upstream bind-directories functionality to Qubes is done. Follow up task: T501

• https://github.com/Whonix/sdwdate/commit/6b7407c107b55d8e2d4e8a219540d64bd173cdbe
• https://github.com/Whonix/timesync/commit/86116241d574372566f0e17bb05f8fa2f30f43a0
• https://github.com/Whonix/whonixcheck/commit/155071aee36895a30d65f05a2fea54667e18cfb7
• https://github.com/Whonix/Whonix/commit/f898762006e896ea113fe7cd970ddf6535ba3aa0
• https://github.com/Whonix/anon-meta-packages/commit/d8827700b40d03e6545e4ba9fdcf188ede8a1fb0

Optional debug script that may be useful.

Undone the above approach. Trying to implement the same for symlinks pointing to directories was a mess. (And writing to rw was strange anyhow.)

Implemented a simple way to handle symlinks pointing to files.

1. see where it really links to
2. unlink the original symlink
3. copy the target where it really links to
4. then handle that file normally

marmarek (Marek Marczykowski-Górecki):

It isn't only about backups. It's also about disk space on actual
system.

marmarek (Marek Marczykowski-Górecki):

This doesn't solve anything. Still that config will initialized from
somewhere, then stored in home directory and not updated (from initial
source) ever. So basically you have the same "problem" as with bind
directory, but moved to home.

[1] two different drastic ideas that do not rely on bind-directories

- 1) Making Whonix-Gateway ProxyVM a standalone VM by default. Not great for backups. Would waste space using Qubes usual backups. But while Whonix-Gateway backups are useful - keeping Tor entry guards <https://www.torproject.org/docs/faq.html.en#EntryGuards>; keeping Tor/Firewall config, perhaps keeping misc other config - is not super important. And also not well documented/encouraged at the moment.

In T414#7386, @Patrick wrote:

Posting the old notes by @nrgaway here.

'bind-directories' will automatically bind important Whonix configuration
directories within root image filesystem to the users /rw/ filesystem so the
changes will persist upon reboot eliminating the need to have Whonix be a
standalone VM.

The first time an AppVM is started the original content from the root image
are copied to the users /rw directory (one-time) to make sure any changes
that have already been made in template are reflected in AppVM.

Any further changes, like enabling 'Tor' are stored directly in the 'rw'
filesystem.  For example '/etc/tor' is bound to '/rw/Whonix/etc/tor'.

If a user then makes any changes in the TemplateVM, those changes will not
be reflected in the AppVM after the initial bind which may cause confusion
if a user is attempting to make configuration changes in the TemplateVM.

Posting the old notes by @nrgaway here.

This is what I have for now.

I was thinking about simple config format, very similar to the current list:

marmarek (Marek Marczykowski-Górecki):

marmarek added a comment.

> 1. Wrong/non-existing entries should not make the script fail, right?

Right. Maybe entries like `/etc/something` -> `/rw/config/something`
should try to create `/rw/config/something`?

1. Wrong/non-existing entries should not make the script fail, right?

In T414#7005, @Patrick wrote:

Where should this feature be configureable?

• a) from TemplateVM only -> /etc/qubes-bind-dirs.d/, or
• b) from TemplateBasedVM only -> /rw/config/qubes-bind-dirs.d/, or
• c) both, a) and b)?

Hm. This is an important decision. I am always having in mind and
hoping, that some day, packages such as qubes-core-agent etc. will be
uploaded to the official Debian archive. [So distributions such as Tails
could simply install it.]

marmarek (Marek Marczykowski-Górecki):

I think both.

I think both.

Where should this feature be configureable?

• https://github.com/marmarek/qubes-core-agent-linux/pull/35
• https://github.com/marmarek/qubes-core-agent-linux/pull/36

mount-home.sh currently also processes /rw/usrlocal. Another reason to rename it to mount-dirs.sh.

Must this become a generic package? Or can this be added to qubes-core-agent?

Must this become a generic package? Or can this be added to qubes-core-agent?

Fixed "vga=ext is deprecated. Use set gfxpayload=text before linux command instead". Upgraded for grub2 / Debian jessie.:
https://github.com/Whonix/grub-screen-resolution/commit/c3b653a27c95f2b513953c63b714962746ae09a3

`Removed anon-gw-first-run-notice from source tree because replaced by whonix-setup-wizard.
anon-gw-first-run-notice has been replaced by whonix-setup-wizard. Therefore it should was removed from ./packages folder.
We also don't install it anymore since Whonix 10 by default.`:
https://github.com/Whonix/Whonix/commit/b15a295922810760c55cf92856cae1577188ef6f

Done:
https://github.com/Whonix/whonixcheck/commit/564f23ba2f4c9aeb61fe4e12525eecb0e7a21881

Found an elegant solution to get this done right now.

<Patrick> do you have an ETA or roadmap when TBB alpha becomes TBB stable?
<GeKo> 4.5 becomes stable in around 2 weeks
<GeKo> it might not contain all the things we have in the current alpha though
<GeKo> but as far as I currently see only the code for #14429 might not make it
-zwiebelbot/#tor- tor#14429: Automated rounding of content window dimensions - https://bugs.torproject.org/14429

Done:
https://github.com/Whonix/anon-meta-packages/commit/2e4738e0062202f95427761233fefe4c761d7f76