By brandon - Sun, Jan. 21, 2024 ( Modified: Mon, Jan. 22, 2024 )

Arch Install

Objective

This file contains my notes for installing Arch Linux.

Notes

Linx browser exists in Arch iso

Installation

Make bootable ISO

I download the Arch iso and put it on a external hard drive with Ventoy setup

WiFi

Look for you network adaper

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# displpay network adapter info
ip link

Use iwctl to connect to your wireless access point

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# config network with iwctl
iwctl
station $DEVICE scan
station $DEVICE get-networks
station $DEVICE connect $SSID

Create Partitons

Partitions needed

	Partition	Mount Point	Size
required	boot	/mnt/boot	512MB
required	root	/mnt	8GB+
optional	home	/mnt/home	1G+

I used fdisk to complete this part.

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# open disk up in fdisk
fdisk /dev/sdX
fdisk /dev/nvmeX
fdisk $DEVICE

fdisk options reference

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# options
o - blank out partition table
g - setup gpt scheme
n - new partition
t - change type
w - write to partition table

If you want to use LVM, you will need to create the partitions

Encryption

After you are done partitioning your disks, you can encrypt your devices.
Encrypt before pv/vg/lv creation and filesystem creation

Use cryptsetup to encrypt devices

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# encrypt partition
cryptsetup luksFormat -v -s 512 -h SHA512 $DEVICE
cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/sdX1

# unlock encrypted partition
cryptsetup open --type luks /dev/sdX1 lv_home

LVM

Setup LVM on partitions after encryption
TODO: LVM.md (needs updating)

Create Filesystems

Root Filesystem (/)

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# create ext4 filesystem
mkfs.ext4 $DEVICE
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX

# create btrfs filesystem
mkfs.btrfs -L archlinux $DEVICE

boot partition (/boot)

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# create vfat partition
mkfs.vfat -F32 $DEVICE
mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/sdX1

Optional: home partition (/home)

btrfs

Create btrfs
Create btrfs root subvolume volume
Create btrfs home subvolume

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# create btrfs filesystem
mkfs.btrfs -L archlinux $DEVICE

# mount btrfs filesystem

# create subvolumes
cd /mnt
btrfs subvolume create @
btrfs subvolume create @home

Note

seems that you need to mount btrfs fillsystem at the device level first. anytime you decide to go back and create another subvolume (ie. swap) you will need to
unmount the device before mounting the subolvumes

Mount filesystems

Mount root filesystem to /mnt
Mount the EFI System Partition (esp)
- mkdir /mnt/boot
- mount esp to /mnt/boot
Mount home partition

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sudo mount -o noatime,compress=zstd:1,space_cache=v2,discard=async,subvol=@swap /dev/mapper/luks /
sudo mount -o noatime,compress=zstd:1,space_cache=v2,discard=async,subvol=@swap /dev/mapper/luks /home

Generate fstab

Sanity check

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# generate fstab
genfstab -U -p /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

Setup Mirrors

Edit /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
Top 6 mirrors will be used to intall system

Pacstrap

Its a good idea to install some important software at this time.

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# pacstrap and install packages
pacstrap /mnt base base-devel linux linux-headers linux-firmware vim \
		networkmanager grub efibootmgr mtools osprober dosfstools git \
		make python sudo fakeroot man-db man-pages dialog netctl \
		lvm2

Chroot

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arch-chroot /mnt

mkinitcpio

edit /etc/mkinitcpio

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HOOKS=(. . . block encrypt lvm2 filesystems btrfs . . .) run

run mkinitcpio

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mkinitcpio -p linux

Set locale

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# edit config file
vim /etc/locale.gen

# generate local
locale-gen

Set timezone

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# link your localtime
ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/*/* /etc/localtime

# sync system to hardware clock
hwclock --systohc --utc

Networking

Enable NetworkManager.service
Start service
nmtui to set up wifi or manage connections

Update

Create users and groups and set passwords

Set root password
Add your User

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useradd -m -g users -G wheel \<user>

change password
visudo and edit the sudoer file to let users in the group wheel be able to execute with root priveleges
Add your user to group wheel

Bootloader

systemd loader

grub

Encryption
- /etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=“loglevl=3 cryptdevice=<dev>:<vg>:allow-discards queit”
enable corectrl to get full control of amdgpu

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="<other_params>… amdgpu.ppfeaturemask=0xffffffff"
Install groub to esp

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grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --bootloader-id=grub_uefi --recheck

mkdir /boot/grub/locale
Generate configuration

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grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Optional: Create Swap File

btrfs swap

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# create swap subvolume
mount $MAPPER /mnt
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/@swap
umount /mnt

# create swapfile
btrfs filesystem mkswapfile --size 4g --uuid clear /swap/swapfile

# turn on swap
swapon /swap/swapfile

# fstab
/swap/swapfile none swap defaults 0 0

Graphical Enviroment

Install xorg
Install DE or Display Manager + Window Manager
Configure