Linux Encrypted File System: Ubuntu (advanced configuration)

NOTE: These steps should only be followed if you use multiple operating systems on a single hard

drive (dual-boot). To successfully install a dual-boot configuration with PGP protection on the

Windows side, you will need to first install Windows, then install Linux, and finally install PGP last. If

PGP is not installed last, one or both operating systems may become inaccessible.

1. Begin by booting to the alternate (text-based) installation CD (available

athttp://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/downloadmirrors).

2. When you get to the screen on which you select the partition method, choose “Manual.”

3. On the screen displaying your currently configured partitions, select the free space and then

create a primary partition with a size of around 100MB 1).Set the mount point as /boot and then

select the rest of the free space.

4. Choosing “Physical volume for encryption” will specify that all of the free space left will be an

encrypted volume (container).

5. Choose “Done setting up the partition.”

6. Choose “Configure encrypted volume.”

7. You will need to set a passphrase that will be used to unlock the drive. If the passphrase you

select is under eight (8) characters you will receive a warning that the passphrase is weak. After

this password is set, it cannot be recovered so make sure that you choose a memorable password

or write it down and keep it in a secure location.

8. Select the partition inside the encrypted volume.

9. Choose “physical volume for LVM.”

10. Choose “Done setting up the partition.”

11. Choose “Configure the Logical Volume Manager.”

12. Choose “Create Volume Group.”

13. Select the device for the new volume group.

14. Once the volume group has been created, you need to create logical volumes for root, home,

and swap. You may want to begin with swap space because it is the easiest item to define

(between 512MB and 1GB).

15. Enter the name and size as follows.

16. Repeat the process above to create a logical volume for root and home. When you are finished

making changes, select “Finish.”

17. You should now see a configuration summary similar to the screen below.

18. When you return to the main partioning page, you will need to select each of the logical volumes

and define how each volume will be used and any mount point necessary (root and home will be /

and /home resepectively), as shown on the following screens.

19. When all of the mappings are defined you will have a rather busy sheet of partition information

like the one below. These can be read as follows:

20. You can choose to create an encrypted Home directory at this step. If you do choose to encrypt

your home directory, you can set a different password from the whole disk passphrase or you can

choose to use the same password for both.

21. When you boot the computer, you will be prompted to select an operating system in the GRUB

boot loader. If you choose to boot the Ubuntu operating system you will notice that the drive will not

boot or be accessible until a passphrase is provided. Type the password and press enter to resume

the boot process.

22. Once the operating system loads and you login, you will notice that the Private drive mounts

automatically if you set the same password for the drive and login.