How to Mount and Recover an encrypted home folder in Ubuntu Linux

So you've broken your linux install and can't get at your /home folder because it's encrypted? All hope is not lost.

1. Boot an ubuntu 11.04 or higher LiveCD.

2. Open a terminal and figure out where the /home folder resides (this will most likely be /dev/sda1).

3. Mount the drive - sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

4. Run sudo ecryptfs-recover-private. 

You will be prompted for your passphrase.

If all goes as planned, will provide you with a mount point (e.g. /tmp/ecryptfs.YttGfdzx)


If you wish to browse the /home directory, run your file manager as superuser from the terminal prompt - for example:

gksu thunar /tmp/ecryptfs.YttGfdzx
gksu nautilus  /tmp/ecryptfs.YttGfdzx