How should I do it if I want to…
- Format external SSD to use with linux
- Full drive encryption
- Compatible with windows (temporarily)
- Preferably do it with KDE GUI
Context: A linux noob. I got a new laptop earlier this year and uses it mainly for tinkering/playing with linux, get competent with it before dropping windows completely on my main desktop. There is a lot of stuff I want to move back and forth between those machines during this learning period.
My idea is to use an external SSD which when I’m done with windows, I can still use it to store work files or any sensitive stuff, so it will need encryption.
Saw a reddit thread saying I still need veracrypt, which I’m totally ok with on windows side but I prefer keeping everything simple on linux side (I only know it can be done without any extra package)
Extra question:
I can possibly store all works and sensitive data on encrypt external and leave root drive unencrypted. In that case, which file system should I use on which drive? Does it matter?
Thank you in advance.
From what I recall veracrypt is basically the only option, but I’ve never bothered setting it up myself, i just use luks on everything these days, but you won’t be able to use that with windows, though it might be possible using WSL, but I don’t know
Can confirm, I could successfully mount a LUKS drive with WSL, but it requires the command line, this is the guide I used
You might have a look at Linux Unified Key Setup (LUKS).
More specifically, the veracrypt compatibility, since they want Windows support.
No idea about the encryption but for formatting use exFAT as it’s the only file system that Linux, Windows and Mac can read and write to.
How about an alternate route? If transferring information between computers is the goal, you could skip the external drive altogether and put syncthing on both machines. Then you could just share the appropriate directories between the two without the go-between.
If you’re only using the external disk for days you could use ntfs with bitlocker and mount that in Linux. When your rest to fully migrate you could then do something Linux only if you wanted.
That’s what I do on my external drive. Used to use Windows so bitlocker it was with NTFS.
Now on Linux I just use it normally as its recognized without any problem.
I’m sure as hell not gonna erase my data to inplant veracrypt just for the sake of it.
For future drives, veracrypt it is.
I still wouldn’t use Veracrypt on a Linux disk. What about LUKS instead?
Yeah, I was talking about external harddrives and sticks.
I’d still use LUKS. Even on USB keys.
Similar here, my work archive is Windows bitlocker password enabled. There is a linux package on SUSe that supports read write of Ntfs nicely, and GNOME promtps for bitlocker password. Easy Peasy
That, I didn’t think of. Still… I will eventually have to do it the linux way, might as well learn and familiarize with it now.
Forgot to mention that it will be quite a while before I can drop windows completely but for sure I’m not upgrading or doing another windows install.
