Remastered 4.3.1 heavy encryption pupsave file wont mount;

[Pal]

Hi everyone!

I am experiencing an odd problem with my pupsave_crypta.2fs generated from remastered puppy 4.3.1 and would very much appreciate any suggestions.

I am not completely new to remastering and did quite a bit with puppy 4.1.2 and all worked well. This isn't to say I couldn't be doing something wrong!

In trying to get to the core of the current issue, I have simplified the problem to the following:

I boot the standard 4.3.1 build, add in devx_431.sfs and then remaster puppy 4.3.1 to CD. I then install CD to USB stick and on first boot of USB stick create a pupsace_crypta.2fs file using heavy encryption. When I reboot the stick, I am unable to mount the file using the password specified at creation.

I have tried multiple usb sticks, multiple computers ( all 1 gb minimum) and even downloaded multiple ISO images to help rule out software corruption as a possible culprit. If I do not encrypt the pupsave file, it works perfectly. If I use heavy encryption, when I reboot the USB stick, and enter the encryption key, puppy barks:

Cant mount file, press ENTER key to try again or any other character then enter for f. s. check ...

Pressing enter simply repeats the warning and if I use the f.s. check option, I get a message that e2fsck Superblock does not describe a correct ext2 filesystem.

I have checked around an not seen any reports of similar problems, but "dog gone" if I can sort this. Any suggestions or pointers much appreciated.

Thanks,
Pal

[Pal]

Sorry I meant to file this under (possible) bugs but must have misfiled under advanced topics. I guess I was distracted by something interested under this topic and forgot to switch back.. Again sorry!!

[trapster]

You don't mention how you're trying to mount it.
Did you try:

Code: Select all

losetup-FULL -e aes /dev/loop6 /mnt/home/pupsave_crypta.2fs

That should ask for your password and give you a loop device. Then mount the loop device:

Code: Select all

mkdir /tmp/encrypt
mount -t ext2 /dev/loop6 /tmp/encrypt

Your file should be mounted under /tmp/encrypt

[Pal]

Thank you Trapster for coming back with advice on this!

I have not tried a manual mount and have simply been letting the standard boot process ask me for a password and do the usual file mount at startup. This is what is failing.

I tried using losetup as you outlined and it failed. I've done some snooping and found that there appears to be no /mnt/home/pupsave_crypta.2fs on the stick! It looks like the universal install script executing on the remastered CD, may not be actually creating the file. This is odd as I haven't touched anything nor done any low level hacking, only added in devx_431.sfs via bootmgr tool prior to remastering.

Any further help is much appreciated.

Thanks a lot!

[Q5sys]

Hi everyone!

I am experiencing an odd problem with my pupsave_crypta.2fs generated from remastered puppy 4.3.1 and would very much appreciate any suggestions.

I am not completely new to remastering and did quite a bit with puppy 4.1.2 and all worked well. This isn't to say I couldn't be doing something wrong!

In trying to get to the core of the current issue, I have simplified the problem to the following:

I boot the standard 4.3.1 build, add in devx_431.sfs and then remaster puppy 4.3.1 to CD. I then install CD to USB stick and on first boot of USB stick create a pupsace_crypta.2fs file using heavy encryption. When I reboot the stick, I am unable to mount the file using the password specified at creation.

I have tried multiple usb sticks, multiple computers ( all 1 gb minimum) and even downloaded multiple ISO images to help rule out software corruption as a possible culprit. If I do not encrypt the pupsave file, it works perfectly. If I use heavy encryption, when I reboot the USB stick, and enter the encryption key, puppy barks:

Cant mount file, press ENTER key to try again or any other character then enter for f. s. check ...

Pressing enter simply repeats the warning and if I use the f.s. check option, I get a message that e2fsck Superblock does not describe a correct ext2 filesystem.

I have checked around an not seen any reports of similar problems, but "dog gone" if I can sort this. Any suggestions or pointers much appreciated.

Thanks,
Pal

I have experienced the same exact thing as you have with just about every version of 4.3 that I have tested. I was unable to find a way around it. My advice... keep trying other puplets until you find one that does work.

[Q5sys]

I Double posted somehow. Mods. delete when you see this.

[Lobster]

The author of wardog might have tips on encryption
http://greylodge.org/gpc/?cat=145

[Pal]

Thanks Lobster. Will do but I think there really is an issue with the remastering process vis a vis the install script.

On the up side, it isn't really so much fun if everything just works on the first try. These little challenges are what make it really fun!!

Thanks again and take care!

[deniros]

Hi Pal,

since i had the same problem, just ysterday, i was also looking for a solution.

The problem is that your new remastered puppy can not write back the changes to your newly created encrypted save file. Thats why you can't access it after the first boot. There is a file, it does not contain any personal data and it is non accessable.

The workaround for this is:

- startup the original puppy 4.3.1. cdrom.
- don't change anything.
- shutdown and create an encrypted save file.
- now you will have an almost clean encrypted save file. (except for some settings like screen resolution and language)
- copy this encrypted save file to your usbstick (the one with the remastered puppy linux version )

Now you can access and use the encrypted save file as usual. (it will also be able to write back the changes)

Good luck! :p

Hi everyone!

I am experiencing an odd problem with my pupsave_crypta.2fs generated from remastered puppy 4.3.1 and would very much appreciate any suggestions.

I am not completely new to remastering and did quite a bit with puppy 4.1.2 and all worked well. This isn't to say I couldn't be doing something wrong!

In trying to get to the core of the current issue, I have simplified the problem to the following:

I boot the standard 4.3.1 build, add in devx_431.sfs and then remaster puppy 4.3.1 to CD. I then install CD to USB stick and on first boot of USB stick create a pupsace_crypta.2fs file using heavy encryption. When I reboot the stick, I am unable to mount the file using the password specified at creation.

I have tried multiple usb sticks, multiple computers ( all 1 gb minimum) and even downloaded multiple ISO images to help rule out software corruption as a possible culprit. If I do not encrypt the pupsave file, it works perfectly. If I use heavy encryption, when I reboot the USB stick, and enter the encryption key, puppy barks:

Cant mount file, press ENTER key to try again or any other character then enter for f. s. check ...

Pressing enter simply repeats the warning and if I use the f.s. check option, I get a message that e2fsck Superblock does not describe a correct ext2 filesystem.

I have checked around an not seen any reports of similar problems, but "dog gone" if I can sort this. Any suggestions or pointers much appreciated.

Thanks,
Pal

[Pal]

Thanks very much for all the helpful suggestions. I am relieved that others can confirm what must be a bug as I was really pulling my hair out in frustration!

I will try the suggestions as a work around as puppy is just too cool not be able to remaster!!!

Thanks again!

Pal