LVM2 and CRYPTSETUP BINARY for use on ANDROID RECOVERY : TWRP and ORANGEFOX (and building guide)
Nowdays phones are high-performance, so they can operate a real computer Linux OS (in replacement of Android). So we can install Droidian (a phone version of Debian), UBTouch (based on Ubuntu), PostmarketOS, Sailfish ...
Droidian (due to the max number of partitions in GPT table, the fact of certain phone manufacturer uses all of possible partitions, and probably Droidian team found other advantages.) use LVM partitioning system.
LVM is a way to make many logical volumes on only one physical partition, with a lot of advanced functions.
So when we use Droidian on a phone, the TWRP and OrangeFox recovery can read the Droidian partition that contain system and user data.
So we can't read it in recovery, and we cant backup it. If Droidian crash we lost all data's and system data. (We can't physically extract the memory of the phone, so we need a recovery with LVM !)
For some users we are finding a way to easily add LVM to existing recovery. (Old LVM binary exist in 2013)
Some users use Cryptsetup/LUCK for encrypting the disk (it seems it can be use for Android advanced user to.), Droidian use this format for encryption, so we need to add the Cryptsetup support on recovery.
So the goal is to have LVM2 and Cryptsetup/LUCK on Recovery.
Disclaimer : We just share our work, it is give "as is" ! ALL IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
What's in the tree:
Prebuilt LVM2 binary -> Tested in OrangeFox (mount LVM Logic Volume, Create Logic Volume, Resize Logic Volume), Works !
Tested in TWRP (mount LVM Logic Volume, Resize Logic Volume), Works !
(support scripts, and sample lvm.conf file.) -> TO DO
This is a lvm2-2_03_30 arm64 version prebuilt and optymisez for armv8. It is built for Android (Release : v2.03.30 - 2025/01/14).
First thanks in advance for steven676's instruction (Address at https://github.com/steven676/android-lvm-mod/blob/master/HOWTO-BUILD).
And thanks in advance for sillaboy's instruction (Address at https://github.com/sillaboy/Lvm_for_Android/blob/master/README-HowToBuild).
I copy lvm-build folder (in lvm_2.03.30_build_arm64.tar.gz, in lvm-bin git folder) in cache partition.
Boot in recovery (the cache partition is in /cache on recovery)
Copy binary file on /system/bin :
cd /cache/lvm-build/lvm/sbin/
mv lvm lvm.pc
cp lvm.static lvm
mv dmstats dmstats.pc
cp dmstats.static dmstats
mv dmsetup dmsetup.pc
cp dmsetup.static dmsetup
chmod +x lvm
chmod +x dmstats
chmod +x dmsetup
cp * /system/bin/
We just use .static binary
lvm vgscan --mknodes # Show and permit use of Volume Group using LVM2 (you will see : "droidian" for Droidian installation)
lvm vgchange -aly # Show the number (and permit use) of Logical Volumes (you will see : 3 for Droidian)
Now you can mount you LVM Logical Volume, for example for Droidian :
mkdir /mnt/droidian
mount /dev/droidian/droidian-rootfs /mnt/droidian/
Please umount before leaving Recovery !
umount /mnt/droidian/
Recovery can directly install files and execute code from an .zip
I make a recovery install zip. It automatically copy LVM2 and Cryptsetup binary file in /system/sbin (the recovery directory)
The recovery file system is in read-only, so you have to execute it each time you boot the recovery.
You just have to mount the file system.
Like in the next part (Mounting Logical Volume as /data)
I have errors due to ui_print but it is safe ! (If you have solutions, I will correct)
The file is in recovery folder.
/data already have few folders but is not link to the userdata Drodian Logical Volume, so I try in OrangeFox to mount Droidian-LV on data.
I suggest rename /data in /data2 to before mounting the volume.
It works and it permits to directly backup and restore Droidian system and data. And to backup all partitions (boot, super, ...) in the internal SD.
You have to make /data/media folder for using the Droidian Logical Volume as internal SD.
mv /data /data2
mkdir /data
mount /dev/droidian/droidian-rootfs /data
The first time you have to make the /data/media directory.
mkdir /data/media
Please umount before leaving Recovery !
umount /data
I copy cryptsetup folder (in cryptsetup_2.7.5_build_arm64.tar.gz, in cryptsetup-bin git folder) in cache partition.
Boot in recovery (the cache partition is in /cache on recovery)
Copy binary file on /system/bin, you have to copy LVM2 binary (see Lse LVM2 on Recovery) :
cd /cache/cryptsetup/usr/sbin/
mv cryptsetup cryptsetup.pc
cp cryptsetup.static cryptsetup
mv integritysetup integritysetup.pc
cp integritysetup.static integritysetup
mv veritysetup veritysetup.pc
cp veritysetup.static veritysetup
chmod +x cryptsetup
chmod +x integritysetup
chmod +x veritysetup
cp * /system/bin/
mkdir /run
mkdir /run/cryptsetup
I make a new Logcial Volume to test cryptsetup.
cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/droidian/Test
cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/droidian/Test RAB -v
I have error with luksOpen :
No usable token is available.
Enter passphrase for /dev/droidian/Test:
device-mapper: reload ioctl on RAB (253:10) failed: Invalid argument
Command failed with code -5 (device already exists or device is busy).
If I format part with NTFS and after I format it with f2fs, format say the partition is an NTFS one.
So the crypted partition is open and readable. We just can't mount it.
Prebuilt v2.7.5 binary for recovery arm64. It is built for Android (Release : v2.7.5 - 2024/09/03)
Please look at the previous part : Use CRYPTSETUP/LUCK on Recovery
LVM2 source code (lvm2-2.03.30 (2025/01/14) and 2.02.98 (2012/10/15)
Build instructions : https://github.com/DavidFirefox/LVM2_Cryptsetup_LUKS_for_Recovery_Android_TWRP_OrangeFox_Droidian/blob/testing2/HOWTO-BUILD.md
Cryptsetup source code (Release : v2.7.5 - 2024/09/03)
Build instructions : https://github.com/DavidFirefox/LVM2_Cryptsetup_LUKS_for_Recovery_Android_TWRP_OrangeFox_Droidian/blob/testing2/HOWTO-BUILD.md
Information on how to build the LVM2 source and Cryptsetup for use on Android.
Build instructions : https://github.com/DavidFirefox/LVM2_Cryptsetup_LUKS_for_Recovery_Android_TWRP_OrangeFox_Droidian/blob/testing2/HOWTO-BUILD.md
Sample lvm.conf and init.rc scripts for particular devices.
Information on how to modify a ROM and recovery for a device to use LVM2.
LICENSE Licensing information for the components.
Questions or comments can be addressed to
CRYPTSETUP/LUCK Not works !