May 2017 Presentation Notes; Arch LInux install - fast and dirty

[Jason]

Okay, my presentation was a super simple Arch Linux install inside a Virtualbox machine but you do end up with a login screen and a desktop. Only the wired connection will work. Sound doesn't work either. Brian will be doing a presentation next things you can do once you have this base install which will probably include setting up audio.

Without counting download speed, the entire install while explaining briefly what I was doing about 1.5 hours.

I skipped a lot of choices on boot manager, partition schemes and a choice of desktop environment. This is a quick and dirty guided install. So, if you use this guide, look at the assumptions I made to see if they will work for you. I did the install in a virtual machine but other than the install of necessary VirtualBox video driver at the end, everything else would be the same on a regular desktop (assuming things are detected OK). I highly recommend you don't do this on a production computer unless it's in a virtual machine on that box.

If you have problems, check the Arch Linux wiki - it has pages on pretty much every aspect of installing. The full install guide is here:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Installation_guide

You can also post in their forums or our support forum. If you notice a typo, let me know here but don't ask support questions here. I want this topic just related to the notes although questions about clarification on the notes are fine.

My assumptions:
*   Wired connection to Internet (you need it for the install and this is all you end up with)
*   Just want single-boot into Arch (no other OSes)
*   Everything is on one partition
*   You're in Canada and in the Eastern timezone
*   Need only light desktop environment, specifically LXDE
*    Used Virtualbox to do install and set to bridged networking

----------------------- NOTES ------------------------

Why Arch?
- you want a simple distribution with packages unmodified from their individual upstream developers
- you want the latest stable software
- you want a rolling release so you never/rarely have to actually re-install distro
- you want the power to build the distro the way *you* like it
- you are a proficient Linux user and/or have a do-it-yourself attitude and are willing read the documentation and try and solve your own problems

Why not Arch?
- you don't have the time or ability to do-it-yourself
- you require support for other than x86_64/amd64 (support for i686 being phased out)
- you're a beginner to Linux or not comfortable with the command-line

More here:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_Linux

System requirements:
- x86_64-compatible machine
- minimum 512 MB RAM
- base install takes less than 800 MB of disk space
- require an internet connection (even for just base install)

Download ISO here:
https://www.archlinux.org/download/

Ways to make bootable media including USB/CD/DVD/BD and other ways of booting the ISO:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Category:Getting_and_installing_Arch


For those that like a graphical way of making an ISO within Windows, Mac or Linux, Etcher does a great job.

1. Test network or setup network necessary if necessary
   ping archlinux.org
2. Ensure system clock is accurate
   timedatectl set-ntp true
   timedatectl status
3. Partitition disk
   fdisk -l
   cfdisk /dev/sda (use arrow keys for options)
      - choose dos
      - New <enter>
      - primary <enter>
      - Bootable <enter>
      - Write <enter>
      - Type 'yes' <enter>
4. Make filesystem
   mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda1
5. Mount filesystem
   mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
6. Select mirrors
   grep -A1 --no-group-separator Canada /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist > /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.backup
7. Install base packages
   pacstrap /mnt base
8. Create the Filesystem configuration file
   genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab
9. Change root into new system
   arch-chroot /mnt
10.   Set timezone
   ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Canada/Eastern /etc/localtime
   hwclock --systohc
11.   Set the locale
   uncomment en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8 and other localizations in in /etc/locale.gen and generate them
   nano /etc/locale.gen
   locale-gen
12. Create hostname file (make up a hostname and just put that in a file)
   nano /etc/hostname
13.   Network configuration
   - install network manager and set to autostart (wired connections are automatically detected and configured)
      pacman -S networkmanager
      systemctrl enable NetworkManager
14.   Set root password
          passwd
15. Create bootloader (grub in this case)
   - install grub package
      pacman -S grub
   - create grub bootloader
      grub-install --target=i386-pc /dev/sda
   - configure bootloader
      grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
16. Exit chroot env, unmount partitions and reboot
   Ctrl-D
   umount -R /mnt
   reboot
        - make sure you remove the installation media before the computer restarts either in virtualbox or whatever
17.   Add a unprivileged user and set password
      useradd -m -G wheel -s /bin/bash jason
      passwd jason
18.   Install Window manager or desktop environment (I'm choosing LXDE)
      pacman -S lxde
      Check to see if any changes to be made to lxdm configuration file - I uncommented the section related to session manager (just remove #)
                        nano /etc/lxdm/lxdm.conf
      - might need to install specific x driver but probably just for virtualbox or if you have a separate video card
         pacman -S virtualbox-guest-modules-arch
         pacman -S virtualbox-guest-utils     
      systemctl enable lxdm
19. Install some non-ugly fonts
      pacman -S ttf-dejavu
20. Reboot and try it out
21. Customize, customize, customize - Start with here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/General_recommendations

[fox]

Where does the wifi come in? Or does installing networkmanager automatically get it for you?

