Arch Linux Installation and Configuration

Arch Linux + Xfce has been my desktop operating system of choice for a number of years now. The following documents how I install and configure Arch Linux — mainly just notes for myself so I can setup/rebuild a system very quickly.

Base Install

• On x86, run through the standard installation process first.
• alternatively, use archinstall.
• On an ARM system (like the Raspbery PI), see this site.

When running base install, it is very convenient to ssh into the install environment from another machine so that you can copy/paste commands from the install instructions web page to the terminal:

• systemctrl start sshd
• passwd (set to something simple)
• ip addr (note ip address)
• Then from another machine: ssh root@<IP address>

Filesystem layout

• 500MB for /boot, partition type EFI (EF)
• the rest in a single partition mounted as /

There is little benefit in Arch to having separate /home, etc partitions. All this does is increase the likelihood that you’ll run out of space in one partition before another.

Bootloader

Typically use grub2.

SSH

• pacman -S openssh
• systemctl start sshd
• systemctl enable sshd

• configure ssh keys passphrase
  • with keychain, it is fairly painless to use passphrases on ssh keys. This is highly recommended to prevent misuse of the keys if your computer is stolen, etc.
  • add the following to .bashrc: eval $(keychain --eval --quiet id_rsa ~/.ssh/id_rsa)
  • add the following to .bash_profile: . ~/.bashrc

sudo

• (allows normal user to run commands as root using sudo)
  • pacman -S sudo
  • vi /etc/sudoers
    • uncomment: %wheel ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL
  • sudo gpasswd -a <user> wheel
    • this allows <user> to use sudo
• log into your new system from another computer using ssh. This allows you to copy and paste commands from these instructions. Note, you must log in as a normal user, not root. Root login via ssh is disallowed for security reasons.
  • ssh <user>@<ip address>
  • sudo su (become root user)

Install packages

• common packages: pacman -Sy xorg-server xorg-apps xorg-xinit xterm pipewire pipewire-pulse wireplumber pavucontrol udisks2 udiskie bash-completion ttf-liberation ttf-bitstream-vera ttf-dejavu noto-fonts noto-fonts-emoji thunderbird chromium firefox gimp inkscape git neovim go nautilus file-roller gvfs-mtp gvfs-gphoto2 stow tmux screen base-devel go wget rsync okular evince cups hplip system-config-printer libreoffice-fresh libreoffice-extension-texmaths hunspell hunspell-en_US sudo wmctrl docker keychain sshfs ansible net-tools lsof tcpdump wireshark-qt jq kicad kicad-library kicad-library-3d easytag python-pip fd
• Install development packages: pacman -S shfmt shellcheck
• Install video drivers (with pacman -S)
  • x86/Nvidia (OSS): xf86-video-nouveau
  • x86/Nvidia (proprietary): nvidia
  • x86/Nvidia older cards (proprietary): nvidia-390xx
  • rPI video: xf86-video-fbturbo-git
• Install desktop environment:
  • XFCE: pacman -S xfce4 xfce4-goodies
  • KDE: pacman -S plasma kde-applications

Login manager

• pacman -S sddm
• systemctl enablesddm
• systemctl start sddm
• (slim is an alternative login manager if sddm does not work)
• create .xinitrc in every users home directory with the following contents. This is only required if you are not using a login manager.
  • exec startxfce4

Yay

• (used to install packages from AUR repository):
  • wget https://aur.archlinux.org/cgit/aur.git/snapshot/yay.tar.gz
  • tar -xzvf yay.tar.gz
  • cd yay
  • makepkg -is
• yay ttf-courier-prime
  • this font is very nice for source code — change terminal to use this font

Misc customizations

• enable pipewire-pulse user unit
  • systemctl --user enable pipewire-pulse
  • systemclt --user start pipewire-pulse
• no sudo for /usr/local:
  • sudo chown -R $USER /usr/local
• add your user name to standard groups
  • sudo gpasswd -a <user> lp
    • required for printing
  • sudo gpasswd -a <user> uucp
  • sudo gpasswd -a <user> audio
  • sudo gpasswd -a <user> video
  • sudo gpasswd -a <user> docker
• Start neovim when I type vi
  • sudo ln -sf nvim /usr/local/bin/vi
• Set up dotfiles
  • git clone git@github.com:cbrake/dotfiles.git
  • cd dotfiles
  • stow tmux
  • stow nvim
  • stow screen
• Install stuff needed by neovim
  • vi
  • :GoInstallBinaries

Desktop manager preferences

Xfce

• configure Xfce preferences
  • disable window preview when cycling: Settings->Window manager tweaks->show windows preview in place of icons when cycling (this setting does not seem to be present anymore in xfce4)
  • don’t have windows changing workspaces. This keeps chromium windows from all ending up in workspace: Settings->Window Manager tweaks->Focus->when a window raises itself->do nothing
  • Settings->Keyboard->Application Shortcuts:
    • (move window to left half of screen) Super + G: wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -e 0,0,30,1280,1395
    • (move window to right half of screen) Super + H: wmctrl -r :ACTIVE: -e 0,1280,30,1280,1395
    • (launch terminal) Super + Return: dbus-launch gnome-terminal
    • (move workflowy to current desktop) Super + space: wmctrl -R Workflowy
  • Settings->Window Manager:
    • Previous workspace: Super + Left
    • Next workspace: Super + Right
    • Max window: Super + M
    • Hide window: Super + N
  • settings->Window Manager Tweaks->Accessibility: Key used to grab and move windows: Super (super + left click moves windows, super + right click resizes windows)

KDE

• configure KDE preferences
  • Shortcuts (starts application or brings to foreground if only one instance is allowed)
    • start Konsole with Win->Enter keyboard shortcut
    • start Workflowy with Win->Space keyboard shortcut
  • Display Configuration
    • arrange multiple monitors so they are not touching (otherwise apps may spill from one monitor to the next)
    • for 27″ WQHD, set Global scale to 125%
    • for 27″ UHD (4K), set Global scale to 175%
  • Task Switcher
    • don’t show selected window
    • Compact switcher
  • Cursors
    • on 27″ UHD, set size to 36
  • Window Behavior
    • Focus follows mouse
  • Desktop session
    • Start with an empty session
  • Configure some apps (like workflowy) to show in all Activities
    • Window-Rules
      • Window class, Exact Match: WorkFlowy
      • Add Property -> Activities: Apply Initially: All Activities
  • Disable file search
    • Settings -> File Search -> uncheck Enable File Search
  • Settings->Autostart — add udiskie
    • This automounts USB flash devices

Networking

• for most desktop installations, network manager is recommended:
  • pacman -S networkmanager
  • systemctl start NetworkManager
  • systemctl enable NetworkManager
• systemd-networkd can also be used to manage networks (I often used if only using Ethernet)
  • /etc/systemd/network/20-wired.network  
    • [Match]
    • Name=enp39s0
    • [Network]
    • DHCP=ipv4
    • MulticastDNS=yes

Clock/Time Synchronization

Arch by default does not enable time synchronization. To enable it:

sudo systemctl enable systemd-timesyncd
sudo systemctl start systemd-timesyncd