Mount TrueCrypt volume on login in Ubuntu

Question

Is it possible to automount a TrueCrypt volume when logging in to Ubuntu 8.04? It's already storing the wireless network keys using the Seahorse password manager. Could TrueCrypt be made to fetch its volume password from the same keyring? Currently this would seem like the most convenient way to store my source code on the USB stick I carry around to boot from.

Answer 1

I can't really remember where I found this solution, but it was working for me on Ubuntu Karmic with gdm. You have to edit the /etc/gdm/Init file and add the following:

if !(echo `mount` | grep -q "/home/your_username type")
then
        truecrypt /dev/sdaxxx /home/your_username
fi

Unfortunately it doesn't work in the new Precious Penguin Ubuntu release, since it doesn't come with the gmd package. Does anybody know how to init truecrypt for this Ubuntu release?

Answer 2

Although I'm currently not a Gentoo user (on Ubuntu now), I used to be one, for years, and had learned, that it's a good thing to search for linux answers on forums.gentoo.org and the Gentoo wiki. I had found these, HTH:

• http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-691788-highlight-truecrypt.html
• http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-657404-highlight-truecrypt.html

Answer 3

I don't know much about Truecrypt, but if it can be mounted with a script, you could write such a script and place it in your session startup (System -> Preferences -> Session, I think). If it needs a password on the command line you could have the script launch gnome-terminal for you.

Answer 4

Apparently one solution will be to update to Ubuntu 8.10 which by default supports an encrypted directory for each user, mounted at login. It's not the same as TrueCrypt but has other strengths and weaknesses.

There's also a way to get TrueCrypt working with the login password.