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How to install arch linux

Intro​

In this article, we gonna see how to install arch linux easily. Using a arch linux live CD we will be able to install the system, and is important make a test installation on a virtual machine like VirtualBox, to avoid complications.

Disk partition​

We use the cfdisk, beacuse is more easy to make partition. We gonna create just tree partition in that example, the root, swap and bios partition.

Formatting​

Using the command mkfs we are able to format each partition

 mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda2

to format the root partition

mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/sda1

to format the bios boot partition

mkswap /dev/sda3

to create the swap area

Mount file system​

mount /dev/sda2 /mnt

mount on /mnt , the dir where we will install the root directory of linux

swapon /dev/sda3

to activate the swap area

Install the basic system​

pacstrap /mnt base linux linux-firmware

the command pacstrap is used to install the linux root directory

When the pacstrap installation is ended, we will create a fstab file using this command:

genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

If you wish, we can see informations about the partition tree using this command:

lsblk

Chroot​

Now we will out from the live CD directoy using the command arch-chroot

arch-chroot /mnt

using this command, we will enter at the hard disk directory root

Hostname​

Hostname is the name of our PC

nano etc/hostname

or

echo "hostnamepc" >> /etc/hostname

Config network​

nano /etc/hosts

Inside the hosts file we will write:

127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost
::1       localhost.localdomain localhost
127.0.1.1 hostnamepc.localdomain hostnamepc

note that, hostnamepc will be your hostname pc name

Root password​

It is very important create a root password, because if you not create a password, you will not be able to enter on your system easily again.

passwd [password here]

Create a user and user password​

useradd -M -G users -S /bin/bash [name user]

and now the password for user

passwd [user password]

Install the GUI​

Install display manager​

The display manager is the login screen, place where the user will put your user name and password to be able to enter to the system.

There is a lot display manager to install, but in that example, we will install lxdm, but before to install it, we will first install the display server xorg:

pacman -Sy xorg-server xorg-xinit

the pacman is our package manager for Archlinux

And install video driver

pacman -Sy xf86-video-vesa

And now we will install the display manager

pacman -Sy lxdm

Install the desktop environment​

Now we will install all visual ambient to our system, and we have a list of desktop environment:

  • gnome
  • lxde
  • lxqt
  • xfce4
  • cinnamon
  • etc ...

In this example, we will install gnome, beacuse is cool and very complete environment. It is important emphasize that, if we will install gnome, for example, gnome already has your own display manager, and while the gnome is installed, will appear a message if you want to replace your current display manager installed (in our example is lxdm), if apear that message, we will select to replace it, because the gnome display manager is really good.

Bonus to install​

It is important install the networkmanager, and a terminal, well, gnome already has your own terminal, but it is important install another:

pacman -Sy networkmanager, xfce4-terminal

note that, exist a lot others terminal

pacman -Sy ntfs-3g dosfstools

to be able arch linux understand ntfs and fat file system

Install GRUB​

In that example, we are using the BIOS boot, so:

pacman -Sy grub os-prober

and we install the grub

grub-install /dev/sda

install it in all device

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

Doing this we will check if the display manager and network manager are active or not

systemctl status gdm

if you are using other display manager, put the name instead gdm

If the status is not connected, we will conect using this command

systemctl enable gdm

And possibly we need activate the newtwork manager

systemctl enable NetworkManager

Then, we exit from /mnt and umount

exit 0

and

umount -R /mnt

then we restart the system

shutdown now

Disconnect the live cd and enter to the system installed on your HDD