wiki-grav/pages/02.linux/guides/arch/default.en.md

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title: Arch
visible: true
---

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## Keyboard layout

`loadkeys de_CH-latin1`

## Check UEFI mode

If the following command works, the system is booted in EFI.  
`ls /sys/firmware/efi/efivars`

## Verify internet connection

`ping www.realstickman.net`

## Update system clock

`timedatectl set-ntp true`

## Creating partitions

`cfdisk`

Use `EFI System` for EFI partition  
Use `Linux filesystem` for other partitions

## (LUKS) Create encrypted partition

_Note: Do not put your /efi partition on an encrypted partition!_

Create encrypted Partition  
`cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/(partition) --type luks1`

To view if this worked correctly  
`cryptsetup luksDump /dev/(partition)`

Open the partition  
Give it a fitting name  
`cryptsetup open /dev/(partition) (name)`

Check if this worked with `ls /dev/mapper/`  
The name should show up there

## Format partitions

Fat 32:  
`mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/(partition)`  
_For EFI or BOOT partition_

Ext4:  
`mkfs.ext4 /dev/(partition)`  
_All other partitions_

btrfs:  
`mkfs.btrfs /dev/(partition)`  
_All other partitions_

F2FS:
`mkfs.f2fs -O extra_attr,inode_checksum,sb_checksum,compression /dev/(partition)`  
_All other partitions_

## Mounting partitions

Generally partitions have to be mounted where you will later use them in your system.  
BTRFS with its subvolumes is a special case  
For EFI, prefer the /efi mountpoint

```
Root: /mnt
EFI: /mnt/efi or /mnt/boot
Home: /mnt/home
etc...
```

### (BTRFS) Btrfs preparation of subvolumes and mounting

Mount root partition  
`mount /dev/(partition) /mnt`

Root subvolume  
`btrfs subv create /mnt/@`

Home subvolume  
`btrfs subv create /mnt/@home`

Snapshots subvolume for snapper  
`btrfs subv create /mnt/@snapshots`

Snapshots subvolume for timeshift  
`btrfs subv create /mnt/@timeshift`

Var subvolume  
`btrfs subv create /mnt/@var_log`

_If you want to use a swapfile with Snapper, create a new subvolume now_  
Swap subvolume  
`btrfs subv create /mnt/@swap`

`umount /mnt`

Mount root  
`mount -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@ /dev/(partition) /mnt`

With /efi  
`mkdir -p /mnt/{efi,home,.snapshots,var/log,swap}`  
With /boot  
`mkdir -p /mnt/{boot,home,.snapshots,var/log,swap}`  
With /boot and timeshift  
`mkdir -p /mnt/{boot,home,timeshift-btrfs,var/log,swap}`

Mount home  
`mount -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@home /dev/(partition) /mnt/home`

Mount snapshots for snapper  
`mount -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@snapshots /dev/(partition) /mnt/.snapshots`
Mount snapshots for timeshift  
`mount -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@timeshift /dev/(partition) /mnt/timeshift-btrfs`

Mount var  
`mount -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@var_log /dev/(partition) /mnt/var/log`

Swap subvolume  
`mount -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@swap /dev/(partition) /mnt/swap`

**Don't forget mounting other partitions!!**

### (F2FS) Mounting

Mount partition with compression algorithm specified  
`mount -o compress_algorithm=zstd /dev/(partition) /mnt`

With /efi  
`mkdir -p /mnt/efi`  
With /boot  
`mkdir -p /mnt/boot`

**Don't forget mounting other partitions!!**

## Swap

### Swap partition

TODO

### Swapfile

#### Normal way

**NOT FOR BTRFS!**  
`dd if=/dev/zero of=/mnt/swapfile bs=1M count=(size) status=progress`

#### (BTRFS) Swapfile in btrfs

_Does not work with snapper_  
_Use a separate subvolume in that case_  
`truncate -s 0 /mnt/swapfile`

`chattr +C /mnt/swapfile`

`btrfs property set /mnt/swapfile compression none`

`fallocate -l (size)M /mnt/swapfile`

#### Initialising swapfile

`chmod 600 /mnt/swapfile`

`mkswap /mnt/swapfile`

`swapon /mnt/swapfile`

## Essential packages

Some things like the userspace utilities for file management will vary.  
See [file systems](https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/File_systems#Types_of_file_systems)  
`pacstrap /mnt base linux linux-firmware vim git openssh networkmanager network-manager-applet dialog base-devel linux-headers`

### Microcode

`amd-ucode`

`intel-ucode`

### Filesystems

Fat32:  
`dosfstools mtools`

Ext4:  
`e2fsprogs`

Btrfs:  
`btrfs-progs compsize`

F2FS:
`f2fs-tools`

### Wifi

`wpa_supplicant`

### Snapper

`snapper`

### Certificates

`ca-certificates ca-certificates-mozilla`

### other

`cups hplip xdg-utils xdg-user-dirs inetutils`

## Generate fstab

`genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab`  
**Make sure the fstab file has everything included**

## Chroot into the system

`arch-chroot /mnt`

## Set timezone

`ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Zurich /etc/localtime`

## Set hardware clock

`hwclock --systohc`

## Set locale

`vim /etc/locale.gen`  
Uncomment the locales that should be generated.  
Make sure to use a UTF-8 entry.

