Recipe: Set up an Arch Linux ARM virtual workstation with Parallels Desktop on Apple Silicon computers

/docs/other/developer-workstation/arch-aarch64/apple-silicon-parallels/

Note

As of February 2025, the Gnome UI may not come up. That appears to be an upstream bug related to the VMWare virtual graphics card that causes the Gnome session to crash.

Install Parallels Desktop for Apple Silicon computers

This is a paid product that can be obtained from https://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/.

Obtain an Arch Linux ARM image

Download an image whose filename contains string “latest”, and ends with “.iso” from https://release.archboot.com/aarch64/latest/iso/.

Run the Arch Linux ARM image as the virtual machine to create the development VM with

Run Parallels Desktop. If it asks you to install add-on’s, decline. If it asks you to Install Windows, select “Option Options” instead.
In Parallels Desktop, create a new virtual machine:
- From the menu, select “File / New”.
- Select “Install Windows, Linux or macOS from an image file”, and “Continue”.
- Click “select a file” and choose the downloaded ISO.
- Ignore “Unable to detect operating system” and “Continue”.
- Select “Other Linux” and “OK”.
- Enter a suitable name, such as “ubosdev”.
- Check “Customize settings before installation”, accept the other defaults, and “Create”.
- In the “Hardware” tab, field “Memory”, enter a suitable amount memory for your needs, such as 8192 MB. (4096 may produce a very strange error message later in the boot.) Leave all other defaults.
- Close the popup and click “Continue”.
The VM automatically starts. Accept all defaults until you get to “Hit ENTER for login routine or CTRL-C for bash prompt”; that will take a 5-10 minutes. Then hit ^C to get the bash shell. (If you find yourself in the Archboot Arch Linux Installation with its blue background: cancel, and select “Exit Program”.)

Install Arch on the empty disk and configure it

Update the bootstrap VM and install some packages we need:

# pacman -Sy
# pacman -S archlinux-keyring
# pacman -Su
# pacman -S btrfs-progs gptfdisk parted dosfstools arch-install-scripts vi

Zero out the first bytes on the disk for extra robustness:

# dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=1M count=8 conv=notrunc

Clear the partition table:
```
# sgdisk --clear /dev/sda
```

Create the partitions (UEFI, /boot and /) and change them to the right types.

# sgdisk --new=1::+1M /dev/sda
# sgdisk --new=2::+512M /dev/sda
# sgdisk --new=3:: /dev/sda
# sgdisk --typecode=1:EF02 /dev/sda
# sgdisk --typecode=2:EF00 /dev/sda

Make sure changes are in effect:
```
# sync
# partprobe /dev/sda
```
Create filesystems for partitions other than the UEFI partition:
```
# mkfs.vfat  /dev/sda2
# mkfs.btrfs /dev/sda3
```

Mount the partitions so we can install:

# mount /dev/sda3 /mnt
# mkdir /mnt/boot
# mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/boot

Perform the actual install of the base packages:
```
# pacstrap /mnt base
```

Generate the right fstab:

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

Chroot into your future root disk and finish the installation:

# arch-chroot /mnt

Add the Arch Linux ARM keyring:
```
# pacman -S archlinuxarm-keyring
```

Install more packages:

# pacman -Sy
# pacman -S linux-aarch64 mkinitcpio amd-ucode sudo vim btrfs-progs \
  gdm gnome-console gnome-control-center gnome-session gnome-settings-daemon \
  gnome-shell gnome-keyring nautilus

If asked which alternatives to install, choose the defaults.

Check that the auto-generated content of /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist makes sense. Edit accordingly.
Create a ramdisk:
```
# mkinitcpio -p linux-aarch64
```
Configure the boot loader:
```
# bootctl --path /boot install
```

Install a locale:

# perl -pi -e 's!#en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8!en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8!' /etc/locale.gen
# locale-gen

Set up networking:

# echo '[Match]' > /etc/systemd/network/wired.network
# echo 'Name=en*' >> /etc/systemd/network/wired.network
# echo '' >> /etc/systemd/network/wired.network
# echo '[Network]' >> /etc/systemd/network/wired.network
# echo 'DHCP=ipv4' >> /etc/systemd/network/wired.network
# echo 'IPv4Forwarding=1' >> /etc/systemd/network/wired.network
# echo 'IPv6Forwarding=1' >> /etc/systemd/network/wired.network

# systemctl enable systemd-networkd systemd-resolved systemd-timesyncd

Create a user with the right permissions and no password:

# useradd -m ubosdev
# chmod 755 ~ubosdev
# passwd -d ubosdev
# echo ubosdev ALL = NOPASSWD: ALL > /etc/sudoers.d/ubosdev
# chmod 600 /etc/sudoers.d/ubosdev

No root password:
```
# passwd -d root
```
Exit from the arch-chroot shell with ^D.

Remainder of networking setup:

# rm /mnt/etc/resolv.conf
# ln -s /run/systemd/resolve/stub-resolv.conf /mnt/etc/resolv.conf

Configure UEFI:

Loader configuration:

# echo timeout 4 > /mnt/boot/loader/loader.conf
# echo default arch >> /mnt/boot/loader/loader.conf

Boot entry configuration:

# echo title Arch > /mnt/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
# echo linux /Image >> /mnt/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
# echo initrd /amd-ucode.img >> /mnt/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
# echo initrd /initramfs-linux.img >> /mnt/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf
# echo options root=PARTUUID=$(lsblk -o PARTUUID /dev/sda3 | tail -1 ) rootfstype=btrfs rw cgroup_disable=memory add_efi_memmap >> /mnt/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf

Power off the virtual machine:
```
# systemctl poweroff
```
Remove the ISO file from the VM:
- In the Parallels Control Center, select the “ubosdev_aarch64-parallels-YYYYMMDD-I” VM, right-click, and select “Configure…”.
- In the “Hardware” tab, select CD/DVD.
- In the “Source” drop-down, select Disconnect.
- Close the Configuration window.

Remaining configuration

Start the VM again.
At the console, log in as ubosdev. There is no password.

Fix the locale (command won’t run earlier)

% sudo localectl set-locale LANG=en_US.UTF-8

Enable Gnome:
```
% sudo systemctl enable gdm
```
Power off the virtual machine:
```
% sudo systemctl poweroff
```