Alternate CD install freeze with encrypted partitions

[Federico Del Bene]

Using the alternate CD to install 8.04 with this partitioning scheme:

/dev/sda1: /boot unencrypted
/dev/sda2: swap encrypted with random key
/dev/sda3: / encrypted with password

generates a freeze in the partitioner at 47%.

I had this bug on two different systems, with very different hardware. I think the bug is related to the random key option in the partitioner (I can post the specifications of the two PCs, if needed).

[Dan Fuhry (danfuhry)]

I can confirm this in hardy under VMware. Probably worth noting that I encountered this while doing a netboot (PXE) install.

[hyper_ch (bugs-launchpad-net-roleplayer)]

I can confirm this also (server cd and alternate cd)

In vmware I have setup this:

(1) Boot partition: 200 MB, Ext 3, /boot, bootable
http://www.sjau.ch/bug_231451/01boot.png

(2) SWAP partition: 200 MB, encrypted partition, random key
http://www.sjau.ch/bug_231451/02swap.png

(3) ROOT partition: 3.9 GB, encrypted partition, password
http://www.sjau.ch/bug_231451/03root.png

(4) Partition overview and configuring encrypted partitions
http://www.sjau.ch/bug_231451/04configure.png

(5) After pressing enter for configuring encrypted partitions a dialog comes to ask to write to disk:
http://www.sjau.ch/bug_231451/05writechanges.png

(6) Then comes the key data created screen (note: the random characters field is empty and highlight is directly on "Continue")
http://www.sjau.ch/bug_231451/06keydata.png

(7) Adding some random characters
http://www.sjau.ch/bug_231451/07random.png

(8) After pressing enter it tries to start the partitioner again. It gets stuck at 47%
http://www.sjau.ch/bug_231451/08partitioner.png

[vhahn (victor-tirm)]

I can confirm this as well. Using a random key for the swap partition seems to be the critical point here. I managed to set up two encrypted partition with passphrases without problems.

[vhahn (victor-tirm)]

got three confirmations in comments

[Joe Smith (yasumoto7)]

I would assign this to Ubiquity, but I think that's for the LiveCD. Are you guys still having this issue with Intrepid?

[vhahn (victor-tirm)]

Hi Joe,

I will report about Intrepid when I install it, however this won't be until it goes Beta.

Best regards,
Victor

[Joe Smith (yasumoto7)]

Awesome, thanks a lot Victor. Let me know how it goes :)

On Tue, Sep 9, 2008 at 5:26 PM, vhahn <email address hidden> wrote:
> Hi Joe,
>
> I will report about Intrepid when I install it, however this won't be
> until it goes Beta.
>
> Best regards,
> Victor
>
> --
> Alternate CD install freeze
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/231451
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>

[Dan Fuhry (danfuhry)]

I will load the latest Intrepid alpha into VMware sometime today to see if I can confirm this.

--Dan

[Dan Fuhry (danfuhry)]

This seems fixed in Intrepid Alpha 5. Tested by creating an two LVs ("Root" and "Swap") in the same LVM VG. "Root" is encrypted with a passphrase, and "Swap" uses the "random key" option. Tested using Intrepid alpha 5 i386 under VMware Workstation 6.0.5.

The "random key" option is a bit misleading - I figured it would pseudo-encrypt the volume by storing the key somewhere in /boot or the partition header; instead it seems to erase the whole partition on startup every time. Guess those of us who want to make a key dongle out of a USB flash disk still have to hack our initrd.

(I suppose I'll have to open a new bug however, because it asks me if I want to use an encrypted home directory even when /home is already on a dm-crypt volume.)

--Dan