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ArchLinux installation
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arch.md

Arch Linux
Intel® Core™ i7-4790K 4.0Ghz
2x8GB DDR3 1866 PC3-14900
GeForce GTX 970/PCIe/SSE2
MSI Z97 Gaming 5

  1. Download the iso from the Archlinux Oficial Download Page.

  2. Make sure the checksum of the downloaded iso is the same that the previous download page says:

    Windows: fciv.exe -both <iso_file>
Unix: md5sum <iso_file> && sha1sum <iso_file>

  3. Make a bootable USB with the downloaded iso.

    Windows: Rufus (Make sure to use 'ISO image', 'Quick format', 'FAT32', 'GPT + UEFi')
Unix: sudo dd if=/path_to_arch_.iso of=/dev/sdX (you can use lsblk to check the devices)

When using the unix method, you can monitor the progress using: https://askubuntu.com/questions/215505/how-do-you-monitor-the-progress-of-dd

  4. Check the BIOS is properly configured and boot with the USB:

    Boot mode = UEFI
fast boot = disabled
Windows 8/10 feature (aka secure boot) = disabled.

  5. Make sure you have a valid internet connection ping -c 3 google.com. If you don't have one, you can connect via wifi:

    # Retrieve the wireless interface name
iw dev
# Enable the wireless interface
ip link set INTERFACE_NAME up
# Run 'rfkill unblock all' If you get the error "RTNETLINK answers: Operation not possible due to RF-kill"
# Setup the wifi connection
wpa_passphrase "WIFI_SSID" "WIFI_PASSPHRASE" > /tmp/wpa_setup.tmp
wpa_supplicant -B -i INTERFACE_NAME -c /tmp/wpa_setup.tmp
dhcpcd INTERFACE_NAME
# Check that everything went ok
ping -c 3 google.com

  6. Erase everything in the disk you will be installing arch in, and perform a secure wipe of the generated free space, so it's later indistinguishable from data written by dm-crypt.

    # Spot your disk (format like sdX)
lsblk
# Destroy GPT and MBR
sgdisk --zap-all /dev/sdX
# Create a temporary encrypted container
cryptsetup open --type plain /dev/sdX container --key-file /dev/random
# Check "/dev/mapper/container" exists in this list:
fdisk -l
# Override the container with zeros
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/mapper/container status=progress
# Close the container
cryptsetup close container
reboot

  7. Create partitions (if enough space, create separate partitions for root/home instead, as explained here)

    lsblk
cgdisk /dev/sdX
[New] Press Enter
First Sector: Leave this blank ->press Enter
Size in sectors: 512MiB ->press Enter
Hex Code: EF00 press Enter
Enter new partition name: boot ->press Enter
[New] Press Enter
First Sector: Leave this blank ->press Enter
Size in sectors: Leave this blank ->press Enter
Hex Code: Leave this blank ->press Enter
Enter new partition name: Leave this blank ->press Enter
[Write]
yes
[Quit]
reboot

  8. Setup LVM on LUKS file system

    # Set up file system for the boot aprtition
mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/sdX1
# Make sure you have all they keys needed for your passphrase
loadkeys es
# Set up LUKS on the main partition
cryptsetup -c aes-xts-plain64 -s 512 -h sha512 -i 5000 -y --use-random luksFormat /dev/sdX2
# Open the container
cryptsetup open --type luks /dev/sdX2 lvm
# The decrypted container is now available at /dev/mapper/lvm
# Create a physical volume on top of the opened LUKS container
pvcreate /dev/mapper/lvm
# Create a volume group
vgcreate ArchLinux /dev/mapper/lvm
# Create logical volumes (omiting a home lv and only doing 0.5*RAM swap, since hibernation won't be used)
lvcreate -L 8G ArchLinux -n swap
lvcreate -l 100%FREE ArchLinux -n root
# Check the created volumes
lvdisplay -v /dev/ArchLinux
# Format filesystem on each lv
mkfs.ext4 /dev/mapper/ArchLinux-root
mkswap /dev/mapper/ArchLinux-swap

  9. Install ArchLinux

    # Mount the filesystems
mount /dev/mapper/ArchLinux-root /mnt
mkdir /mnt/home
swapon /dev/mapper/ArchLinux-swap
mkdir /mnt/boot
mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt/boot
# Ensure the time clock is accurate
timedatectl set-ntp true
# Uncomment the top 6 mirrors
cp /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.backup
sed -i 's/^#Server/Server/' /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.backup
rankmirrors -n 6 /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.backup > /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
# Install ArchLinux base and development files plus some usefull utils
# For any options that come up just press enter or type y and press enter
pacstrap -i /mnt base base-devel zsh vim git openssh
# Generate fstabfile
genfstab -U -p /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

