Description of problem:

[root@hp-ml370g4-01 tmp]# mount.ecryptfs secret/ secret/ -o key=passphrase:passphrase_passwd=newman:ecryptfs_cipher=aes:ecryptfs_key_bytes=32
Enable plaintext passthrough (y/n) [n]: y

^^^ Asks for "plaintext passthrough", which is OK.

Attempting to mount with the following options:
  ecryptfs_unlink_sigs
  ecryptfs_passthrough
  ecryptfs_key_bytes=32
  ecryptfs_cipher=aes
  ecryptfs_sig=26d2955806590f9d
WARNING: Based on the contents of [/root/.ecryptfs/sig-cache.txt],
it looks like you have never mounted with this key 
before. This could mean that you have typed your 
passphrase wrong.

Would you like to proceed with the mount (yes/no)? yes
Would you like to append sig [26d2955806590f9d] to
[/root/.ecryptfs/sig-cache.txt] 
in order to avoid this warning in the future (yes/no)? no
Not adding sig to user sig cache file; continuing with mount.
Mounted eCryptfs

[root@hp-ml370g4-01 tmp]# mount | grep secret
/tmp/secret on /tmp/secret type ecryptfs (rw,ecryptfs_sig=26d2955806590f9d,ecryptfs_cipher=aes,ecryptfs_key_bytes=32,ecryptfs_passthrough,ecryptfs_unlink_sigs)

[root@hp-ml370g4-01 tmp]# umount secret/

[root@hp-ml370g4-01 tmp]# umount secret/
umount: secret/: not mounted

[root@hp-ml370g4-01 tmp]# mount.ecryptfs secret/ secret/ -o key=passphrase:passphrase_passwd=newman:ecryptfs_cipher=aes:ecryptfs_key_bytes=31

^^^ No, question about "plaintext passthrough", coz helper knows of the stupid "ecryptfs_key_bytes" value "31"?

Attempting to mount with the following options:
  ecryptfs_unlink_sigs
  ecryptfs_cipher=aes
  ecryptfs_sig=26d2955806590f9d
WARNING: Based on the contents of [/root/.ecryptfs/sig-cache.txt],
it looks like you have never mounted with this key 
before. This could mean that you have typed your 
passphrase wrong.

Would you like to proceed with the mount (yes/no)? yes
Would you like to append sig [26d2955806590f9d] to
[/root/.ecryptfs/sig-cache.txt] 
in order to avoid this warning in the future (yes/no)? no
Not adding sig to user sig cache file; continuing with mount.
Required mount option not provided: [ecryptfs_key_bytes=]
Invalid mount options; aborting. rc = [-22]
Error mounting eCryptfs: [-22] Invalid argument
Check your system logs; visit <http://launchpad.net/ecryptfs>

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):

ecryptfs-utils-75-1.el5

How reproducible:

always

Actual results:

...

Expected results:

A) It should ask all the nice question all the time. When the parameters/values make sence and when they don't.

or (preferably):

B) Parse the "-o" part and when is incorrect, exit, no "wise" questions like:

"Would you like to append sig ..." and co are necessary.

Additional info:

Also, again, error msg like this are hardly of much use:

"""
Required mount option not provided: [ecryptfs_key_bytes=]
Invalid mount options; aborting. rc = [-22]
Error mounting eCryptfs: [-22] Invalid argument
Check your system logs; visit <http://launchpad.net/ecryptfs>
"""

And, btw., is incorrect - I provided the "ecryptfs_key_bytes", but with crap. Also in the log is nothing, just:

"""
May 12 07:41:03 hp-ml370g4-01 kernel: ecryptfs_parse_options: eCryptfs: unrecognized option 'ecryptfs_unlink_sigs'
"""