[Jason]

Where does the wifi come in? Or does installing networkmanager automatically get it for you?

Read the assumptions section. Wifi isn't supported in this quick and dirty setup. Though if you install in a VirtualBox (or another VM manager), you don't need it as it will use Host networking whether wireless or wired.

Network Manager can set up wireless for you but you may have to do extra work to get the wireless chipset working and definitely some configuration extra configuration regardless. Check the installation guide (it's linked near the beginning) under the network configuration section for more details. Even then you're probably going to need a wired connection until wireless is configured (unless in a virtual machine).

[fox]

Where does the wifi come in? Or does installing networkmanager automatically get it for you?

Read the assumptions section. Wifi isn't supported in this quick and dirty setup....

The only thing in the assumptions section remotely related to my wifi question is "wired connection to the internet", which I took to mean that one needs a wired connection to the internet to install, not that wired is all one wants at the end.

At any rate I did look up how you install wifi in the link provided and found the following (for the benefit of others that may have wondered the same thing):

Network configuration

The newly installed environment has no network connection activated per default. See Network configuration to configure one.

For Wireless configuration, install the iw and wpa_supplicant packages, as well as needed firmware packages. Optionally install dialog for usage of wifi-menu.

That doesn't look too difficult. I always wanted to try to install Arch, and I think I now can with the help of your instructions. I'm going to try it later this summer on my "Distrohopper" laptop.

[Jason]

The other assumption was that you were doing this in Virtualbox so you wouldn't need to setup wireless. I didn't mean assumptions to mean requirements. I meant that is what you end up with. But I'll add more info at the beginning to explain that.

[NightFlight]

I installed from a youtube video, but back here to see how different my 2015 reference stayed in line with your presentation. The only place I branched would have been for the boot loader as I decided to stay with UEFI for modern implementations (potentially mac) installs.

It would seem the arch wiki is pretty straight forward. EFI support is baked in the moment you install the base via systemd-boot support.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/systemd-boot#Manually

The only issue I have encountered is the default video blank inactivity timeout will not recover on my base test system (Intel i5/Kaby Lake/GTX970).  I see the issue mentioned on online forums, but never a direct solution pointed out.

Anyone know the base module name that controls this screen/power saving feature?

[ssfc72]

Thanks Jason, for posting your notes, from your Arch presentation! 

[Jason]

Nightflight: If you're installing a graphical desktop, there should be a control center that lets you turn off the blanking. Burn-in isn't an issue with LCD/LED monitors. Thanks for the tip regarding UEFI though the wiki seemed to suggest you also needed to make a special boot partition when you use it, is that not the case?

[cod3poet]

Nightflight - https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Display_Power_Management_Signaling Being an Archer myself that is what I use, I have a script associated with manually blanking my display.

[codepoet@axon ~]$ cat screen
xset dpms force off

Eventually this will be bound to a call that will allow me to blank my screen(s) from my phone. I use my laptop as a secondary busy box screen and I have 2 on another box dedicated to work.

[NightFlight]

Nightflight: If you're installing a graphical desktop, there should be a control center that lets you turn off the blanking. Burn-in isn't an issue with LCD/LED monitors. Thanks for the tip regarding UEFI though the wiki seemed to suggest you also needed to make a special boot partition when you use it, is that not the case?

Yes, you have to make a FAT partition for EFI boot. I assume this is because there's some low level communication / storage going on with the EFI.

[fox]

After PLUG MUG last night, I'm inspired, Jason. I downloaded Arch, put it on a USB stick prepped with Etcher, and tested that it boots. I then watched a video of an Arch install alongside another distro. The steps were much like those you outlined. I think I can do this, but I want to do it when I have enough time to do it slowly and carefully. I hope to be ready for Brian's presentation with more than an Arch installation on Virtualbox.

[Jason]

You'll probably find it easier than you think. If you have questions, don't forget we have our resident expert Brian though I can probably help with the very basic stuff. Just make sure you post in the support section so others can benefit from it, too. They may not see it here and this topic is really just meant for edits or suggestions to my notes.

[cod3poet]

Bare metal install done to a 30 gig SSD, this install is insanely trimmed, out of all the things that are working there is a single thing that breaks the whole install. Displayport audio. If it was not for that and that alone Arch would be my 100% main install on my laptop. Any other hardware I would be fine but no... of course the one thing I NEED.

Although 3d works, video works (still some quirks with mplayer and vlc) Web surfing works, virtualization works USB3 works, my sdcard reader works (usb3 and sdcard do not work under windows 10) And it all runs nice and slim.

*fingers crossed* I can get the audio working but for now work and live have prevented me from spending another 4 hours chasing audio hardware id's and taking over the only TV in the house to test.