GPA gives error whilst creating key [SOLVED]

[WISEGUYTR]

I am using GPA for the first time. I started creating private key. Asked for my name and e-mail address, then asked me for a password. Then it started creating a key. After a while I got this message. I have tried doing the same process over and over but the result is the same.

The GPGME library returned an unexpected
error at gpagenkeysimpleop.c:224. The error was:

General error

This is either an installation problem or a bug in GPA.
GPA will now try to recover from this error.

GPA 0.9.9
GnuPG 2.1.11
Linux Mint 18.2 Cinnamon 64 bit

[phd21]

Hi "WISEGUYTR",

It would help to know more about your system setup. If you run "inxi -Fxzd" and "lsusb" from the console terminal prompt, highlight the results, copy and paste them back here, that should provide enough information.

There is also another desktop application called "Seahorse", "Password and Keys", which is probably in your menu that can also create GPG/PGP keys and SSH keys. You can install seahorse from the Software Manager or Synaptic Package Manager (SPM) if it is not there...

GPA has always worked for me, did you install GPA from the Software Manager or Synaptic Package Manager (SPM)? You can try removing and re-installing it.
remove - purging GPA

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get purge gpa

re-installing GPA

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install gpa

And, you can use the console terminal command to create your GPG "key pair".
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GnuPrivacyGuardHowto

Code: Select all

gpg --gen-key

Hope this helps ...

[NChewie]

I just read your post and the good reply to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well. [sorry phd21... couldn't resist]

Do make sure that you create a revocation certificate and keep it in a manner that will not degrade... such as printing it!

In the past, I have made the mistake of accidentally publishing a test public key and later finding that my revocation certificate had been corrupted.

[WISEGUYTR]

i have managed to create keys via the GPG CLI after posting the question, but even after reinstalling the GPA, GPA does not see the ketys I have created. I have tried to Retreive the keys according to their ID from Server, but it reports "No Keys Found"...

inxi:

System: Host: Pr0Book Kernel: 4.10.0-38-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.4.6 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
Distro: Linux Mint 18.2 Sonya
Machine: System: Hewlett-Packard (portable) product: HP ProBook 4530s v: A0001D02
Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 167C v: KBC Version 22.26
Bios: Hewlett-Packard v: 68SRR Ver. F.63 date: 04/06/2017
CPU: Dual core Intel Core i5-2450M (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 9977
clock speeds: max: 3100 MHz 1: 951 MHz 2: 1131 MHz 3: 1257 MHz
4: 1454 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller
bus-ID: 00:02.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1366x768@60.03hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Sandybridge Mobile
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 17.0.7 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card Intel 6 Series/C200 Series Family High Definition Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-38-generic
Network: Card-1: Realtek RTL8188CE 802.11b/g/n WiFi Adapter
driver: rtl8192ce port: 3000 bus-ID: 24:00.0
IF: wlo1 state: up mac: <filter>
Card-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: 2000 bus-ID: 25:00.0
IF: enp37s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 320.1GB (30.1% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: Hitachi_HTS72323 size: 320.1GB
Optical-1: /dev/cdc-wdm0 model: N/A rev: N/A dev-links: N/A
Features: speed: N/A multisession: N/A
audio: N/A dvd: N/A rw: none state: N/A
Optical-2: /dev/cdc-wdm1 model: N/A rev: N/A dev-links: N/A
Features: speed: N/A multisession: N/A
audio: N/A dvd: N/A rw: none state: N/A
Optical-3: /dev/sr0 model: hp DVD A DS8A8SH
rev: KH61 dev-links: cdrom,cdrw,dvd,dvdrw
Features: speed: 24x multisession: yes
audio: yes dvd: yes rw: cd-r,cd-rw,dvd-r,dvd-ram state: running
Partition: ID-1: / size: 286G used: 82G (31%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/dm-0
ID-2: /boot size: 472M used: 176M (40%) fs: ext2 dev: /dev/sda1
ID-3: swap-1 size: 8.52GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-2
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 49.0C mobo: 0.0C
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 241 Uptime: 4:08 Memory: 2956.3/7915.3MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35

lsusb

Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0461:4dc7 Primax Electronics, Ltd
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 046d:c077 Logitech, Inc. M105 Optical Mouse
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 03f0:2f1d Hewlett-Packard
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 138a:003c Validity Sensors, Inc. VFS471 Fingerprint Reader
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub


Thanks,.

[phd21]

Hi "NChewie",

I just read your post and the good reply to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well. [sorry phd21... couldn't resist]

I totally understand and I agree.

I obviously answer a lot of posts, so I use an excellent application called "autokey" which automates repetitive keystrokes and text. Although I am a reasonably good typist, it is tedious to repeat commonly used text frequently. I added into "autokey" a shortcut "Ijr" which automatically types in that particular text, so I can give credit to those who also took the time to help others before I respond. This is an excellent application for anyone, students, teachers, business people, forum users, etc... You can quickly repeat commonly used text, your name and address, email addresses, whatever...

I also totally agree that it is very important to backup (export) your encryption (GPG) keys (public and private (secret) keys).

Autokey1.jpg

Autokey2.jpg

[phd21]

Hi "WISEGUYTR",

That's odd that GPA is not working for you and giving you that error. It usually works very well. Did you click the "Open Keyring Editor" button to see if your GPG/PGP encryption keys are there because it starts in "clipboard mode" where your keys are not displayed? What happens if you bring up "Passwords and Keys" (Seahorse), do you see your keys? You can also export (backup) your keys from the console terminal command prompt as well.

