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How to setup a Windows 10, Linux Mint 19.1 Dual Boot with Encrypted Partitions on a Dell XPS 15 9560
,Created page with "This is a how to on setting up a system that dual boots [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 Windows 10] and [https://linuxmint.com/release.php?id=34 L..."
This is a how to on setting up a system that dual boots [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 Windows 10] and [https://linuxmint.com/release.php?id=34 Linux Mint 19.1] where both the Windows and Linux partitions are encrypted. This guide expects [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface UEFI] to be turned on but [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/device-experiences/oem-secure-boot SecureBoot] to be turned off. This guide is targeting a [https://www.notebookcheck.net/Dell-XPS-15-9560-i7-7700HQ-UHD-Laptop-Review.200648.0.html Dell XPS 15 9560] laptop and so a couple of the steps are specific to that. However it should be useful for other versions of Linux and other computer models. Note that I don't go into great detail on actually executing the mint-encrypted-install script (I forgot to take notes on that part) but it was fairly straight forward (just make sure you follow the instructions).
=Goal=
*Dual Boot system running [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface UEFI] (but not [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/device-experiences/oem-secure-boot SecureBoot])
*[https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 Windows 10] Partition encrypted with [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/information-protection/bitlocker/bitlocker-overview BitLocker]
*Linux Mint 19.1 Partition encrypted with [https://guardianproject.info/code/luks/ LUKS]
=Prerequisites=
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface UEFI]is turned '''on'''
*[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/device-experiences/oem-secure-boot SecureBoot]is turned '''off'''
*You have a [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 Windows 10] Installation CD/DVD/Thumbdrive available
*You have a [https://linuxmint.com/release.php?id=34 Linux Mint 19.1] Live Boot CD/DVD/Thumbdrive available
*Your BIOS (really UEFI) configuration is set to allow booting from a CD/DVD and/or USB
=Instructions=
#Boot to your Windows 10 Installation Media (hit F12 when the Dell Logo shows during boot to get a Boot Menu on the Dell XPS 15 9560)
#Click through the first menus until you get to the Partition screen. At this point delete all partitions.
#Now you need to do some custom work so hit '''Ctrl+F10''' and then you'll get to a command prompt
##run ''diskpart''
##type ''list disk''
##type ''select disk 0'' (if you are on a different machine it is possible you'd want to install to a disk other than 0)
##type ''create partition efi size=1024''
##type ''create partition msr size=16''
##type ''create partition primary size=450000'' (this creates a 450GB partition for Windows. You can make this bigger or smaller as you please. The rest of the space will be used for Linux
##type ''exit''
##type ''exit''
#Complete the Windows 10 installation normally
#Once you've booted into Windows enable BitLocker encryption of the Windows partition
##Go to '''Control Panel''' --> '''System and Security''' --> '''BitLocker Drive Encryption'''
##Click '''Turn on BitLocker''' for the ''Operating system drive''
##Follow the instructions and save your recovery key
#Install Linux Mint 19.1
##Reboot your machine with the Linux Mint 19.1 Installation Media inserted
##hit F12 when the Dell Logo shows during boot to get a Boot Menu on the Dell XPS 15 9560 & select the CD/DVD or USB as needed
##When you get to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_GRUB GRUB] bootloader screen hit '''e''' to edit the Grub line for the Linux Mint 19.1 Live desktop
##*This is necessary because, currently, the default GPU driver include in the Live Desktop causes Linux to crash on the Dell 9560 and the system won't boot
###replace ''"quiet splash"'' with ''"nomodeset"'' at the end of the line
###hit '''F10''' to boot
##Once you're in the Live desktop environment open a terminal to download and run CallumCameron's [https://github.com/CallumCameron/mint-encrypted-install mint-encrypted-install] script
###open a terminal
###run ''sudo apt-get -y install git''
###run ''git clone https://github.com/callumcameron/mint-encrypted-install''
###run ''cd mint-encrypted-install''
###run ''./mint-encrypted-install''
###follow the onscreen prompts exactly
###When you are given the choice, I recommend choosing to install 3rd party drivers (but this is your choice)
##Reboot the system and you should be prompted to enter the encryption password you selected in Linux
##Once you see the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_GRUB GRUB] bootloader choose Linux Mint 19.1
##Login, click, the Linux Mint icon in the lower left to bring up the Start Menu, type "Driver Manager", and run that program
##*Even though I chose to install 3rd party drivers, the open source [https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/ nouveau] GPU drivers were still selected
###Click the "nvidia-driver-XXX" radio button to choose to use the proprietary nvidia drivers instead of the open source nouveau drivers (you can switch back and forth any time)
At this point you should be setup with a system that requires the "Linux" password on boot, then takes you to GRUB where you can choose to boot into Linux or Windows. Linux was decrypted when you entered the password. Windows will be decrypted automatically with BitLocker.
