ANNOUNCE: truecrypt-installer -- utilities to get Truecrypt installed easily

[Jari Aalto]

Truecrypt version   : 4.2a
OS compatibility    : tested in Ubuntu Feisty / Debian Etch (unstable)
Kernel compatibility: tested in 2.6.18 ; max is 2.6.19

HOW TO USE
--------------------

Download and install the *.deb, read manual page:

  # man truecrypt-dpkg

and run:

  # truecrypt-dpkg --auto --install

If all goes as planned, there is nothing more to do. Please archive
the built *.deb packages to a safe place so that you can do reinstall
as needed.


(*.deb)         : http://debian.cante.net/truecrypt-installer
Project Homepage: https://launchpad.net/truecrypt-installer

Truecrypt-installer for Debian
-------------------------------

Truecrypt <http://www.truecrypt.org> is an Open Source disk encryption
software which uses concept of containers to store encrypted data. It can
also encrypt whole partitions. The nice thing with Truecrypt is that the
containers (or volumes) can be read transparently under Linux and Windows.

The Truecrypt licence does not allow distribution of modified sources.
However, it is possible for individuals to assemble all pieces, build
Truecrypt components, and install Truecrypt.

This product contains utilities that automate those steps. It creates
*.deb packages out of truecrypt sources. The debs in turn can be used
to activate Truecrypt.

CALL FOR TESTING
-----------------

The utilities should be almost ready for production use (not beta).
There is lot of fine grained things going on in the installer,
including automatic package installations, automatic kernel
configurations etc.

Therefore I'm asking for interested people to try on the installer and
report possible problems that may be found due to differences in
installed environments.

Please contact directly: <jari.aalto at cante.net> for any problem you
may have with the installer.

Known problem
-------------

If you have hand compiled your kernel, the installer will probably not
work. Please move current kernel's .config file
(/usr/src/linux-source-<current-version>/.config) to a safe place
before attempting to start the installer. The Truecrypt module *must*
be compiled to match exactly the currently running kernel. Otherwise
there will be error:

  FATAL: Error inserting truecrypt (...ko): Invalid module format

If you have ideas how to detect hand made .config files, please be
free to suggest how this case could be tackled.

OTHER ISSUES
-------------------

This installer is based Truecrypt 4.2a which does not support later
kernels. A separate patch to support kernels up to 2.6.19 is applied
on systems running those kernels.

There is no support for 2.6.20 or later. I wrote the 2.6.18-2.6.19
support patch but due to lack of time I have no immediate plans to
follow later kernels. If you have kernel hacking skills, patches are
indeed welcome.

Until Truecrypt supports natively later kernels, there is not much
that can be done.

64-bit architectures
--------------------

I have no access to those systems and have no knowledge if Truecrypt
has been designed for those architectures.