You can try going into the "Synaptic Package Manager (SPM)", searching for GPG, install these if they are not already installed: gnugp-agent, gnome-keyring, "gpgmepp" packages (the "libkf5gpg" packages are for KDE users not Cinnamon, Mate or Xfce).

I do not see anything wrong with the results of the "inxi -Fxzd" console terminal command, so that is a good thing. Your computer's processor is not running in performance mode, so if you want that you can change that, see link below.

CPU: Dual core Intel Core i5-2450M (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 9977
clock speeds: max: 3100 MHz 1: 951 MHz 2: 1131 MHz 3: 1257 MHz 4: 1454 MHz

Performance mode
viewtopic.php?f=56&t=249555&hilit=performance+mode

FYI regarding "gpgmepp": Yesterday I was trying to get a new USB stick iso application (isoimagewriter) to compile and install in my Linux Mint KDE 18.2, although it was designed for newer KDE (Neon) Ubuntu 17.x systems, and I was getting "gpgmepp" errors, and the "gpgmepp" development package had to be installed for it to compile and work. I finally did get it to compile and install, but still testing it... The Linux Mint Image writer already works well.


Hope this helps ...

GPA_screenshot1sm.jpg

gpgmepp.jpg

Passwords_and_Keys_Seahorse2.jpg

[WISEGUYTR]

What I learnt:

1. Apparently there are two keyrings in Linux Mint. gpg and gpg2. The both keyrings are not linked with each other. IF you create a key with gpg, gpg2 will not be able to see it untill you export the key to it. $ gpg --export-secret-keys uid | gpg2 --import

2.GPA is a useless tool and it should be avoided all times. It creates a confusion. All tasks should be performed at the terminal. GPA doesnt allow you to create keys higher than 3072 bits. So its quite useless.

3.Seahorse is slightly better than GPA, but still should be avoided as CLI is better and more useful.

Coming back to my problem, though I have managed creating my keys by following certain instructions on the web (this is the best one https://alexcabal.com/creating-the-perfect-gpg-keypair/) but although I have placed my keys in both keyrings (gpg and gpg2) and wrote the OpenPGP Key Id to Evolution's security tab, I get the message below:

[phd21]

Hi "WISEGUYTR",

I do not have Linux Mint Cinnamon installed at the moment, so I cannot test this now. I have never used their "Evolution" applications, so I cannot help with that either. Perhaps others in the forum can.

I thought GPG2 was automatically installed?

I did not realize that you wanted this for email, otherwise I would have suggested Thunderbird with their "Enigmail" add-on which is truly simple to use, including for creating GPG key pairs and for encrypted email. I have used this and "Kmail" for KDE desktops for encypting email. I use these now...

I have had no issues creating RSA 4096 byte GPG key pairs in GPA, SeaHorse (Password and Keys), KGpg, Kelopatra, or Enigmail, or the console terminal commands.

FYI: Links about encryption and email

Encrypted e-mail discussion
viewtopic.php?f=58&t=237173&hilit=email+encryption

How to verify Linux Mint .iso file - info on creating gpg keys and email, etc...
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=226092&hilit=verify+iso


Hope this helps ...

[phd21]

Hi "WISEGUYTR",

How to Enable PGP Encryption in Evolution
https://www.linux.com/learn/how-enable- ... -evolution

Using OpenPGP with Evolution
http://www.secure-my-email.com/clients_evolution.php

Configure PGP for Evolution Email Client
http://support.real-time.com/linux/emai ... onpgp.html


Using PGP with emails (a refresher, please?)
viewtopic.php?t=250159


Hope this helps ...

[WISEGUYTR]

After hours and hours of researching I realized that the problem wasn't from Evolution, nor seahorse or gpa but the gpg directory gnupg. So I simply deleted all my existing normal and secret keys as well as removed the gnupg directory with sudo rm -r .gnupg and started from the beginning by typing gpg2 --gen-key to create my private key. Later, I created other keys by typing gpg2 --full-gen-key

Though Evolution didn't still see the key automatically, Seahorse did see it, even the signatures and even allowed me to create further keys. Then all I had to do was to enter the PGP Key Id manually to Evolution's security settings and it was done ! Now it is possible to digitally sign messages as well as encrypt (and decrypt of course) them.

Thanks for the help.

[phd21]

Hi "WISEGUYTR",

You are welcome...

Glad you have that working now.

As I stated before I did not have a current version of Linux Mint Cinnamon available to test this with. I just re-created a fully installed version of Cinnamon 18.2 to a USB stick to test this and other stuff with.

When you have a problem with an application, It is a common Linux technique to delete the application's hidden configuration (dot) folder and when the application is re-run, it will create a new configuration folder. But this should be done with caution. It is sometimes better to rename a folder that may contain important personal setting files rather than delete it. The gpg gnupg folder is one of those, as are browsers with mail folders, and some others.

FYI: New fresh install Cinnamon 18.2, gnupg and gnupg2, gnome-keyring, were installed, gpgv was installed, gpgv2 not installed. The ".gnupg" folder did not exist until I started GPA, or another GPG key application.


Update: I imported my existing GPG PGP keys through GPA which showed up in Seahorse too, and Evolutiion worked perfectly.

...

[WISEGUYTR]

How to we mark a topic as solved ?

[phd21]

Hi WISEGUYTR,

All you have to do is edit your original post and add to the subject line <Solved>, and click submit to save.