How to upgrade distro with external and encrypted /home?

Tried to ask help from MX Linux forums, but haven't got any response there...


So I am planning to upgrade from MX 19.4 to MX 21.1. I have my /home encrypted on external SSD.

I made a test setup in VBox, where I created a system similar to my current with external and encrypted home.


- I installed the MX 21.1 to the system drive using automatic allocation and formatting
- After installing and reboot I mounted the home drive from Thunar and changed its new name to crypttab file
- I moved the modified crypttab and fstab to /etc
- I renamed the useless /home to home.orig
- I created a new /home
Now when starting the system, it lets me enter the crypt key.

But after that when booting in case I select systemd, it gives error "failed to start Entropy Daemon based on the HAVEGE algorithm" and goes to CLI login.

If I select non systemd login I can log in with root in CLI. When I checked directories, it seems that everything is in correct place, but logging in does not work and the external home drive is still mounted in /media.


Also VBox changes the UUID of the external partition, even though I select "keep disk names" option while cloning the workable base system. Renaming the drive to crypttab accordingly did not solve the problem.

If it was me, I'd remove /home from fstab, do the upgrade, then add /home back to fstab and setup crypt for it.

I never seen your post on the MX Linux forums which could be why you didn't get any answers there. Anyway, first back up everything to a separate drive. When you install MX21 you select preserve home and then install it. Your home will still be there. Just make sure you use the same password as your home folder encryption when you encrypt.

Originally Posted by Crippled I never seen your post on the MX Linux forums which could be why you didn't get any answers there.

I posted my topic to Install-section, I have noticed not many users go there, as getting answers on that subforum is often really difficult.

Isn't there really any simple process such as:
- backup existing crypt data (key, hashes etc)
- detach the home drive
- install the new base system
- attach home drive and restore the crypt data
- continue using the computer with new system

I suppose the crypting adds some extra steps there, as it seems to require wiping the disk completely first. I really don't know how it works under the hood, as I just found the commands needed to make encryption and nothing failed and here I am.

Originally Posted by posec I posted my topic to Install-section, I have noticed not many users go there, as getting answers on that subforum is often really difficult. Isn't there really any simple process such as: - backup existing crypt data (key, hashes etc) - detach the home drive - install the new base system - attach home drive and restore the crypt data - continue using the computer with new system I suppose the crypting adds some extra steps there, as it seems to require wiping the disk completely first. I really don't know how it works under the hood, as I just found the commands needed to make encryption and nothing failed and here I am.

I still don't see your post there. If I couldn't see your post there then others couldn't see your posts there which explains why you did receive any response. This is due to so many posts being pinned that show up first and new posts are displayed after which buries them making them hard to find which is a poor forum design. There is a simple intuitive process by using the G.U.I. MX Linux installer, but it seems you are doing it the complicated way by using the command line. If you would of used the G.U.I. MX Linux installer you wouldn't have to wiped your home folder clean because it has the option to preserve the home folder. Next time you don't hear any responses from your posts in a few days I would recommend bumping it even if it would cause the moderators to scold you for bumping it. Explain to them your post got buried because of so many pinned posts. I wish they would put pinned posts in a separate section this way new posts won't get buried.