Setting Up Archlinux

Referencing the official wiki setup guide here.

Partitioning the Disks

Look at all the disks

$ fdisk -l

Find the drive to install to, probably in the form sda.

Once the correct drive is found:

$ cfdisk /dev/sda
# Where sda is the disk to format

From there:

1. Select gpt
2. Create 1 partition with the linux filesystem
3. Leave space for linux swap, where the size should be the same as your RAM, preferably double
4. Write, then type yes and quit

Making a filesystem

$ mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda1
# do this for all main filesystems
$ mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
# if you have a seperate partition for home:
$ mkdir /mnt/home
$ mount /dev/sda3 /mnt/home

Make sure you are connected to the internet

$ ping -c 3 google.com

For wireless connections:

$ cp /etc/netctl/examples/your-connection-type /etc/netctl/wireless-name
# open your connection and change the information for your connection
# use `ip link` to find your interface name
$ netctl start wireless-name

Install Arch

Update Mirrors if Necessary

$ mv /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.bak
$ rankmirrors /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.bak > /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

Install Base Packages

$ pacstrap -i /mnt base base-devel

Generate Filesystem Tab

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

Access mount point

$ arch-chroot /mnt

Install Packages

$ pacman -S openssh sudo neovim grub-bios linux-headers linux-lts linux-lts-headers git
# for wireless connections
$ pacman -S wpa_supplicant wireless_tools

Create Root Password

$ passwd

Locale-gen

$ vim /etc/locale.gen
# Uncomment appropriate line i.e. en_US...
$ locale-gen

Setting Time Zone

Find region using ls /usr/share/zoneinfo/ Then ls into that region and find your zone

$ ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/US/Central /etc/localtime
$ hwclock --systohc --utc

Enable SSH

$ systemctl enable sshd.service

Create a Host Name

$ echo arch > /etc/hostname

Create a New User

$ useradd -m -G wheel -s /bin/bash (username)
$ passwd (username)

Give Your User sudo Access

$ visudo
# Uncomment the wheel all line

Turning on Sound

$ alsamixer
# Change the gain for everything to 0 by filling all the bars
# Use esc to exit

Install Grub and Reboot

$ grub-install --target=i386-pc --recheck /dev/sda
# use the --force tag if using a vm
$ mkinitcpio -p linux
$ grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
$ exit
$ umount /mnt/home
$ umount /mnt

At this point, remove the disk to boot into Arch normally

Setting Up Your System

Login as your user that you made.

Update Locale if Necessary

$ localectl set-locale LANG="en_US.UTF-8"

Enable swap space

$ mkswap /dev/sda2
# Remember the UUID
$ vim /etc/fstab
# add at the bottom:
# UUID=YOUR_UUID    none    swap    defaults    0 0
# On the / and /home directories, add "discard," after rw if you have an SSD
# or you can use swapon /dev/sda2

Finish Setting up Internet

$ pacman -S networkmanager network-manager-applet wireless_tools wpa_supplicant wpa_actiond dialog
$ systemctl enable NetworkManager.service
# Network Manager Command Line Interface
$ nmcli
# Network Manager Terminal User Interface
$ nmtui

Update pacman

$ sudo pacman -Syu

Install X Window

$ pacman -S xf86-input-libinput xorg xorg-server xorg-xinit xorg-apps alsa-utils mesa

#### Update Video Drivers
```shell
$ lspci
# this will tell you what graphics card is in use
# Use this to install the specific package
# For virtualbox:
$ sudo pacman -S virtualbox-guest-utils
# For Nvidia:
$ pacman -S xf86-video-nouveau
# For Nvidia with better performance:
$ pacman -S nvidia
# For Intel:
$ pacman -S xf86-video-intel

Install Desktop Environment i.e. BSPWM

$ sudo pacman -S bspwm sxhkd

Install Display Manager

$ sudo pacman -S lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter lightdm-gtk-greeter-settings

Install terminal emulator

$ sudo pacman -S termite

Install Other Stuff Necessary

$ sudo pacman -S firefox ranger vlc 

Install Pacaur

$ mkdir tmp
$ cd tmp
$ sudo pacman -S expac yajl
$ curl -o PKGBUILD https://aur.archlinux.org/cgit/aur.git/plain/PKGBUILD?h=cower
$ makepkg PKGBUILD --skippgpcheck --install --needed
$ curl -o PKGBUILD https://aur.archlinux.org/cgit/aur.git/plain/PKGBUILD?h=pacaur
$ makepkg PKGBUILD --install --needed
$ cd
$ rm -r tmp

To Update all Official and AUR Packages:

$ pacaur -Syyu

Installing Polybar

$ sudo pacman -S cairo libxcb python2 xcb-proto xcb-util-image xcb-util-wm xcb-util-xrm jsoncpp
$ pacaur -S polybar-git

• Copy .config files or make your own
• Copy .Xresources file or make your own

$ xrdb .Xresources

In the Polybar config file, change the monitor line to whatever your display is when you run xrandr

Get Fonts

$ pacaur -S ttf-hack ttf-font-icons

Get And Install Mouse Pointer

$ pacaur -S breeze-default-cursor-theme lxappearance
# Use lxappearance to change settings

Get Dmenu 2

$ pacaur -S dmenu2

Setup Desktop Background

$ sudo pacman -S feh
# Scale Background
$ feh --bg-scale (image path)
# Tile Background
$ feh --bg-tile (image path)

Install Vundle

$ git clone https://github.com/VundleVim/Vundle.vim.git ~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim

Then configure the plugins for vim or nvim with :PluginInstall or PluginUpdate

Power Management Setup

$ sudo pacman -S tlp
$ systemctl enable tlp.service
$ systemctl enable tlp-sleep.service
$ systemctl mask systemd-rfkill.service
$ systemctl mask systemd-rfkill.socket

In case of key unavailable for AUR

$ gpg --recv-key key

Pacman / Pacaur Commands

# Install
$ pacman -S package-name
$ pacaur -S package-name
# Update Official
$ pacman -Syu
# Update Official and AUR
$ pacaur -Syyu
# Remove Package With Unused Dependencies
$ pacman -Rns package-name
$ pacaur -Rns package-name
# List Orphan Packages
$ pacman -Qtd
# Recursively Remove Orphan Packages
$ pacman -Rns $(pacman -Qtdq)
# List Foreign Packages
$ pacman -Qm

Maintinence

$ sudo pacman -S rmlint

A script that scans the current directory or some path with rmlint. Generates a file rmlint.sh that you can run to remove suspicious files. Edit if necessary to keep some stuff.