Artix team does not develop Calamares. It has its own development team.