1 Topic by nparafe (edited by nparafe 2022-02-06 18:55:15)

  • nparafe
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Topic: Installing on Libreboot with full disk encryption (including /boot)

This thread is the sequel of the post 40 to post 48 of another thread.

My goal was to install Hypebola on Libreboot x200 with full disk encryption (including /boot).
After 35 cups of coffee and 3 days trying to figure out the problems, I have finally made it.

I used this guide as a reference but it needed some tweaking.

So here is what I needed to do.

Section: Setting up keyboard layout
“loadkeys uk” didn’t work for my x200 setup. I needed to “loadkeys us” in order to be able to type symbols "

Section: Create the LUKS partition
Select label type: I needed to choose dos in order to continue with the instructions

Section: Configure the network
In order to get wifi after installation install wpa_supplicant and wireless_tools:

pacstarp /mnt wpa_supplicant wireless_tools

Section: Setting up the kernel modules

Skip installing grub. Libreboot doesn’t need it. Also skip Generate grub.cfg

Section:Extra security tweaks mad mad mad

This was the hardest part. After 8 times of clean install, after first boot, typing root password gave me a "Login incorrect". I triple checked the password. I even did an install with no password, always the same.

Finally, I skipped this part entirely this part and then success, I could login.
Probably the problem is the “Lockout user after three failed login attempts” but this needs more testing.

Now I have a working enviroment.

In the future I will try to modify grub.cfg inside the ROM, so I don't need to type all the commands when booting the installation manually from GRUB

let them build as many prisons as they want.
Even if the siege is closing in around us.
Our mind is like a wanderer, and will always be free.

nparafe's Website

2 Reply by zapper

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Re: Installing on Libreboot with full disk encryption (including /boot)

nparafe wrote:

This thread is the sequel of the post 40 to post 48 of another thread.

My goal was to install Hypebola on Libreboot x200 with full disk encryption (including /boot).
After 35 cups of coffee and 3 days trying to figure out the problems, I have finally made it.

I used this guide as a reference but it needed some tweaking.

So here is what I needed to do.

Section: Setting up keyboard layout
“loadkeys uk” didn’t work for my x200 setup. I needed to “loadkeys us” in order to be able to type symbols "

Section: Create the LUKS partition
Select label type: I needed to choose dos in order to continue with the instructions

Section: Configure the network
In order to get wifi after installation install wpa_supplicant and wireless_tools:

pacstarp /mnt wpa_supplicant wireless_tools

Section: Setting up the kernel modules

Skip installing grub. Libreboot doesn’t need it. Also skip Generate grub.cfg

Section:Extra security tweaks mad mad mad

This was the hardest part. After 8 times of clean install, after first boot, typing root password gave me a "Login incorrect". I triple checked the password. I even did an install with no password, always the same.

Finally, I skipped this part entirely this part and then success, I could login.
Probably the problem is the “Lockout user after three failed login attempts” but this needs more testing.

Now I have a working enviroment.

In the future I will try to modify grub.cfg inside the ROM, so I don't need to type all the commands when booting the installation manually from GRUB

This part, the grub modifications takes some wisdom.

HyperbolaBSD: The Future of Secure Libre Lightweight Operating Systems!

3 Reply by nparafe (edited by nparafe 2022-02-10 13:06:53)

  • nparafe
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Re: Installing on Libreboot with full disk encryption (including /boot)

Yeah, it was challenging.
For the most part the instructions I followed was Modify grub.cfg inside the ROM from the parabola wiki.

Some differences were:

  • Replace linux-libre with linux-libre-lts

All the tools I needed could be installed from pacman except from the cbfstool, which I have downloaded from libreboot.

  • I got some error about locked memory when running flashrom, so what I needed to do was to add the kernel parameter iomem=relaxed. So, Booting the installation manually from GRUB, before reflashing, needed to change to:

grub> cryptomount -a
grub> set root='lvm/matrix-rootvol'
grub> linux /boot/vmlinuz-linux-libre-lts iomem=relaxed root=/dev/matrix/rootvol cryptdevice=/dev/sda1:root
grub> initrd /boot/initramfs-linux-libre-lts.img
grub> boot

Now that the libreboot part is over, it is time to install an X window system, with sound and the tools I need. After that I will start moving hyperbola from my test laptop, to my production one.

let them build as many prisons as they want.
Even if the siege is closing in around us.
Our mind is like a wanderer, and will always be free.

nparafe's Website

4 Reply by nparafe

  • nparafe
  • nparafe
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Re: Installing on Libreboot with full disk encryption (including /boot)

I am just adding something weird that happened.

When transferring the ssd disk with hyperbola, from my test laptop(A) to another, also librebooted x200 laptop(B), the graphics where really slow. This got worse when connected to en external monitor using displayport.

I tried many things, upgrading libreboot, enable/disable compton (I am using JWM) the problem remained.

I am using this laptop (B) for more than a year without any problem, and when I insert the old ssd, wich had Trisquel installed, back to laptop B, the graphics where OK.

In a third laptop (C), inserting the ssd disk with hyperbola didn't had any problem.

