Installing Arch Linux

Here is a short guide on how to install Arch Linux. You should use a live cd/dvd instead of the minimal ipxe image: I had some considerable problems downloading material with the minimal image – the problems were absent on the bigger image. Backup your important files before you continue. You can get Arch images from here: https://www.archlinux.org/download/

 

1.

Load keyboard map.

loadkeys fi

#For other values see: https://www.techtimejourney.net/?p=1283

 

2.

Format hard drive(s) / Create partitions.

cfdisk /dev/sda

 

3.

Make filesystems to newly created partitions.

mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdx1

#Make ext4 partition.

 

mkswap /dev/sdx2

#Make swap partition.

 

swapon /dev/sdx2

#Turn swap partition on.

 

4.

cd /mnt

mkdir home

#Create mount directories.

 

5.

mount /dev/sdx1 /mnt

mount /dev/sx3 /mnt/home

#Mount partitions /mnt for root and /mnt/home for possible /home partition.

 

6.

nano /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

#Edit Arch mirrorlist.

pacman -Syyu

#Refresh pacman and get possible upgrades.

 

7.

pacstrap -i /mnt base base-devel

#Install base system and base-development packages.

 

8.

pacman-key – -init && pacman-key – -populate archlinux

#Get pacman keys and verify them.

Note. there should be no space between – –

 

9.

arch-chroot /mnt pacman -S grub-bios

#Install grub.

 

10.

genfstab -p /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

#Generate filesystem mount file.

 

11.

arch-chroot /mnt

#Chroot into the installed system.

 

12.

ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Helsinki /etc/localtime

#Set timezone.

 

13.

nano /etc/locale.gen

#Set language locale(s).

locale-gen

#Generate language locale(s).

 

14.

mkinitcpio -p linux

#Generate initial ramdisk image.

 

15.

passwd

#Set root password.

 

16.

systemctl enable dhcpcd.service

systemctl enable slim.service

systemctl enable wicd.service

 

#Enable dhcp service for network.

#Enable Slim display manager.

#Enable wicd network manager.

 

17.

pacman -S some_programs

#Install programs for the system.

 

18.

pacman -S ufw && ufw enable

#Install and enable firewall.

 

19.

useradd -m -p “” -g users -G “disk,audio,video,floppy,log,network,rfkill,scanner,storage,optical,power,wheel” -s /usr/bin/zsh tester

#Add a regular user named as tester.

 

Note: you should stay away from the group called adm. Adm is a group, which enables sudo access without the password. The previous might not be desired -if security is a top priority.

 

20.

passwd tester

#Set password for the user tester.

 

21.

grub-install /dev/sda

#Install grub to /dev/sda.

 

22.

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

#Configure Grub.

 

23. THIS STEP MAY BE OMITTED IF DESIRED.

nano /etc/vconsole.conf

 

KEYMAP=fi

FONT=

#Configure virtual console settings.

 

24.

exit

#Quit chroot

 

25.

umount /mnt/home

umount /mnt

#Unmount partitions.

 

Now you can reboot your computer and Arch should be installed.