cryptsetup -- can't wipe header on device

[d1zzY]

(I dunno if this is the right forum or if it should go under Bugs)


I've been trying to install Backtrack on a HD and encrypt it...

When I run cryptsetup -y --cipher twofish-cbc-plain -h whirlpool --key-size 512 luksFormat /dev/sda2

i type YES and put my password in and it says "can't wipe header on device /dev/sda2"


I tried it with out any cipher specified (for default) and I did it along w/ the tutorial from the website using aes-xts-plain ...same error everytime


I also tried to do dd if=/dev/zero count=1024 of=/dev/sda2 and then encrypt and I received the same error

"Can't wipe header on device /dev/sda2"

Has anybody else been having this issue? Does anybody know a fix??

I don't have any issues w/ encryption otherwise..I am on an Arch install right now w/ the twofish-cbc-plain -h whirlpool as stated above...

Thank you for the helpp =)




Ps. Google did not turn up much help either...I seen a bug report for the same error but the device was ram0 or something and then I seen source code for cryptsetup


thanks again

[g0tmi1k]

What commands/guide are you trying? Here is a reported working tutorial (tested with Backtrack 5 R1)
Bootable USB Thumb Drive with “Full” Disk Encryption ~ http://www.infosecramblings.com/back...sk-encryption/

[d1zzY]

^ that is the one I tried then i googled and tried some stuff I found for ubuntu 10.04 and tried some other things i used w/ Arch linux and adapted to ubuntu

It's all good until I run cryptsetup -y --cipher aes-xts-plain --key-size 512 luksFormat /dev/sda2 (or any alg) and it says "can't wipe header on device)

I think i am going to try it again here shortly...

hmm..this is odd..it worked!!

I have a question though...

Isn't a device's header 1024 bytes?? I ran the command dd if=/dev/zero count=1024 of=/dev/sda2 and it would say "can't wipe header on device" error

This time, I ran dd if=/dev/zero count=2048 of=/dev/sda2 and zero'd 2048 bytes and it worked!!

I guess I was misinformed (or i misunderstood)..I thought the header of a device was only 512 or 1024 bytes (don't remember)...anyway, when i zero'd 2048 bytes, it worked


I appreciate the help and if anybody has any issues w/ the encryption saying "Can't Wipe Header on Device /dev/sdx" use the command:

dd if=/dev/zero count=2048 of=/dev/sdx

and then you can run the cryptsetup luksFormat etc. etc.


thanks again for the help and I intend on becoming more active on the forums...which brings another minor question not worthy of it's own thread...is there a certain point when my posts don't need to be approved by a mod?

thanks =)

[g0tmi1k]

Glad to hear that you have it working. =)
And yes. Once you have made a certain about of posts, the limit is removed.

[d1zzY]

Ahh..another issue

It's funny because Ubuntu is supposed to be user friendly and work out of the box but Ubuntu has given me more issues than any other distro

I have it encrypted now, but, when I boot it, it gets stuck on the splash, I hit F8 and when I go to type the password, every letter creates a new line...

I know I've seen this bug before somewehre but I can't find the fix again...I am going to go look for it but, the bigger issue is that when I type the password, it says "..(something) bad options? password?" (i could be wrong about that but i know the one thing is bad options?)

I edited the /etc/crypttab files and the fstab just like that tutorial said to...the only think I changed from that tutorial was the algorithm (twofish-xts-plain -h whirlpool, and not aes-xts-plain) the filesystem (reiserfs, not ext4), and the install device (sda, not sdb...installing to HD and not a USB)

I might try it again after I reboot and get the exact error message and do some research....again thanks for any help in the past and future =)





Apologies for the double post but the error is unknown fstype...i'm guessing it is an issue w/ reiserfs...I am going to redo it w/ ext4 i suppose...let you know how ti goes





lol sorry for post number 2983479284

I can't edit my post though because of the restriction of mod approval...

anyway, I just tried to install it again w/ ext4 and got the same error

unknown fstype. bad options? I guess I am going to do and install and only encrypt /home i guess?? i can't really find any solutions otherwise...everything i find has to do w/ btrfs or reiser4, not common file systems like ext4 or reiserfs...