=Goal=
*Dual Boot system running [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface UEFI] (but not [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/device-experiences/oem-secure-boot SecureBoot])
*[https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 Windows 10] Partition encrypted with [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/information-protection/bitlocker/bitlocker-overview BitLocker]
*Linux Mint 19.1 Partition encrypted with [https://guardianproject.info/code/luks/ LUKS]
=Prerequisites=
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface UEFI]is turned '''on'''
*[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/device-experiences/oem-secure-boot SecureBoot]is turned '''off'''
*You have a [https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 Windows 10] Installation CD/DVD/Thumbdrive available
*You have a [https://linuxmint.com/release.php?id=34 Linux Mint 19.1] Live Boot CD/DVD/Thumbdrive available
*Your BIOS (really UEFI) configuration is set to allow booting from a CD/DVD and/or USB
=Instructions=
#Boot to your Windows 10 Installation Media (hit F12 when the Dell Logo shows during boot to get a Boot Menu on the Dell XPS 15 9560)
#Click through the first menus until you get to the Partition screen. At this point delete all partitions.
#Now you need to do some custom work so hit '''Ctrl+F10''' and then you'll get to a command prompt
##run ''diskpart''
##type ''list disk''
##type ''select disk 0'' (if you are on a different machine it is possible you'd want to install to a disk other than 0)
##type ''create partition efi size=1024''
##type ''create partition msr size=16''
##type ''create partition primary size=450000'' (this creates a 450GB partition for Windows. You can make this bigger or smaller as you please. The rest of the space will be used for Linux
##type ''exit''
##type ''exit''
#Complete the Windows 10 installation normally
#Once you've booted into Windows enable BitLocker encryption of the Windows partition
##Go to '''Control Panel''' --> '''System and Security''' --> '''BitLocker Drive Encryption'''
##Click '''Turn on BitLocker''' for the ''Operating system drive''
##Follow the instructions and save your recovery key
#Install Linux Mint 19.1
##Reboot your machine with the Linux Mint 19.1 Installation Media inserted
##hit F12 when the Dell Logo shows during boot to get a Boot Menu on the Dell XPS 15 9560 & select the CD/DVD or USB as needed
##When you get to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_GRUB GRUB] bootloader screen hit '''e''' to edit the Grub line for the Linux Mint 19.1 Live desktop
##*This is necessary because, currently, the default GPU driver include in the Live Desktop causes Linux to crash on the Dell 9560 and the system won't boot
###replace ''"quiet splash"'' with ''"nomodeset"'' at the end of the line
###hit '''F10''' to boot
##Once you're in the Live desktop environment open a terminal to download and run CallumCameron's [https://github.com/CallumCameron/mint-encrypted-install mint-encrypted-install] script
###open a terminal
###run ''sudo apt-get -y install git''
###run ''git clone https://github.com/callumcameron/mint-encrypted-install''
###run ''cd mint-encrypted-install''
###run ''./mint-encrypted-install''
###follow the onscreen prompts exactly
###When you are given the choice, I recommend choosing to install 3rd party drivers (but this is your choice)
##Reboot the system and you should be prompted to enter the encryption password you selected in Linux
##Once you see the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_GRUB GRUB] bootloader choose Linux Mint 19.1
##Login, click, the Linux Mint icon in the lower left to bring up the Start Menu, type "Driver Manager", and run that program
##*Even though I chose to install 3rd party drivers, the open source [https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/wiki/ nouveau] GPU drivers were still selected
###Click the "nvidia-driver-XXX" radio button to choose to use the proprietary nvidia drivers instead of the open source nouveau drivers (you can switch back and forth any time)
At this point you should be setup with a system that requires the "Linux" password on boot, then takes you to GRUB where you can choose to boot into Linux or Windows. Linux was decrypted when you entered the password. Windows will be decrypted automatically with BitLocker.