How-to-install-linux-mint-debian-edition-on-an-encrypted-lvm-file-system

Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) is the edition of Linux Mint that is based on Debian Testing. Like the edition of Linux Mint based on Ubuntu, the installer of LMDE lacks support for LVM, and disk encryption. This tutorial presents a detailed guide on how to install LMDE on an encrypted LVM file system. But how is that possible if the installer lacks support for LVM and disk encryption? Easy. First, install a base Debian Testing system using a Debian Testing installer. Second, point the package manager to the default LMDE repositories. At the end, you will be running a system with an encrypted disk, which means another layer of physical security for your data, and one that makes it possible to manage disk space in a manner that is not possible otherwise.

To complete this tutorial, you need to download an installation image of:

1. Debian Testing – for i386 or amd642. Linux Mint Debian Edition Update: It is not necessary to download the LMDE

installation image. You will not need it to complete this tutorial.

Note: This tutorial assumes installation on a computer with one hard disk and no other operating system on it. You can adapt it easily to install it in a dual-boot configuration with another operating system, like Windows.

To begin, boot the computer from the Debian disk. The default boot menu option will take you through an ncurses-based installation routine. For a more user-friendly installation, select the option shown in the image below. Enter.

To reduce the number if images used in this tutorial, the images for Language, Location (country), Keymap, Hostname, Domain name, root password, User account (three images), and Time zone, have been omitted.

Because Debian defaults to a non-LVM disk partitioning scheme, you will have to choose one of the LVM options or the manual option, if you know what you are doing. Note that if you choose the encrypted LVM option, the installation process will take a little bit longer.

Continue.

At this step, the installer will present the hard drives it found on the computer. If you have more than one disk, select the one you want to use for the installation. Continue.

The Debian installer offers three partitioning schemes. If you choose he first option, the installer will create a swap partition and one system partition. Though the installer recommends that for new users, I say pass on it. The second option, for most users, is better. The third option has its advantages, but we do not need that on a desktop computer except if

you want it that way. Continue.

Choose Yes. Continue.

This is where you specify the passphrase that will be used to encrypt the disk. For added security, the passphrase should not be the same as the password of any user account on the

system. Continue.

These are the default partitions and logical volumes created by the installer. The first partition is a non-LVM boot partition (255 MB with ext2) and the rest of the unallocated space is assigned to the Physical Volume. Three logical volumes (for /, swap, and /home) are created with most of the available space allocated to /home). The default file system used by the Debian Installer on logical volumes is ext3. Continue.

Yes, and Continue.

I recommend Yes here. Continue.

At this stage, the base system is already installed. Sticking with the default choices at this step will prompt the installer to install a set of packages needed to run a complete GNOME desktop. This is one option, and one that I will not recommended for what we are trying to do.

My recommendation is to deselect both options.

So the window will look just like this one. Continue.

The installer will install GRUB, the boot loader, on the Master Boot Record (MBR). You will not always need to install GRUB on the MBR, but for this tutorial, we will take the default. Keep in mind that this article is proceeding on the premise that LMDE will be the only

operating system on the computer.Continue.

After installation, reboot the computer. During booting, you will be prompted for the encryption passphrase. Type in the passphrase you specified earlier, then hit Return or Enter key on your keyboard. This illustrates the benefit of encrypting a disk – the system will not boot without the correct passphrase. Just one more layer of physical security for your data.

Were you expecting a graphical login screen? Do not panic. It might seem intimidating (to a new user), but this is actually where the fun starts. If you have never done this before, you are going to be very pleased with yourself when you complete this process. And you will, if you follow the next few steps as suggested. So, log in with your username. Once in, su to root.

The next task is to edit one file. That file is the sources.list file under the /etc/apt directory. It is where you tell the package manager where to install applications from. The objective is to replace the default Debian entries with the default entries you will find on an LMDE installation. It is a very simple text file. To edit it, type nano -w /etc/apt/sources.list. Note: Nano is a very simple, mode-less text editor.

This is what you should see in that file.

And this is the unmodified version of the file in a new installation of LMDE. The task now is to type in each line as it appears below into the file you just opened, and comment out the

Debian entries, or just delete them.

When you are finished editing, the file should look just like this one. Save it.

Saving the file should put you back to the command line. Type the following commands to install all necessary applications.

Synchronize the package index files from their sources.# apt-get update

The system will complain about missing public signing keys. That is expected.

Now, type these commands to import the signing keys that the system complained about.

# apt-key adv --recv-key --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 3EE67F3D0FF405B2

# apt-key adv --recv-key --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com 07DC563D1F41B907

Upgrade the system. Not absolutely necessary at this point, but it will not break anything.# apt-get upgrade

Install core GNOME file, if you want to run a GNOME-based desktop. Every other desktop environment – KDE, LXDE, Xfce – are also available. Your choice, but for this tutorial, I chose to install GNOME.# apt-get install gnome-core

Install the graphical display package# apt-get install gdm

This will install all applications installed by default on a new installation of LMDE. Your attention will be needed twice before this command is completed, so do not walk away.# apt-get install mint-meta-debian

Update: Because of a missing package, the above command will not work. The alternative is to install Mint packages individually. So, instead of the above, use apt-get to install the following:

mintupdate mintinstall mintmenu mintsystem mint-artwork-debian mintdesktop linuxmint-keyring mint-flashplugin mint-stylish-addon mintwifi

After logging in, certain applications will still not be installed. Those you will have to install individually by using Synaptic.

Start the graphical display.# service gdm start

You should get this. Log in …

And you should see this. You are almost where you want to be. This is closer to a Debian desktop than a Linux Mint GNOME desktop. We will have to customize it to look more like an LMDE desktop.

Here are suggested steps you can take to make the desktop look just like an LMDE desktop:

Right-click on the bottom panel and select “Add to Panel…”Add this following from the list in the window that will open

1. Clock2. mintMenu3. Network Monitor4. Notification Area5. Volume Control

Move the applets around Since you now have a duplicate of all that is on the top panel on the bottom panel, you

may delete the top panel.

That should do it. Now you have an hybrid Debian-Linux Mint Debian Edition system. Aside from LVM and an encrypted disk, the one other thing I like about this installation is that it allows me to use the traditional root user account system rather than the sudo that is used on LMDE.

Not everything will work as expected. The update manager, mintUpdate, will not, for example, launch from the panel. That is a bug. Also Epiphany will be the only Web browser installed. Uninstall it and Firefox (3.6.13) will be installed automatically. The default language installed will be firefox-l10n-af, the Afrikaans language packs for Firefox. Unless you can read Afrikaans, uninstall it, and the English language pack for Firefox will be installed automatically. Install any other application you need. By the way, if you need to run the fastest and coolest browser on the planet, follow these steps to install Opera 11, the latest stable version of Opera. Evolution is the installed email client. A much better email client is Sylpheed.

To help you manage the disk using a graphical interface, install system-config-lvm either from the Software Manager or from a shell terminal with the following command (a future article will cover basic LVM management techniques):

# apt-get install system-config-lvm

If you need help with any step involved in this tutorial, please use the forum for LMDE.