Arch-Linux-Installation-Guide

What you get: UEFI + systemd-boot + LVM + swap file + Xorg + awesomeWM + tablet mode
Tested on: Intel i7 12th Gen, Iris Xe Graphics, 512G SSD, touch screen foldable

Get Started:

Download the arch linux iso file (add link here) and use an empty USB stick.

cat path/to/archlinux-version-x86_64.iso > /dev/disk/by-id/usb-My_flash_drive

Boot into the USB stick.

In the live environment:

Connect to wifi using iwctl

[iwd]# device list
[iwd]# station wlan0 scan
[iwd]# station wlan0 get-networks
[iwd]# station wlan0 connect wifi-name
[iwd]# exit

Test your connection using ping archlinux.org

Next,

timedatectl set-ntp true

Partitioning your disk (LVM):

fdisk -l
fdisk /dev/thenameofyourdisk

I will be creating two partitions, one for EFI and the other for LVM.
Create a GPT:

Command (m for help): g

First partition:

Command (m for help): n

Accept the defaults (hit enter on a blank entry) but for the last sector, use +500M

Second partition:

Command (m for help): n

Accept all the defaults. For the system to know the type,

Command (m for help): t

Accept the defaults if it matches and use L when prompted to show the list of types. Use the number against LVM in the list:

Partition type (type L to list all types): xx

Write the changes:

Command (m for help): w

Format the EFI partition.

mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/devicename1

LVM:

pvcreate /dev/devicename2
vgcreate GROUPNAME /dev/devicename2
lvcreate -L 60GB GROUPNAME -n rootname
lvcreate -l 100%FREE GROUPNAME -n homename

Verify with lvdisplay

Few more commands before we move to the next section.

modprobe dm_mod
vgscan
vgchange -ay

Format and mount the root partition:

mkfs.ext4 /dev/GROUPNAME/rootname
mount /dev/GROUPNAME/rootname /mnt

Mount the EFI partition:

mkdir /mnt/boot
mount /dev/devicename1 /mnt/boot

Verify with lsblk

Format and mount the home partition:

mkfs.ext4 /dev/GROUPNAME/homename
mkdir /mnt/home
mount /dev/GROUPNAME/homename /mnt/home

Get essential packages:

pacstrap -K /mnt base linux linux-firmware vim lvm2

Next,

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

Check with cat /mnt/etc/fstab

Enter into '/':

arch-chroot /mnt

Make a link for your localtime (figure out your own timezone though):

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

More commands:

hwclock --systohc

Edit /etc/locale.gen to uncomment en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8 and then generate the locale:

locale-gen

Edit /etc/locale.conf to insert LANG=en_US.UTF-8
Edit /etc/hostname to insert a custom hostname
Edit the /etc/hosts file:

vim /etc/hosts
# See hosts(5) for details.
127.0.0.1 localhost
::1 localhost
127.0.1.1 username.localdomain username

Edit the /etc/mkinitcpio.conf file:

HOOKS=(base systemd autodetect microcode modconf kms keyboard sd-vconsole block lvm2 filesystem fsck)

Run:

mkinitcpio -p linux

Swapfile:

I would recommend that you allocate RAMsize + 2GB to the swapfile.

fallocate -l 18G /swapfile
mkswap /swapfile chmod 600 /swapfile swapon /swapfile

Edit /etc/fstab to include the swap file in it:

# Static information about the filesystems. # See fstab(5) for details.

# <file system> <dir> <type> <options> <dump> <pass> # /dev/mapper/LVM00-lvmroot UUID=2dfee3da-c567-4509-81bd-46b6220f27a3 / ext4 rw,relatime 0 1

# /dev/nvme0n1p1 UUID=55AC-0C30 /boot vfat rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=437,iocharset=ascii,shortname=mixed,utf8,errors=remount-ro 0 2

# /dev/mapper/LVM00-lvmhome UUID=728f1042-3331-4427-a651-4bb539e83a9e /home ext4 rw,relatime 0 2

/swapfile none swap defaults 0 0

Install packages:

pacman -Syu efibootmgr networkmanager base-devel linux-headers iwd linux-firmware pipewire-audio xorg xorg-xinit xorg-server awesome picom mesa

Next,

bootctl --path=/boot install

Go into /boot/loader
Edit loader.conf:

#console-mode keep default arch-*

Go into /boot/loader/entries (not sure if the path is right)
Edit arch.conf:

title Arch Linux
linux /vmlinuz-linux
initrd /initramfs-linux.img
options root=/dev/GROUPNAME/rootname rw

Enable NetworkManager:

systemctl enable NetworkManager

Before you add a new user, set the root password with passwd Add new user:

useradd -mG wheel username
passwd username
EDITOR=vim visudo

Edit /etc/sudoers.tmp by uncommenting %wheel ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL

Exit the root and unmount all (should tell you everything's busy):

exit
umount -a

reboot the system.

Outside your live environment (normal usage):

Install a terminal and a web browser to get you started:

sudo pacman -Syu alacritty firefox nautilus gvfs-mtp

Install graphic drivers:

sudo pacman -Syu vulkan-icd-loader vulkan-intel intel-ucode intel-media-driver

Edit arch.conf in /boot/loader/entries:

title Arch Linux
linux /vmlinuz-linux
initrd /initramfs-linux.img
initrd /intel-ucode.img
options root=/dev/LVM00/lvmroot rw

ClamAV:

sudo pacman -S clamav
sudo freshclam
sudo systemctl enable clamav-freshclam-once.timer

Install for gaming:

Enable multilib first.

sudo pacman -Syu discord steam lutris wine wine-mono
paru protonup-qt

Swapfile for hibernation:

Find your swapfile offset:

filefrag -v swap_file

From the output, take the first number from the physical offset.
Add the resume= and resume-offset= flags to your arch.conf:

title Arch Linux
linux /vmlinuz-linux
initrd /initramfs-linux.img
initrd /intel-ucode.img
options root=/dev/LVM00/lvmroot resume=/dev/LVM00/lvmroot resume_offset=3887104 rw

Regenerate using sudo mkinitcpio -p linux and you're good to go after a reboot.

Gestures for trackpad:

sudo pacman -S xf86-input-libinput xorg-xinput wmctrl xdotool
paru libinput-gestures
libinput-gestures-setup autostart start

Custom Configuration:

sudo cp /etc/libinput-gestures.conf ~/.config/

Download my configuration from the files if you need it, else make your own by editing the file in the .config directory.