`locale-gen`

`echo "LANG=de_CH.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf`

## Set keymap permanently

`echo "KEYMAP=de_CH-latin1" > /etc/vconsole.conf`

## Set hostname

`echo "(hostname)" > /etc/hostname`

Edit `/etc/hosts`

```
127.0.0.1   localhost
::1         localhost
127.0.1.1   (hostname).localdomain  (hostname)
```

## Change root password

`passwd`

## Bootloader installation

### GRUB UEFI

`pacman -S grub efibootmgr`

If you are using encryption, see the next section first. **Make sure to come back here again though**  
`grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=(efi partition mountpoint) --bootloader-id=GRUB`

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

#### (LUKS) Encryption with /efi

Create keyfile and add it to mkinitcpio.conf  
`dd bs=512 count=4 if=/dev/random of=/crypto_keyfile.bin iflag=fullblock`

`chmod 600 /crypto_keyfile.bin`

**This command should be run after installing a new kernel!**  
`chmod 600 /boot/initramfs-linux*`

`cryptsetup luksAddKey /dev/(partition) /crypto_keyfile.bin`

Include the file in `/etc/mkinitcpio.conf`  
`FILES=(/crypto_keyfile.bin)`

Edit the `HOOKS` section as well. _Example:_  
`HOOKS=(base udev autodetect keyboard keymap modconf block encrypt filesystems fsck)`

`mkinitcpio -p linux`

Edit `/etc/default/grub`  
`GRUB_ENABLE_CRYPTODISK=y`

Some options in `GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT`  
**Make sure to change /dev/(partition) to UUID ASAP!**  
_Not sure how to actually do that though, will have to read some more._  
`cryptdevice=/dev/(partition):(name)`  
`cryptkey=/dev/mapper/(name):(filesystem):/crypto_keyfile.bin`

**Go back and install grub!!**

#### (LUKS) Encryption with /boot

Edit the `HOOKS` section in `/etc/mkinitcpio.conf` _Example:_  
`HOOKS=(base udev autodetect keyboard keymap modconf block encrypt filesystems fsck)`

`mkinitcpio -p linux`

Next, edit `/etc/default/grub`

Add an option in `GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT`  
**Make sure to change /dev/(partition) to UUID ASAP!**  
_Not sure how to actually do that though, will have to read some more._  
`cryptdevice=/dev/(partition):(name)`

**Go back and install grub!!**

## Mkinitcpio

### BTRFS

Load required modules  
`vim /etc/mkinitcpio.conf`  
`MODULES=(btrfs)`  
`BINARIES=("/usr/bin/btrfs")`

`mkinitcpio -p linux`

**Go back and install grub!!**

### EXT4

### F2FS

## Networking

`systemctl enable NetworkManager`

## (CUPS) Printing

`systemctl enable cups`

## Add user

`useradd -mG wheel (user)`

Set password  
`passwd (user)`

### Enable sudo

`visudo`  
Uncomment `%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL`

## Finishing installation

`exit`  
`poweroff`  
Remove the installation cd

## (Snapper) Setup

`# umount /.snapshots`

`# rm -r /.snapshots`

Create snapper config  
`# snapper -c root create-config /`

Delete unneeded volume  
`# btrfs subv del /.snapshots/`

`# mkdir /.snapshots`

Mount snapshots volume  
`# mount -a`

`# chmod 750 /.snapshots`

`# vim /etc/snapper/configs/root`

Change these things:  
`ALLOW_USERS="(user)"`

```
TIMELINE_LIMIT_HOURLY="5"
TIMELINE_LIMIT_DAILY="7"
TIMELINE_LIMIT_WEEKLY="0"
TIMELINE_LIMIT_MONTHLY="0"
TIMELINE_LIMIT_YEARLY="0"
```

Enable snapper  
`# systemctl enable --now snapper-timeline.timer`  
`# systemctl enable --now snapper-cleanup.timer`

Allow user to access snapshots  
`# chmod a+rx /.snapshots`  
`# chown :(user) /.snapshots`

## Install AUR helper

### yay

```sh
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si
```

### paru

```sh
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/paru.git
cd paru
makepkg -si
```

## (Snapper) Snap pac and GUI

`$ paru -S snap-pac-grub snapper-gui`