Crypt File in Yast partitioner

Chris · External Since: Jan 21, 2007 Posts: 95

Hello all,

I would like to create an encrypted filesystem using the "Crypt File"
approach in Yast's Partitioner. I have and am currently using an encrypted
partition on another computer. However, on my laptop, I cannot create any
more partitions. So, I figured I would use a file as an encrypted
filesystem.

I am in Yast's Partitioner and used the "Crypt File..."->"Create Crypt File
dialog.

Has anyone used Yast to create such a file? If so, do you have any tips or
URLs explaining this option?

Thanks.
--
Chris

birre · External Since: Feb 08, 2006 Posts: 375

On 2007-08-08 14:27, Chris wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I would like to create an encrypted filesystem using the "Crypt File"
> approach in Yast's Partitioner. I have and am currently using an encrypted
> partition on another computer. However, on my laptop, I cannot create any
> more partitions. So, I figured I would use a file as an encrypted
> filesystem.
>
> I am in Yast's Partitioner and used the "Crypt File..."->"Create Crypt File
> dialog.
>
> Has anyone used Yast to create such a file? If so, do you have any tips or
> URLs explaining this option?
>
> Thanks.

Use the command losetup .

Read the manual carefully.

If you add it to fstab, set it as user,noauto,loop so
your machine can boot without asking for the password.

/bb

Chris · External Since: Jan 21, 2007 Posts: 95

birre wrote:
> Use the command losetup .
>
> Read the manual carefully.
>
> If you add it to fstab, set it as user,noauto,loop so
> your machine can boot without asking for the password.
>
> /bb

I have been experimenting with creating the encrypted fs file using Yast. So
far it works, but I have one issue.

When the file is set to mount during boot, I can easily
use /etc/rc.d/boot.crypto to mount and umount the filesystem. However, if I
set it to not mount at boot time and select Mount by user, everything is ok
until I unmount the file. When I attempt to remount the file I get this
error:

~> mount encrypted_fs
ioctl: LOOP_SET_FD: Device or resource busy

However, if Yast creates the partition and is configured to mount at boot
time, then I can use /etc/rc.d/boot.crypto without any problems???

Here is the /etc/fstab that is created for manual mounting (sorry for the
line wrapping):
/encrypted_fs /home/chris/encrypted_fs ext3
loop=/dev/loop0,encryption=twofish256,noatime,user,noauto,noacl 0 0

I'm using kernel: 2.6.22.1-359-default

Thanks
--
Chris

Chris · External Since: Jan 21, 2007 Posts: 95

Chris wrote:

> When I attempt to remount the file I get this
> error:
>
> ~> mount encrypted_fs
> ioctl: LOOP_SET_FD: Device or resource busy

Looking into losetup as you suggested birre, I was able to figure why I
could not remount the file. Using "losetup -a" I could see that /dev/loop0
was still alive after the umount command. Running "losetup -d /dev/loop0"
allows me to remount the file.

This problem seems to happen only after I initially create the file using
Yast. Once I force /dev/loop0 to be released, I can mount/unmount many
times as I wish using my user account.

Thanks for the losetup tip!
--
Chris