backup of a LUKS Format Partition using Ghost4Linux

I have an encrypted partition (LUKS format using cryptsetup) and I want to back it up, specially because that HDD is more than 3 years old. the size of the partition is 57.5 GB, I have a NAS with FTP support and the idea is to send the backup to it.

I tried several traditional ways, the first is using dd but it is extremely low and it only works with local backup media so I give up. Then I tried the famous CloneZilla Distribution, from this method I have to say that:

1. it only support network backup through ssh; in fact I tried it with a server but it wouldn't be a good idea because that server is on production, despite I have to move the backup to my NAS, it wouldn't be a good option.

2. the most important, CloneZilla it does not support LUKS format, even if I would setting up my server the backup will failed because the lack support of LUKS

honestly I was dissapointed about CloneZilla, I did not try to make it works, so maybe those gaps would be fixed... or maybe not.

Anyway, I found Ghost4Linux (g4l) it is distro with the same idea - or better - of CloneZilla, it's only 90 MB, after download it I try it, I would like to comment:

1. the user experience is console mode oriented -awesome, at least for me, I'm from old school - but it's really easier to use.

2. it supports LUKS -cool!!-

3. there is a main menu where you can setups important things like: your IP address, the IP address of your FTP server, the compress method ( I chose gzip), the target directory on FTP, your username and password (PLEASE, type your password between quotes, don't forget it, it will save around 2 hours of tries! :-) ) and then you can choose what partition you want to backup, you may choose the entire HDD as well.

4, and that's it, my backup took around 1 hour and a half (57.5 GB) but it was cool, just beware of your FTP server setup, g4l does not accept anonymous session and don't forget to use quotes with your password, I was walking in circles around 2 hours then I figured it out.

g4l is a great project, I did not heard about it but the most important: it works.

Finally it would be a great idea to add this project with some of the Linux big brothers like Debian, Ubuntu, openSUSE, etc, in order to gain more users and expand the project.

I did not try projects like Bacula, I go for this and it works, so I recommend it.

ok cool, see you around, I have to find where I can buy cranberry sauce for tomorrow, in my country this would be hard to find, instead of it I may use jocote sauce, why not!

See you

sucessful on startup: continue where I left off on Chrome Browser

Some days ago I posted this question on google+, nobody answered me, I think I just had lucky with this one.

I'm using ChromeOS, everything is cool except with Chrome Browser, I need to reopen some tabs in next logon, but unfortunately Chrome just displayed the home page, the solution with this gap is so simple:

if you are going to shutdown your chromeOS just don't close the Chrome's Window, just go to the shut down option and that's it, next time you do a logon, the same window will open automatically with all your tabs, just that.

weird uh? at least for me, even I browse about this but I did not find anything, I use chromium browser on Ubuntu and this is totally different, I can close my window and if I need to open it again of after a shut down, my tabs are reopened... so who knows, if you are using Chrome OS just don't close the window of your browser.

see ya!!

BlackBerry PlayBook: returning to life from been drained out

Yesterday, one colleague asked me for help for a BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet, the device was dead: nothing displayed after power on, it did not charge at all, not even a LED light. So, this was a challenge for me because I am full android and I never had a BlackBerry device: neither a phone nor a tablet, in fact, this products always looked me so weird for me, I think I have some books related to develop mobile apps for it and thank God I never read them because right now those devices are just a remember from the past.

Anyway, I'm writing this post because:
1. I thought the tablet was dead (at this time it is charging and fully working).
2. The reset methods are so different.
3. I was curious about it

So, the successful steps for return to life the Playbook are:
1. Breath deeply (you will need that air later)
2. Connect the charger to the AC
3. then Connect it to the Playbook
4. After 2 seconds you will see a red light LED and then I yellow light flashing for 5 seconds
5. Unplug the charger from the Playbook
6. Wait 2 or 3 seconds
7. Repeat the steps from 3 to 6 around 30 to 50 times

Explanation:
the Playbook's battery is drained out, the charging process is controlled by the OS (what a stupid decision from RIM!!!) so you need to pump it some volts (like The Reebok's The Pump shoes, do you remember?) in order to gain some energy and trigger the charging process, ja ja ja, what a silly thing don't you thing. Anyway, use your extra air (from step 1) and wait around 45 minutes, be constant and don't give up - as I did the first time ;-)

After 30 minutes you will see that the red light delay more time to become yellow flashing, that's a signal that you are pumping energy to your playbook as we expect.

