How to install Arch Linux

This note is recorded when I install Arch Linux.

Pre-installation

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Download Image

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Visit the Download Page, download the ISO file and write down the MD5 checksum.

Verify md5 checksum

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Calculate MD5 checksum of ISO file.

md5sum archlinux-_version_.x86_64.txt

# 0e9943a96f8298abb0db5e64f76ad0be  archlinux-2022.08.05-x86_64.iso

Confirm that the md5 checksum I wrote down is the same as the md5 checksum I calculated.

Create Live USB

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Create live USB according to USB flash installation medium.

Disable Secure Boot

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Arch Linux installation images do not support Secure Boot.

Disable Secure Boot in Bios.

Installation

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Boot the live environment

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Boot the live environment with Live USB.

Verify the boot mode

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To verify the boot mode, list the efivars directory. Proceed in UEFI mode, so make sure that the efivars directory exists under /sys/firmware/efi:

ls /sys/firmware/efi

# config_table efivars fw_platform_size fw_vendor runtime runtime-map systab

Partition the disks

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1. Check install device:

   lsblk | grep -v 'rom\|loop\|airoot'
   
   # NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
   # sda    8:0    0   8G  0 disk

2. Create partitions The partition layout is as follows.

   Partition	Size	Format	Mount point
   /dev/sda1	512M	vfat	/mnt/boot/
   /dev/sda2	Remainder of the device	btrfs	/mnt

   sgdisk -Z /dev/sda
   sgdisk -o /dev/sda
   sgdisk -n 1:0:+512M -t 1:ef00 /dev/sda
   sgdisk -n 2:0: -t 2:8300 /dev/sda

3. Format partitions Format partitions as vfat and btrfs:

   mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/sda1
   mkfs.btrfs /dev/sda2

4. Mount the file systems Mount the root volume to /mnt:

   mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
   mkdir /mnt/boot
   mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot

Install essential packages and packages I use

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• For Server

  pacstrap -K /mnt base base-devel linux linux-headers linux-firmware btrfs-progs vim

• For Desktop Environment

  pacstrap -K /mnt base base-devel linux linux-headers linux-firmware btrfs-progs vim networkmanager

Configure the system

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Fstab

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Generate an fstab file:

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

Chroot

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Change root into the new system:

arch-chroot /mnt

Timezone

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Set the time zone to Tokyo:

ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Asia/Tokyo /etc/localtime

Adjust hwclock:

hwclock --systohc

Localization

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1. Edit /etc/locale.gen and uncomment en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8 and ja_JP.UTF-8 UTF-8.

2. Generate the locales by running:

   locale-gen

3. Set the LANG variable in /etc/locale.conf:

   echo LANG=en_US.UTF-8 > /etc/locale.conf

Hostname

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Set hostname:

echo "exsample hostname" > /etc/hostname

Initramfs

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Creatie a new initramfs:

mkinitcpio -P

Root password

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Set the root password:

passwd

Boot loader

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I use systemd-boot.

1. add systemd-boot.

   bootctl install

2. configure systemd-boot. Edit /boot/loader/loader.conf as follows:

   default arch.conf
   timeout 4
   console-mode max
   editor no

3. Check the PARTUUID of /dev/sda2 and add it to /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf:

   blkid -o export /dev/sda2 | grep ^PARTUUID >> /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf

4. Add boot entry. Edit /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf as follows:

   title Arch Linux
   linux /vmlinuz-linux
   initrd /initramfs-linux.img
   options root=PARTUUID="PARTUUID of /dev/sda2" rw

5. Enable micro code update. Install ucode.

   # For intel CPU
   pacman -S intel-ucode
   # For amd CPU
   pacman -S amd-ucode

   Edit /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf as follows.

   • For intel CPU

     title Arch Linux
     linux /vmlinuz-linux
     initrd /intel-ucode.img
     initrd /initramfs-linux.img
     options root=PARTUUID="PARTUUID of /dev/sda2" rw

   • For amd CPU

     title Arch Linux
     linux /vmlinuz-linux
     initrd /amd-ucode.img
     initrd /initramfs-linux.img
     options root=PARTUUID="PARTUUID of /dev/sda2" rw

Reboot

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Reboot:

exit
umount -R /mnt
reboot