Arch Linux

imrehg

Member

From: London, UK

Registered: 2008-04-10

Posts: 108

Website

luks encrypted root on sd card - problem with hooks

Hi,

  I was trying to set up my arch system on an SD card on EeePC. I was using arch like that for about 4 months already, before my card crapped out, so now I have to reinstall it on a new card.
  This time I thought I make an effort and use encrypted root, just like it is in the wiki.

  I followed it exactly, and everything went fine - except when I actually tried to boot the system, it didn't work. Apparently the "encrypt" hook is being executed earlier than my /dev/sdb2 is recognized by the system.

   However, when I use the arch-install cd to boot it ("arch root=/dev/sdb2") it correctly asks for my password and everything is fine, I'm in my newly installed system!

   So, is this difference because the arch-install uses a different order of hooks? Or because it has to wait for the cdrom to settle, the /dev/sdb2 is not too late anymore?

   I guess one solution would be is adding a "sleep 5" or something to the "encrypt" hook at installation. Where does the arch install find that version of "encrypt" that mkinitcpio uses during the install?

    Or - is there any better solution? Like rearranging the order of hooks?

    Thanks!

gothmog.todi

Member

From: Austria

Registered: 2007-07-18

Posts: 120

Re: luks encrypted root on sd card - problem with hooks

try adding rootdelay=<seconds> to your kernel command line.

imrehg

Member

From: London, UK

Registered: 2008-04-10

Posts: 108

Website

Re: luks encrypted root on sd card - problem with hooks

It doesn't seem to help - i think the "rootdelay=" kernel parameter only appears to have a difference at a different stage (and I think the [usb] hook has that already)

The problem is, that the udev hook (or the hardware recognition in [autodetect]?) doesn't finish before the [encrypt] hook runs.
I can see, that the hook [encrypt] passes, and a few lines afterwards  "waiting for devices to settle", then the /dev/sdb is recognized....

Using the install CD - all hardware section finishes way before [arch_encrypt]...