Be sure to do the process around 30 to 50 times, when you finished do this:
1. connect the playbook to the charger
2. push the power on button
3. wait like 20 seconds
4. you will see the icon of charging in your Screen
5. be more patience than one hour ago, you are so close!
6. don't do anything more
7. around 20 minutes later you will see the blackberry's welcome page
8. around 10 minutes later you will see your desktops icon
9. cool!!! you made it
10. as an advice charge totally your playbook, don't use the USB cable for charging it
11. meanwhile select your files and folder for backing them up

That's all, at this time the playbook is charging - at 25% - and I hope it works, in case something failed I will let you know, but at least with those steps you can recover your files.

what a weird device: android - and I guess Apple devices- have a better way to safe your files and try hard reset methods, I think the battery of this playbook is near to end its life, who knows, in case you still use device like this, it may help you.

Cheers!

display space available in the SSD from ChromeOS

so, working around with chromeOS from Samsung Chromebook -one year after I bought it- I was wondering about the space available in my SSD, the steps are:

1. go to google chrome, open a new tab
2. type: chrome://quota-internals/

that's all, the displayed message is simple, so don't expect anything informative. I read on the web that google is planning to include a kind of hd manager in next releases, meanwhile I think that's all we may use.

Kali Linux from SD Card on Samsung ARM Chromebook

Yes, this is my first post from kali linux for ARM chromebooks, well I have to say this was a little tricky, in fact the process was not so hard; as a Linux fan every time I got a new computer I wipe out the OS pre-installed and then I install a Linux flavor.

I got my chromebook one year ago, I think I tried chromeOS  2 times and then I installed chrubuntu and everything was cool. Last weeks ago I updated my technical goals and I decided to install kali on my chromebook, so the successful steps are:

From Chrubuntu:
1. download kali linux for arm architecture.
2. get a 8 GB SD Card, I used a 16 GB, and I realized the all image sized 8.6 gb, so 16 GB would be a better idea.
3. uncompress the image
4. from a terminal type: dd if=kali-chromebook.img of=/dev/sdb bs=512k
 5. when it finished install using apt-get the cgpt package. I found it on the repositories of quantal quetzal I think, I'm not so sure, anyway, search it and install it
6. cgpt repair /dev/sdb
cgpt add -i 1 -S 1 -T 5 -P 10 -l KERN-A /dev/sdb
cgpt add -i 2 -S 1 -T 5 -P 5 -l KERN-B /dev/sdb

cool, then reboot your chromebook and when the "developer mode warning" screen appears just hit SPACE. ChromeOS will be restart it and you will boot on it. Don't worry your chrubuntu is still installed.

from ChromeOS, before login, hit Ctrl+Alt+Forward keys and:
1. type chronos to log in the terminal
2. load your SD Card on the chrome
3. type this: sudo crossystem dev_boot_usb=1
4. sudo reboot

finally, when you get the developer mode warning, just hit Ctrl+U and that's it, you will be into one of the best Linux Distro... kali!!!!

PS:
my next step is install kali on my SSD, I want to keep ChromeOS because when I want to just browse the web, it's really fast and really cool, one year later we have more extra on this OS, so it would be a good idea, the sad part is I have to get rid off chrubuntu, but it's ok, kali is a great option

Cheers!

switching between ChromeOS and Chrubuntu

almost one year ago I bought a Samsung ARM Chromebook, honestly I have to say this is a great product and since I have more time available to continue with several personal projects related to IT I found that at this time I continue learning about this architecture. Anyway, today I want to share a "hard method" to switch between chrubuntu and Chrome Os, here it is:

step 0: You need to install chrubuntu on your ARM Chomebook. After that you need to install cgpt as well.

step 1: From Chrubuntu, open a terminal, edit your .bashrc file and add this line:
alias chromeos='sudo  cgpt add -i 6 -P 0 -S 1 /dev/mmcblk0; sudo reboot'

save it and try it using from terminal:
chromeOs

type your password and your chromebook should start to reboot, few seconds later you should see the chromeOs welcome screen.

step 2: before login, press this keys: Ctrl+Alt+Forward (the key instead F2), you will be on a terminal, just type: chronos, after that edit your .bashrc using vim and add this line:
alias chrubuntu='sudo cgpt add -i 6 -P 5 -S 1 /dev/mmcblk0; sudo reboot'

then type exit, login again using chronos and try this typing:
chrubuntu

and that's it, I think this way it's little tricky, despite that, maybe in a near we may have a grub hybrid, the guys from google released the chromium code so there is no excuses to work improving gaps like that

anyway, let me know if you have any doubts