Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

SabreWolfy · 2012-05-27 10:17:22

Laptop with one 160GB HDD. sda1 is 32GB for Windows XP. sda2 is 32GB for / (#! Statler). sda3 is 82GB for /home; encrypted with LUKS; ~55GB used. sda4 is 3GB swap.

I wanted to install Wheezy NetInstall and then play with installing XFCE and/or FluxBox, etc. and build a system up. I booted #! Waldorf Live USB to repartition and then realized that I already have four primary partitions. I cannot change this easily because /home is encrypted and cannot be resized and also therefore I can't easily move this setup to LVM.

Is my best option to back everything up (and lose my working Statler install) and start from scratch? I would then setup LVM and make two / partitions (one for Statler/Waldorf and the other one for the netinstall), two encrypted /home partitions and one swap?

Last edited by SabreWolfy (2012-05-27 10:19:47)

SabreWolfy · 2012-05-27 14:33:01

Resizing of encrypted partitions does not seem to be that easy currently. Most searches for this discussed encrypted partitions with LVM, which is not what I use presently.

Last edited by SabreWolfy (2012-05-27 14:34:46)

SabreWolfy · 2012-05-28 09:45:48

I booted off a Live Waldorf USB and used cryptsetup to create (activate) the encrypted partition. I could then run gparted and manually specify '/dev/mapper/NAME' to get gparted to open that device. It showed the correct size, but reported problems with the volume label and a few other things. The "resize" option was available, but the dialog did not allow for the partition to be resized. Maybe this is becuase there are already 4 partitions, although the unallocated space left are reducing the size would just remain unallocted I assumed. Either way, I was not able to reduce the size of the encrypted partition. I am not using LVM on this drive and have 4 primary partitions.

Unia · 2012-05-28 10:15:44

Isn't a 32GB root partition a bit much? I think you could easily remove that, create an extended partition and inside that, create two 16 GB partitions. But yea, you would lose your current Statler (unless you back it up of course)

SabreWolfy · 2012-05-28 10:23:28

^ I typically use all avaialble space when partitioning initially, but I can see the merit now of leaving some unallocated space or using LVM from the start.

Yeah, 32GB is quite large for /, but it's what I selected when I made the partition. I was thinking that the two / partitions could be 16GB each, so that works out fine. I would lose my installation of Statler though and I'd still have the 82GB encrypted /home stuck in place which can't be resized.

If I have to reinstall Statler, maybe it's easier after all to just start from scratch, but I like your idea ... I'm gonna think on it for a while.

el_koraco · 2012-05-28 20:58:09

If you insist on doing LVM, backup and delete your Linux partitions (with a Statler Live CD and Gparted). Make a 200 MB parition for /boot, ext2, and leave the rest of the space unassigned. Start the install. Go to Manual partitioning. Assign the ext partition for /boot. Set up LVM. Add the rest of the space to a Physical volume. Make a logical partition of 4 GB for Statler root, a 30 GB /home, and /1,5 swap. Exit LVM. Add root, home and swap. Grub to MBR. Reboot. Check to see if stuff is working. Boot a Waldorf CD. Manual paritioning, select the volume group, add 4GB for Waldorf root. Use Statler home as Waldorf home. No Grub. Reboot into Statler, update grub.

Finally, and I don't mean it offensively, if any of this sounds complicated, don't do LVM, leave stuff as it is and come back when Waldorf goes "stable". After all, Debian stable is not meant to be reinstalled big_smile

SabreWolfy · 2012-05-28 21:05:42

^ smile What about /boot for Waldorf?

el_koraco · 2012-05-28 21:23:55

SabreWolfy wrote:

^ What about /boot for Waldorf?

No, Statler's Grub will control all of that. Waldorf's is gonna be in its root. The version of Grub in Statler can boot an LVM if you put it in outer space (provided you set up a network mount).

SabreWolfy · 2012-05-28 21:26:31

^ Ok, so one /boot which then boots whatever else is anywhere, including whatever is in the LVM. Got it.

Statler on my laptop ain't broke at all and I rely on it as a production machine every day, so maybe I'll do the playing you mentioned on my netbook for now... smile Thanks.

el_koraco · 2012-05-28 21:31:36

SabreWolfy wrote:

Statler on my laptop ain't broke at all and I rely on it as a production machine every day, so maybe I'll do the playing you mentioned on my netbook for now... Thanks.

Never touch a production machine. Don't feel bad about it, I only learned about LVM by trying it on a spare seven year old laptop I kept exclusively for breaking stuff (and I did break it twice).

SabreWolfy · 2012-05-28 21:33:36

^ Yeah, good advice thanks smile

griffen76 · 2012-06-01 04:36:43

Definitely agree with the NEVER touch a production box.

That said my production box is crunchbang with and encrypted disk and lvm hidden inside of it, for some reason(lack of caffeine) I decided to try and get space in a 400MB root by moving /etc/lib and soft linking it from another location(queue the Stooges music)

Suffice to say it's back up and working, but the live CDs save you every single time. Time to reinstall that box as my confidence in it has shall we say suffered a blow.

el_koraco · 2012-06-01 06:43:54

griffen76 wrote:

I decided to try and get space in a 400MB root by moving /etc/lib and soft linking it from another location(queue the Stooges music)
.

Oh.

griffen76 · 2012-06-05 03:07:54

Yeah it sucked lol

VastOne · 2012-06-05 03:21:05

^ Sense of humor though... smile

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#1 2012-05-27 10:17:22

Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#2 2012-05-27 14:33:01

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#3 2012-05-28 09:45:48

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#4 2012-05-28 10:15:44

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#5 2012-05-28 10:23:28

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#6 2012-05-28 20:58:09

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#7 2012-05-28 21:05:42

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#8 2012-05-28 21:23:55

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#9 2012-05-28 21:26:31

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#10 2012-05-28 21:31:36

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#11 2012-05-28 21:33:36

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#12 2012-06-01 04:36:43

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#13 2012-06-01 06:43:54

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#14 2012-06-05 03:07:54

Re: Partitioning Advice | LVM | Encryption

#15 2012-06-05 03:21:05

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