Some doubts about VeraCrypt

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1

Hi there!! :grinning:
I’m interested in encrypting my PC’s disks with VeraCrypt. These are my rigs:

  • A desktop PC, has two SSDs, one with Manjaro KDE and the other one with Windows 10 Pro.
  • Two laptops with only one SSD and only Manjaro KDE running.

Before doing it, I have some doubts about VeraCrypt:

  • If I encrypt the disks, will I have problems with the GRUB on the PC with two SSD (Manjaro KDE + Windows 10 Pro)?
  • When users talk about the performance loss, what exactly does it mean? Boot time, computing power, GPU slowdown, etc.?

Best regards!! :grinning:

2

Why Veracrypt? What’s so bad with the default LUKS option in Calamares?

1 Like
3

Because I didn’t know I can use such options after the system is installed. I always thought that this option was only available during the installation. I have no preferences, I would like to use the best option.
:grinning:

4

Then my advice is to back up your data, reinstall with encryption and put your data back.

Well, there is an option to encrypt an existing system and it is documented somewhere in the Arch Wiki.

5

You’re right, this should be done at first. But now, for me, reinstalling again 4 systems (3 Manjaro and 1 W10) it’s a lot of work. That’s why I’m looking for a solution which let me to encrypt my disks as they are now…

6

Do you know which kind of performance loss (if there is) has an encrypted disk? I also have doubts about how will live with the grub and the BitLocker’s feature of W10.

7

You won’t need to reinstall Windows because BitLocker can be activated on an installed system.

You will notice the performance loss in your startup time, otherwise not much on your powerful machines.

It will be more hassle to understand such a solution than to reinstall.
Edit: To get an impression of the complexity - Encrypt an existing Linux installation with LUKS and LVM – #Jan

2 Likes
8

Ok, then I will do a reinstall… :grinning:

Timeshift could help me to do the process less painful? I always use it to recover my system from a live-usb but never from an installed system.

9

:astonished:

10

The problem is that all those settings needed for encryption, if you overwrite them from backup (and don’t create them manually) the system won’t boot. You can only overwrite /home.

11

Ok, I see… :roll_eyes: Definitely, I will do a clean installation.

Thank you very much for your help!! :grinning: :grinning: :+1: :+1:

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