Partitioning and file copy - while running

I did this by starting with the running system. I plugged the new SSD into a USB SATA adapter and partitioned it, set up LVM and copied the files across.

# confirm disk size is as expected for sdc

sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdc

# now partition - 500 MB partition as boot, the rest as a single (logical) partition

sudo cfdisk /dev/sdc

Your disk should now look like:

sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdc

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders, total 234441648 sectors

Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0x00000000



   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System

/dev/sda1   *          63      979964      489951   83  Linux

/dev/sda2          979965   234441647   116730841+   5  Extended

/dev/sda5          980028   234441647   116730810   82  Linux swap / Solaris

The next step is to put encryption on the partition and LVM on top of the encryption.

sudo cryptsetup -y luksFormat /dev/sdc5

sudo cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sdc5 crypt

sudo vgcreate crypt-lvm /dev/mapper/crypt

sudo lvcreate -L4G -nswap crypt-lvm

sudo lvcreate -l100%FREE -nroot crypt-lvm

Now make the filesystems and mount them and copy your system across.

sudo mkfs.ext2 /dev/sdc1

# you do ls /dev/mapper to check the name if different

sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/mapper/crypt-root

sudo mkdir /mnt/boot

sudo mkdir /mnt/root

sudo mount -t ext2 /dev/sdc1 /mnt/boot

sudo mount -t ext4 /dev/mapper/crypt-root /mnt/root



# rsync files

sudo rsync -a /boot/* /mnt/boot/

sudo rsync -aHAX --devices --specials --delete --one-file-system --exclude proc --exclude run --exclude boot --exclude sys --exclude tmp /* /mnt/root/

Up to this point you can keep the system running and use it. Now you need to shutdown and boot into a live CD/USB so you can get the system in a shutdown state.

Partitioning and file copy - live CD/USB

Once you have booted, open a terminal and:

sudo apt-get install lvm2



# mount old hard drive

sudo cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sda5 sda5_crypt

sudo mkdir /mnt/sdaroot

# you can do ls /dev/mapper to check the name if it is different

sudo mount -t ext4 /dev/mapper/sda5_crypt--root /mnt/sdaroot



# mount new hard drive (over USB)

sudo cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sdc5 sdc5_crypt

sudo mkdir /mnt/sdcroot

sudo mount -t ext4 /dev/mapper/sdc5_crypt--root /mnt/sdcroot



# final rsync

sudo rsync -aHAX --devices --specials --delete --one-file-system --exclude proc --exclude run --exclude boot --exclude sys --exclude tmp /mnt/sdaroot/* /mnt/sdcroot/

chroot

# prepare chroot

cd /mnt/sdcroot

sudo mkdir boot



# these directories are set up by the system and we need them inside the chroot

sudo mount -t proc proc /mnt/sdcroot/proc

sudo mount -t sysfs sys /mnt/sdcroot/sys

sudo mount -o bind /dev /mnt/sdcroot/dev



# now enter the chroot

sudo chroot /mnt/root/

Changing UUIDs

Now we are root inside the chroot and run the following commands:

# inside chroot, as root

mount -t ext2 /dev/sdc1 /boot

blkid

Now you will see all the UUIDs for the various disk in the system. You will need to edit the UUIDs in /etc/fstab and /etc/crypttab to match the values for /dev/sdc?

In /etc/fstab you need to use the UUID for the boot disk - /dev/sdc1 if your disks have the same letter as me.

In /etc/crypttab you need to use the UUID for the other (big) partition - /dev/sdc5 if your disks have the same letter as me.

initramfs and grub

# now update initramfs for all installed kernels

update-initramfs -u -k all



# install grub and ensure it is up to date

grub-install /dev/sdc      # NOTE sdc NOT sdc1

update-grub



# hit Ctrl-D to exit chroot

sudo umount /mnt/root

Now shutdown, put the SSD inside your laptop, cross your fingers and boot up.

Useful links

Good guide for the cryptsetup stuff at http://www.debian-administration.org/articles/577

For installing grub on an external partition: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/247030/how-to-set-up-grub-in-a-cloned-hard-disk

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UsingUUID