[Solved] - Netbook - Currently Using Ubuntu

[WhatUsernameIsFree?]

Hi all,

I currently have a Netbook that is quite slow, I feel partly thanks to Ubuntu Oneiric. I'm thinking of changing to LXDE Mint, but just want to check, since I don't want to change my partitions. Is there an alternative installer for Mint? I can't find it, but even Ubuntu alternative installer is quite well hidden. Since it's a portable device I'd like to keep it encrypted and also not change the partition layout.

Thanks in advance!

Chriss

[xenopeek]

You can use the normal LXDE installer to do both. The installer has a step "Allocate Drive Space", where normally you create new partitions alongside other installed OS, or use the entire disk. You can however choose "Something else" and manually either create partitions or indicate to reuse existing partitions. You can just reuse your existing partitions, and indicate to the LXDE installer what you want to use them for. You must however format the partitions (except for the swap, you can't format swap) for the installation to work. This means you have to make a backup of your important personal files, settings, and such before you do the installation.

When you come to the step to setup your first account, you can choose the option to encrypt your home folder there AFAIK.

There is a good review of Linux Mint 11 LXDE here: http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2011/08/23/li ... de-review/

[WhatUsernameIsFree?]

Hi,

That's sounds quite close to what I was after, except currently everything except /boot is encrypted. From reading that review, it appears to not be supported.

Not sure if this is worthy of it's own thread or not, but how come there is no 64 bit version? What difference does this make to speed?

Thanks

[xenopeek]

LXDE is aimed at machines with lower specs, hence a 32 bits version so it also runs on machines that don't support 64 bits. If you do have a 64 bits machine, it will run the 32 bits version fine. If you have 4 GiB or more memory installed, or you have a multi-core processor, after installation you can upgrade to the 686-PAE kernel than allows you to use multiple cores and address up to 64 GiB of memory. As for speed, only for specific scenarios is 64 bits software actually faster (especially for memory operation intensive operations, like video encoding, rendering and such). For those scenarios, you can expect a speed boost of around 10% on average.

The Linux Mint installer does not support full disk encryption, only home folder encryption. So full disk encryption would be a manual action.

You should note that unless you take extreme steps, like putting /boot on a USB stick, full disk encryption doesn't actually provide additional security over home folder encryption. It is recommended you also encrypt swap if you use home folder encryption, and mount /tmp in memory instead to disk. With those to steps, your personal files and information is all encrypted. In that scenario, both home folder encryption and full disk encryption leave your system wide open for attack to people who have physical access to your machine. Only with the mentioned moving /boot to a USB stick that you keep on your person at all times do you get additional security over home folder encryption. See this detailing of it: http://www.stealth-x.com/articles/the-p ... yption.php

More discussion on that in this topic: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=199&t=78290

[WhatUsernameIsFree?]

Hi,

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. Unfortunately I don't have a choice when it comes to this Netbook, it belongs to my work. They say the disk must be encrypted and the computer is periodically inspected.

Without sounding like I'm taking my toys and running off sulking, I'll probably give Debian Testing a bash instead and do my best to make it look like Mint. Obviously, my personal computers will continue to run Mint.

Thanks

[xenopeek]

Wouldn't you prefer Debian Stable for work?

Anyway, here is a link to get Mint Menu working on Debian http://task3.cc/125/how-to-install-mintmenu-on-debian/

[WhatUsernameIsFree?]

Wouldn't you prefer Debian Stable for work?

I understand your line of thinking, unfortunately I like the newer versions of Firefox/Iceweasel and a few other applications. My Mint Debian on my home Desktop is very stable and has never crashed. Admittedly, I don't actually use the computer very intensively.

Anyway, here is a link to get Mint Menu working on Debian http://task3.cc/125/how-to-install-mintmenu-on-debian/

Brilliant, thanks again. You've been most helpful.