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2. Installation

2.1 Kernel 2.6

To work with dm-crypt, the kernel must support the following elements:

If you don't know how to create a kernel under Debian, please refere you to

http://www.de.debian.org/doc/manuals/reference/ch-kernel.en.html

2.2 USB keyboard

If you have a USB keyboard, read this chapter carefully. If you will ignore it, your system will hang during the start up processs and you could be in the situation to don't can restore it!!! You have been warned!!!

Currently, the usb modules are loaded when the

/etc/rcS.d/S40hotplug
is called.

Since the

/etc/rcS.d/S28cryptdisks
is called before hotplug, the USB keyboard will not work when the system will ask for the passphrase. In this case it is impossible to proceed with the start up, because no timeout is implemented in this script and the ENTER keypress will not be detected.

A safe solution is to build all the needed drivers directly in the kernel (not as module). I now there are other solutions, but I think it is important to guarantee as soon as possible the input device will work properly. What do you do when something goes wrong and the keyboard is not working anymore? Whit this solution, the keyboard can be used to try to solve the problem.
Here the elements that have to be compiled in the kernel:

If you don't know how to create a kernel under Debian, please refere you to

http://www.de.debian.org/doc/manuals/reference/ch-kernel.en.html

2.3 Tools

Debian provides a package that contains all what you need. To install this tool execute:

apt-get install cryptsetup

Additionally, you can install this package that can be used to create a key inside a file:

apt-get install hashalot

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