How to install Arch Linux

How to install Arch Linux

August 21, 2022(August 23, 2023)
arch-linux

This note is recorded when I install Arch Linux.

Pre-installation #

Download Image #

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

# file
archlinux-_version_-x86_64.iso

Verify md5 checksum #

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 #

Create live USB according to USB flash installation medium.

Disable Secure Boot #

Arch Linux installation images do not support Secure Boot.

Disable Secure Boot in Bios.

Installation #

Boot the live environment #

Boot the live environment with Live USB.

Verify the boot mode #

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 #

  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 #

  • 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 #

Fstab #

Generate an fstab file:

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

Chroot #

Change root into the new system:

arch-chroot /mnt

Timezone #

Set the time zone to Tokyo:

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

Run hwclock to generate /etc/adjtime:

hwclock --systohc

Localization #

  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 #

Set hostname.

echo "exsample hostname" > /etc/hostname

Initramfs #

Creatie a new initramfs:

mkinitcpio -P

Root password #

Set the root password:

passwd

Boot loader #

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 #

Reboot:

exit
umount -R /mnt
reboot