  10. Configure ArchLinux

    # Chroot into the installed system
arch-chroot /mnt
# Uncomment your locale
nano /etc/locale.gen # ctrl+W to search for en_GB.UTF-8
# Generate locale
locale-gen
# Set it as your language
echo LANG=en_GB.UTF-8 > /etc/locale.conf
export LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
# Set time zone (all of them in: ls /usr/share/zoneinfo/)
ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Madrid > /etc/localtime
# Configure keymap
echo KEYMAP=es >> /etc/vconsole.conf
# Set up the clock
hwclock --systohc --utc
# Set up the host name
echo adria > /etc/hostname
nano /etc/hosts
# Add a matching entry for your hostname
127.0.1.1 adria.localdomain adria
# Enable multilib
nano /etc/pacman.conf
# Uncomment:
#[multilib]
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
# Update pacman
pacman -Sy
# Set a password for root
passwd
# Set your user
useradd -m -g users -G wheel,storage,power,audio -s /bin/zsh adria
passwd adria
# Add sudo privilegies
EDITOR=vim visudo
# Uncomment %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL
# In the next line add: Defaults rootpw
vim /etc/mkinitcpio.conf
# Add 'ext4' 'nvidia' 'nvidia_modeset' 'nvidia_uvm' 'nvidia_drm' to MODULES (check https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Kernel_mode_setting#Early_KMS_start for an updated list of modules to load)
# Add 'keymap' 'encrypt' and 'lvm2' before 'filesystem' in HOOKS
# Save and exit vim
# Regenerate initrd
mkinitcpio -p linux

  11. Create boot loder

    # Enable intel microcode updates
pacman -S intel-ucode
# Mount EFI variables (ignore if is already mounted)
mount -t efivarfs efivarfs /sys/firmware/efi/efivars
# Install boot manager
bootctl install
# Get UUID of LUKS partition
blkid -s UUID -o value /dev/sdX2
# Configure boot (replace <UUID> with the previous uuid)
echo title Arch Linux >> /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
echo linux /vmlinuz-linux >> /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
echo initrd  /intel-ucode.img >> /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
echo initrd /initramfs-linux.img >> /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
echo options cryptdevice=UUID=<UUID>:luks root=/dev/mapper/ArchLinux-root quiet rw >> /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
echo default arch > /boot/loader/loader.conf
echo timeout 0 >> /boot/loader/loader.conf
echo editor no >> /boot/loader/loader.conf
# Install nvidia drivers BEFORE first boot
pacman -S nvidia
# Reboot
exit
umount -R /mnt
swapoff -a
reboot # Remember to remove the usb

  12. Customize it and make it user friendly

    # Disable the annoying 'beep' pc speaker
modprobe -r pcspkr
# Install internet interface
ip link # ignore lo, use the other one in the next command as <ADAPTER>, example: enp3s0
sudo systemctl enable dhcpcd@<ADAPTER>.service
reboot
# Install printer service
sudo pacman -S cups cups-pdf samba avahi
systemctl enable org.cups.cupsd.service
systemctl start org.cups.cupsd.service
systemctl enable avahi-daemon.service
systemctl start avahi-daemon.service
# Config nvidia
sudo pacman -Syy
sudo pacman -Syu
sudo nvidia-xconfig
# Install desktop manager
sudo pacman -S gnome gdm gnome-calendar gnome-tweak-tool
sudo systemctl enable gdm.service
sudo pacman -S networkmanager
sudo systemctl disable dhcpcd@<ADAPTER>.service
sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager
reboot

# Install Oh My Zsh
sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.github.com/robbyrussell/oh-my-zsh/master/tools/install.sh)"
# Install VLC
sudo pacman -S vlc
# Install Firefox
sudo pacman -S firefox
# Install docker
pacman -S docker docker-compose
systemctl enable docker.service
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
# Install redshift
pacman -S redshift
# Go to the config path and paste + customize the settings
# It's important that you update at least the latitude/longitude coords
# Path+settings+info: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Redshift#Manual_setup
vim <REDSHIFT_CONFIG_PATH>
# Install trizen
sudo pacman -S gettext json-c
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/trizen.git
cd trizen && makepkg -sri && cd .. && rm -rf ./trizen
# Add official sublime text repo
curl -O https://download.sublimetext.com/sublimehq-pub.gpg
sudo pacman-key --add sublimehq-pub.gpg && sudo pacman-key --lsign-key 8A8F901A && rm sublimehq-pub.gpg
echo -e "\n[sublime-text]\nServer = https://download.sublimetext.com/arch/dev/x86_64" | sudo tee -a /etc/pacman.conf
# Install utils
sudo pacman -S arc-gtk-theme telegram-desktop pacman-contrib
trizen -S spotify slack-desktop chrome-gnome-shell-git
# Make sure every update of the 'systemd-boot' is handled correctly
trizen -S systemd-boot-pacman-hook

Check out cool terminal themes:

Usefull programs/GNOME extensions:

@adriaPerez
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adriaPerez commented Sep 13, 2017 •
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Update:

  • An official version for the gtk theme is now available. Use sudo pacman -S arc-gtk-theme instead of pacaur gtk-theme-arc.
  • Stable version for sublime 3 now exists, instead of installing the aur version use the official pacman repo.

@adriaPerez
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adriaPerez commented Dec 18, 2017 •
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Update:

  • pacaur is no longer mantained. Use trizen instead.

@adriaPerez
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Update:

  • An official version for the AUR telegram-desktop-bin is now available. Use pacman -S telegram-desktop instead.

@adriaPerez
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Update:

  • You now need to install pacman-contrib for the archlinux-updates-indicator extension to work.

@adriaPerez
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Update

  • Added installation of the printer service

@adriaPerez
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Update:

  • Replaced the recommended gnome extension topicons for topicons-redux since the former is no longer maintained.

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