[SOLVED] LM 20.3 failed to start after TimeShift restore

[fungusgod]

I searched the forum for a similar issue but did not find anything. Feel free to point me that way if I missed it.
Background: I have LM 20.3 installed on /dev/sdb with a LV encrypted. This is a 500GB M2 SSD. I also have two 2.0TB SATA SSD and a 3.0TB external USB HDD that I use for backups. I attempted to expand the LV to include the SATA3 SSD (/dev/sda). Something I did wrong corrupted files inside LM which would cause me to not process updates. I performed workarounds found here and other places but never fixed the system. So I decided to do a fresh install of LM 20.3 and restore from TimeShift. This was the only recommendation I got from the forum post I made.
After reinstalling LM 20.3 clean, I attempted to restore via TimeShift. Everything appeared to be working properly but when the system went to reboot, LM failed to open. After seemingly hundreds of lines scrolling across the screen, the only thing I recognized is that sdb3_crypt failed to be decrypted. This is the encrypted logical volume where the swap file and home directory are kept as part of the standard LM install options. Normally I am asked for a password to decrypt this volume upon system startup, but I was never prompted. Here is inxi:

Code: Select all

mint@mint:~$ inxi -Fxxxrz
System:
  Kernel: 5.4.0-91-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 5.2.7 wm: muffin 5.2.0 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 
  Distro: Linux Mint 20.3 Una base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: Dell product: XPS 8500 v: N/A serial: <filter> 
  Chassis: type: 3 serial: <filter> 
  Mobo: Dell model: 0YJPT1 v: A00 serial: <filter> UEFI: Dell v: A06 
  date: 05/25/2012 
CPU:
  Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i7-3770 bits: 64 type: MT MCP 
  arch: Ivy Bridge rev: 9 L2 cache: 8192 KiB 
  flags: avx lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 54332 
  Speed: 1599 MHz min/max: 1600/3900 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1599 2: 1598 
  3: 1598 4: 1598 5: 1598 6: 1599 7: 1596 8: 1599 
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GK107 [GeForce GT 640 OEM] driver: nouveau v: kernel 
  bus ID: 01:00.0 chip ID: 10de:0fc0 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: modesetting 
  unloaded: fbdev,vesa resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz, 1920x1080~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: NVE7 v: 4.3 Mesa 21.0.3 direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 7 Series/C216 Family High Definition Audio vendor: Dell 
  driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:1e20 
  Device-2: NVIDIA GK107 HDMI Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel 
  bus ID: 01:00.1 chip ID: 10de:0e1b 
  Device-3: Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 type: USB 
  driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo bus ID: 2-1.5.3:5 chip ID: 046d:082d 
  serial: <filter> 
  Device-4: Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB Microphone type: USB 
  driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid bus ID: 3-2:16 chip ID: 0909:004d 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-91-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Wireless 7260 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: e000 
  bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 8086:08b1 
  IF: wlp2s0 state: down mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Realtek driver: r8169 v: kernel port: d000 bus ID: 03:00.0 
  chip ID: 10ec:8161 
  IF: enp3s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
  Device-3: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet 
  vendor: Dell driver: r8169 v: kernel port: c000 bus ID: 04:00.0 
  chip ID: 10ec:8168 
  IF: enp4s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 6.85 TiB used: 66.7 MiB (0.0%) 
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Samsung model: SSD 870 EVO 2TB size: 1.82 TiB 
  speed: 6.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: 2B6Q scheme: GPT 
  ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Kingston model: SKC600MS512G size: 476.94 GiB 
  speed: 6.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: 0105 temp: 35 C scheme: GPT 
  ID-3: /dev/sdc vendor: Samsung model: SSD 860 EVO 2TB size: 1.82 TiB 
  speed: 3.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: 4B6Q 
  ID-4: /dev/sdd type: USB vendor: Lexar model: USB Flash Drive 
  size: 14.62 GiB serial: <filter> rev: 1100 scheme: MBR 
  ID-5: /dev/sdi type: USB vendor: Western Digital model: WD30EZRX-00SPEB0 
  size: 2.73 TiB rotation: 5400 rpm serial: <filter> rev: 105

Anyone have any ideas what I did wrong? Or need to do different? Thanks

[linux-rox]

Out of curiosity, I tried doing something similar and wasn't successful. That's not conclusive it can't be done, but it's suggestive. I've spent a fair amount of time figuring out how to use Timeshift for system backup. Understand, that's not what it's for; it's designed for restoring the system in place. "Restoring" to a new installation creates several problems, including changed partition UUIDs. There are command line tools for fixing that, but they don't work with an encrypted partition as far as I can tell. OTOH, this is my first time trying (I don't use system encryption), so maybe I'm missing something.

By the way, I don't know your motive for using system encryption, but I will point out you have made everything a great deal more complicated by doing so. Consider whether creating a data partition and encrypting only that will meet your needs. If so, much, much easier to administer.

Sorry couldn't be more help, but wanted to let you know it's probably not anything you're doing wrong. Just very difficult, perhaps impossible.

[fungusgod]

Thank you so much for the reply. To clarify, I use the encryption that it provides as an option during LM installation, as a subtopic to using an LVM. I am currently conducting blind runs at trying to overcome the problems I am having, as I noticed that different things (such as the UUID change you noted) might be the cause of the problems. I do have all my files backup up on a local NAS, but I am trying to the device restored with all the settings and programs it had before the problems began without doing everything manually. Again, thanks for the comment.

[fungusgod]

After the one reply I got and doing some further troubleshooting and research, I don't believe TimeShift can be used in the way I intended. I am closing this thread.

[linux-rox]

Alas, stuff happens. To prevent a similar problem in future, look into encryption-compatible system backup solutions. I'd expect tools like Rescuezilla and Foxclone to be up to the task. I'm sure Clonezilla would, though that has a bit of a learning curve because of the user interface.