How to switch from Opensuse to Kubuntu 14.04 on an encrypted dual-boot partition?

[Mike_]

Hi,

I would like to switch from an encrypted opensuse to Kubuntu on a dualboot machine.
My current setup is a Truecrypt encrypted Windows (8.1) on the first two partitions, followed by an unencrypted opensuse /boot and an LUKS encrypted LVM with a single partition, root, in it.
The last partition is a Truecrypt encrypted data partition.

I wonder if it is possible to use a kubuntu live image to mount /boot and the encrypted / and then install kubuntu into those two partitions without breaking my dualboot and keeping the encryption in place.

I tried this out in a VM and Kubuntu does not seem to recognize the LUKS container. If I mount them by hand, I can install kubuntu, however then it won't put the cryptsetup binary into the initrd.



Any ideas?

[Teunis]

I don't use disk encryption but am pretty sure the idea behind it is you can only access it via trusted channels.
And running a Live Disk is not trusted.

[Mike_]

I don't use disk encryption but am pretty sure the idea behind it is you can only access it via trusted channels.
And running a Live Disk is not trusted.

I can certainly access my encrypted data with a live disk, however, when I use cryptsetup to make the LVM available and then use the installer to install it into the encrypted container, the installer "forgets" to include cryptsetup and all the setup scripts into my initrd.

PS: Why should a live disk not be trusted? If it's on a CD I would trust it more than an installed system!

[Teunis]

Well then there we go, not using disk encryption means for me I don't understand it

So in other words, disk encryption can be opened providing the live CD has the same software and key?
But this would still mean you first have to decrypt the disk before you can install something new.
If you can decrypt the disk and it's partitions from the Live session then you can probably install something in it from that same Live session.

In other words, the replacement install is in the existing encrypted partitions but done as a regular install.
I find it difficult to imagine how such a regular replacement install would access the encrypted bits without having the decrypter work right at the start of the boot process.