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diff --git a/content/posts/brief-archlinux-installation-guide.md b/content/posts/brief-archlinux-installation-guide.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..22c4893 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/brief-archlinux-installation-guide.md @@ -0,0 +1,98 @@ +--- +title: "The briefest Arch Linux installation guide" +date: 2019-10-15T14:33:00 +tags: ["guides", "linux", "snippets", "software"] +--- + +Are you wanting an incredibly quick (to the point of being useless, or painfully truncated) guide for how to install Arch Linux on your computer? + +Do you want to throw caution to the wind, booting from UEFI using systemd-boot instead of the more usual GRUB? Are you interested in Wayland/Sway instead of a more traditional Xorg/i3? Do you want to use a swap file instead of a partition? Do you desire UK specific keyboard layouts and timezone, even if you don't want them? + +Well why didn't you say? Step aboard traveller..! Welcome to my personal guide (primarily for reference usage) on installing the venerable Arch Linux. + +* Boot your installation medium + +* Check for network connectivity `ping archlinux.org`. + +* Update your package manager repository `pacman -Syy`. + +* Set the keymap to UK `loadkeys uk`. + +* Make sure the time and date are vaguely correct `timedatectl set-ntp true`. + +* Identify the drives you're working with (in my case, sda) using `lsblk`. + +* Now make an EFI boot partition, and root partition `gdisk /dev/sda > o y n 1 {enter} 512M EF00 n 2 {enter} {enter} {enter} w y`. + +* Check everything's okay with the above via `gdisk -l /dev/sda`. + +* Format those new partitions `mkfs.vfat /dev/sda1 && mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda2`. + +* Now mount those partitions `mount /dev/sda2 /mnt && mkdir /mnt/boot && mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot`. + +* Install the base operating system `pacstrap /mnt/`. + +* Create your `fstab` file using `genfstab -U /mnt > /mnt/etc/fstab`. + +* Chroot into it `arch-chroot /mnt/`. + +* Install some necessary core applications `pacman -Syu base dhcpcd linux linux-firmware neovim sudo`. + +* Enable DHCP `systemctl enable dhcpcd`. + +* Now install and configure your (UEFI) bootloader `bootctl install`. + +* Configure said bootloader default `printf "default arch\ntimeout 2">/boot/loader/loader.conf`. + +* Now add your Arch entry `printf "title ArchLinux\nlinux /vmlinuz-linux\ninitrd /initramfs-linux.img\noptions root=/dev/sda2 rw">/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf`. + +* Set your hostname `printf "minerva">/etc/hostname`. + +* Set your console keymap `printf "KEYMAP=uk">/etc/vconsole.conf`. + +* Set the locale language `printf "LANG=en_GB.UTF-8">/etc/locale.conf`. + +* Another locale step, I guess `nvim /etc/locale.gen` you want to uncomment `en_GB.UTF-8`. + +* Set up a symlink for the timezone `ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/London /etc/localtime`. + +* Finally we can generate the locale `locale-gen`. + +* Add your non-root user `useradd -m -G wheel,users -s /bin/bash peter`. + +* Set your new accounts' password `passwd peter`. + +* Set up sudo `EDITOR=nvim visudo`, you'll need to uncomment the `%wheel` group line. + +* Set your root password `passwd`. + +* Exit the chroot environment `exit`. + +* Lastly, reboot from to your new OS `reboot`. + +Now we're logged in, we can [set up the swap file](/blog/2019/06/10/swap-file-linux/) as an alternative to a swap partition (mentioned earlier). + +Lastly, I'd like to autologin my user, without using a display manager: +``` +sudo mkdir -p /etc/systemd/system/getty@tty1.service.d +printf "[Service]\nExecStart=\nExecStart=-/usr/bin/agetty --autologin username --noclear %%I $TERM" | sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/getty@tty1.service.d/override.conf +``` +Replacing *username* with whatever the use you want to login as. + +* **Edit 2019-10-21:** Add update package manager repo step, may resolve some problems + +* **Edit 2019-10-24:** Add [base package](https://www.archlinux.org/news/base-group-replaced-by-mandatory-base-package-manual-intervention-required/), swap file link and autologin instructions + +* **Edit 2020-01-20:** Using ext4 over btrfs, the less said about it the better. + +* **Edit 2020-01-21:** Alternate instructions for using BIOS/Grub are below: +``` +fdisk /dev/sda > a {enter} w {enter} +sudo pacman -S grub +grub-install /dev/sda +grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg +``` + +* **Edit 2020-06-03:** Added fstab instruction, seemingly missed. + +* **Edit 2020-06-17:** Replaced nano references with neovim.
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