Recipe: Set up Arch Linux workstation on a physical x86_64 computer

/docs/other/developer-workstation/arch-x86_64/physical/

Note

This recipe assumes you have an x86_64 computer with a disk that will be completely erased.

Note

This recipe also assumes that the disk comes up at /dev/sda, like most SATA disks do. If youd computer uses NVMe, that device may be /dev/nvme0n1 or the like; make the appropriate changes below.

Obtain an Arch Linux image

  1. Download an ISO from a mirror listed on https://archlinux.org/download/ (e.g. archlinux-2024.11.01-x86_64.iso)

  2. Write this ISO image to a USB stick, such as by following the instructions here.

Boot your x86_64 computer from the USB stick

  1. This may require changing the settings in your computer’s BIOS. Details depends on your particular hardware.

  2. Wait until the boot sequence ends and the root shell appears.

Install Arch on the empty disk and configure it

  1. 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

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

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

  3. Clear the partition table:

    # sgdisk --clear /dev/sda

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

    # sgdisk --new=1::+1M /dev/sda
# sgdisk --new=2::+512M /dev/sda
# sgdisk --new=4::+8G /dev/sda
# sgdisk --new=3:: /dev/sda
# sgdisk --typecode=1:EF02 /dev/sda
# sgdisk --typecode=2:EF00 /dev/sda
# sgdisk --typecode=4:8200 /dev/sda

    Partition number 4 is the swap partition. Choose a size that is appropriate for your machine. Here we choose 8GB.

  5. Make sure changes are in effect:

    # sync
# partprobe /dev/sda

  6. Create filesystems for the `/boot and root partitions:

    # mkfs.vfat  /dev/sda2
# mkfs.btrfs /dev/sda3

  7. Mount the partitions so we can install:

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

  8. Perform the actual install of the base packages:

    # pacstrap /mnt base

  9. Generate the right fstab:

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

  10. Chroot into your future root disk and continue the installation:

    # arch-chroot /mnt

    1. Install more packages:

      # pacman -Sy
# pacman -S linux grub mkinitcpio sudo vim btrfs-progs virtualbox-guest-utils \
  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.

    2. Check that the auto-generated content of /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist makes sense. Edit accordingly.

    3. Create a ramdisk:

      # mkinitcpio -p linux

    4. Configure the UEFI boot loader:

      # bootctl --path /boot install

    5. Configure grub. This is redundant given we also have a UEFI boot loader, but some people prefer a setup in which to boot from legacy BIOS.

      # grub-install --target=i386-pc --boot-directory=/boot --recheck /dev/sda
# grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

    6. Install a locale:

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

    7. 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

    8. Create a user with the right permissions and a password:

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

    9. Set a root password:

      # passwd root

    10. Exit from the arch-chroot shell with ^D.

  11. Remainder of networking setup:

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

  12. 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 /vmlinuz-linux >> /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 ) rw >> /mnt/boot/loader/entries/arch.conf

  13. Power off the machine:

    # systemctl poweroff

  14. Remove the USB boot stick.

Remaining configuration

  1. Start the x86_64 computer again.

  2. At the console, log in as ubosdev with the password you specified earlier.

  3. Fix the locale (command won’t run earlier)

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

  4. Add swap space

    % sudo mkswap /dev/sda4
% sudo swapon /dev/sda4
% sudo genfstab -U -p /

    In the output of the last command, there is one more line than contained in the /etc/fstab file, which activates swap space. Add that line to /etc/fstab.

  5. Enable Gnome:

    % sudo systemctl enable gdm

  6. Power off the virtual machine:

    % sudo systemctl poweroff