2023-05-26 09:10:51
Fri, May 26, 2023, Ralf Hersel
After the introduction in the first article in the series, we now turn to the basic installation of Arch Linux. Before we get started, here is some information regarding the project:
Arch Linux is an AMD64-optimized Linux distribution with rolling releases whose development team follows the KISS principle (“keep it simple, stupid”). In the interests of simplicity, there are no graphical installation and configuration aids. Because of this approach, Arch Linux is seen as a distro for advanced users.
Arch Linux was introduced by Judd Vinet in early 2001. On October 1, 2007, Vinet announced his resignation as project manager and was succeeded by Aaron Griffin. Arch Linux is further developed by a core team of around 25 people and helpers from the growing community, so-called “Trusted Users”. All distribution-specific developments are released under the GPL.
First, we need the current Arch Linux ISO image. For this we go to the project page and find .. nothing. On the right you see below Documentation the entry Installation Guide. In chapter 1.1 there is a link to download page. If you scroll down there, you will get a long list of mirror servers. Go to your country and select the first best server. I got the server from adfinis.com used. In the title picture you can see what to expect.
There you load the file archlinux-2023.05.03-x86_64.iso down. Arch releases fresh images every month; if you read this article later, the ISO file may have a more recent date. If you want, you can also use the checksum file sha256sums.txt Download to verify that the ISO file is correct. In the download directory you can run this command:
sha256sum archlinux-2023.05.03-x86_64.iso You can output the content of the file sha256sums.txt compare; the checksum should be the same, otherwise there is something wrong with the ISO file.
For the first steps with Arch, I recommend installing it in a virtual machine, unless you have a dedicated computer that you only use for such gimmicks. Then you have to burn the ISO file onto a USB stick, which I won’t describe here. For this article I used GNOME boxes as the virtual machine. But you can too VirtualBox or take another VM of your choice.
In GNOME Boxes, click the plus sign in the top left. The VM then recognizes that the Arch ISO is in the download directory and offers you this for installation. If this is not the case, you have to select the ISO file manually. You can leave the settings for the VM as they are suggested:
Then you click on Equip and you will be greeted by the Arch Boot Splash. You don’t do anything there, just wait until the installation begins. A few hundred terminal outputs then rattle through until you finally end up in the login:
Arch Linux offers neither a live system nor a graphical installer, as one is used to from other distributions. Arch used to be considered a difficult distro to install, which is no longer the case because it uses the CLI installer archinstall gives. And this is exactly what you start now by archinstall type and start with return. The installer greets you like this:
It is important that you go through each of the configuration points and make a selection. With the return key you jump into the selection to a point, navigate with cursor up/down and confirm the selection with the return key; use cursor up/down to navigate from line to line. Most of these options are self-explanatory, so I’ll only explain the difficult ones here:
- Archinstall language: self-explanatory if you’re here German selects, the Arch installer switches to German. I continue to use the English terms as you see them in the screenshot.
- Keyboard layout: the list is long, you can use / search, e.g. B. following of or ch
- Mirror region: select your country
- Local language: de_DE.UTF-8 or de_CH.UTF-8
- Local encoding: you can open utf-8 leave
- Drive(s): Attention, the installer did not crash. It takes a while for a selection to appear. Only the virtual hard disk should appear there. Select this.
- Disk layout: choose the first option ‘Erase all drives…‘ and then ext4 choose.
- Disk encryption: Back choose
- Bootloader: leave it as it is
- Swap: leave it as it is
- Hostname: enter a name or leave it as is
- Root password: there is a small bug(?) in the installer script. Nothing happens following entering the password. You can bypass this by entering the password, Return presses and then Ctrl+j pushes. You will then be asked to confirm your password. So re-enter the password Return press and Ctrl+j press.
- User account: there you create a new user account, forgive it names and the password for the account. The same applies to the password as to the root password (Ctrl+j). Then you have to decide whether the user should have root privileges (superuser).
- Profile: Here you select the desktop environment. Choose the first option Desktop out of. Then you can choose between 14 desktops. In my test I have Gnome chosen. You can then choose from seven graphics card drivers. According to my graphics card I have Intel selected.
- Audio: pipewire choose
- Kernels: leave it as it is
- Additional packages: do nothing
- Network configuration: NetworkManager Select if you have selected GNOME or KDE as desktop.
- Timezone: select your own time zone
- Automatic time sync: leave it as it is
- Optional repositories: select nothing
That was it. Now you can To install select, whereupon the selected settings are displayed in JSON format. if you with Return confirmed, the installation starts. This takes a few minutes. You can then make further changes to the installation. We don’t do that and choose no.
Then you’ll be back at the terminal prompt. At this point I would reboot by ye reboot entered. You will probably end up in the GNOME login, which surprises me because GDM (the GNOME Display Manager) actually has to be installed by hand. Anyway, shut down Arch and restart the virtual machine as well. Then you call GNOME-Boxes once more and click on your Arch VM. If the installation worked, you will see the GNOME login window once more:
After logging in, an unchanged GNOME 44 desktop shines:
Arch Linux with GNOME as desktop environment starts in the virtual machine in regarding 5 seconds. The RAM consumption right following starting is around 1 GB. That’s a lot and is due to the GNOME desktop. You now have a fully functional Arch installation on your virtual machine.
In the next installment of this series, we take care of optimizing the boot experience.
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