The differences in specs, between the x200 librebooted laptops:
A) 8mb flash - 4Gb Ram
B) 4mb flash chip - 8Gb Ram
B) 8mb flash - 4Gb Ram

I have worked around my problem because I had another x200 lying around. For research purposes though, I am still puzzled by the origin of the problem.

let them build as many prisons as they want.
Even if the siege is closing in around us.
Our mind is like a wanderer, and will always be free.

nparafe's Website

5 Reply by zapper

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Re: Installing on Libreboot with full disk encryption (including /boot)

nparafe wrote:

I am just adding something weird that happened.

When transferring the ssd disk with hyperbola, from my test laptop(A) to another, also librebooted x200 laptop(B), the graphics where really slow. This got worse when connected to en external monitor using displayport.

I tried many things, upgrading libreboot, enable/disable compton (I am using JWM) the problem remained.

I am using this laptop (B) for more than a year without any problem, and when I insert the old ssd, wich had Trisquel installed, back to laptop B, the graphics where OK.

In a third laptop (C), inserting the ssd disk with hyperbola didn't had any problem.

The differences in specs, between the x200 librebooted laptops:
A) 8mb flash - 4Gb Ram
B) 4mb flash chip - 8Gb Ram
B) 8mb flash - 4Gb Ram

I have worked around my problem because I had another x200 lying around. For research purposes though, I am still puzzled by the origin of the problem.


Leah might have some clue, but I sure don't...

I recommend though you mention which version of libreboot you have though first to me...

If its the old one, Leah will have very little help to offer probably. If its the new one, that one has some bugs still being worked out.

Last I checked anyways... wink

HyperbolaBSD: The Future of Secure Libre Lightweight Operating Systems!

6 Reply by nparafe (edited by nparafe 2022-02-15 10:00:37)

  • nparafe
  • nparafe
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Re: Installing on Libreboot with full disk encryption (including /boot)

zapper wrote:
nparafe wrote:

I am just adding something weird that happened.

When transferring the ssd disk with hyperbola, from my test laptop(A) to another, also librebooted x200 laptop(B), the graphics where really slow. This got worse when connected to en external monitor using displayport.

I tried many things, upgrading libreboot, enable/disable compton (I am using JWM) the problem remained.

I am using this laptop (B) for more than a year without any problem, and when I insert the old ssd, wich had Trisquel installed, back to laptop B, the graphics where OK.

In a third laptop (C), inserting the ssd disk with hyperbola didn't had any problem.

The differences in specs, between the x200 librebooted laptops:
A) 8mb flash - 4Gb Ram
B) 4mb flash chip - 8Gb Ram
B) 8mb flash - 4Gb Ram

I have worked around my problem because I had another x200 lying around. For research purposes though, I am still puzzled by the origin of the problem.


Leah might have some clue, but I sure don't...

I recommend though you mention which version of libreboot you have though first to me...

If its the old one, Leah will have very little help to offer probably. If its the new one, that one has some bugs still being worked out.

Last I checked anyways... wink

I have tested the faulty laptop with every version of libreboot availbale. Stable (from 2016) and Testing. The same problem with grpahics in every version.

In the other two laptops that are working properly, one has stable version and the other has the testing one.

So I do not thing it is a version related issue.

let them build as many prisons as they want.
Even if the siege is closing in around us.
Our mind is like a wanderer, and will always be free.

nparafe's Website

7 Reply by zapper (edited by zapper 2022-02-17 18:14:14)

  • zapper
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Re: Installing on Libreboot with full disk encryption (including /boot)

nparafe wrote:
zapper wrote:
nparafe wrote:

I am just adding something weird that happened.

When transferring the ssd disk with hyperbola, from my test laptop(A) to another, also librebooted x200 laptop(B), the graphics where really slow. This got worse when connected to en external monitor using displayport.

I tried many things, upgrading libreboot, enable/disable compton (I am using JWM) the problem remained.

I am using this laptop (B) for more than a year without any problem, and when I insert the old ssd, wich had Trisquel installed, back to laptop B, the graphics where OK.

In a third laptop (C), inserting the ssd disk with hyperbola didn't had any problem.

The differences in specs, between the x200 librebooted laptops:
A) 8mb flash - 4Gb Ram
B) 4mb flash chip - 8Gb Ram
B) 8mb flash - 4Gb Ram

I have worked around my problem because I had another x200 lying around. For research purposes though, I am still puzzled by the origin of the problem.


Leah might have some clue, but I sure don't...

I recommend though you mention which version of libreboot you have though first to me...

If its the old one, Leah will have very little help to offer probably. If its the new one, that one has some bugs still being worked out.

Last I checked anyways... wink

I have tested the faulty laptop with every version of libreboot availbale. Stable (from 2016) and Testing. The same problem with grpahics in every version.

In the other two laptops that are working properly, one has stable version and the other has the testing one.

So I do not thing it is a version related issue.

Btw, beware of using the new iso, you might have issues, its not yet known what happened, but you can refer to this if you want to test:

https://forums.hyperbola.info/viewtopic … 4097#p4097

Qemu instructions for people who arent very good with it.

Btw, its very good that you know that its not libreboot that is the problem. I just wonder what happened...

HyperbolaBSD: The Future of Secure Libre Lightweight Operating Systems!