Minimal Arch Linux setup - Install scripts

Install script

Features and setup

• LVM on LUKS
• LUKS2
• systemd-boot (with Pacman hook for automatic updates)
• Automatic login (with systemd)
• SSD Periodic TRIM
• Intel microcode
• Automatic sort of mirrors list by speed, synced within the last 12 hours and filtered by HTTPS protocol (Reflector with Pacman hook)

Requirements

• UEFI mode
• NVMe SSD
• TRIM compatible SSD
• Intel CPU

Installation

See 'Detailed installation guide' below for further details

• Increase cowspace partition so that git can be downloaded without before chroot: mount -o remount,size=2G /run/archiso/cowspace
• Install git: pacman -Sy git
• Clone repository: git clone https://github.com/exah-io/minimal-arch-linux.git
• Run install script: bash minimal-arch-linux/1_arch_install.sh

Post install script

• UFW (deny incoming, allow outgoing)
• TLP (default settings)
• swaywm:
  • autostart on tty1
  • waybar: onclick pavucontrol (volume control) and nmtui (ncli network manager)
  • swayidle and swaylock: automatic sleep and lock
  • Alacritty terminal
  • rofi as application launcher
  • slurp and grim for screenshots
• zsh:
  • powerlevel9k theme
  • History
  • Load NVM on first invocation
  • Force wayland for QT applications disabled due to incompatibility with keepassxc
  • Force wayland for GTK applications disabled due to electron apps incompatibility (code oss)
• GTK theme and icons: Qogir
• Other applications: firefox, keepassxc, git, openssh, vim, alacritty, thunar (with USB automonting), NVM (with node.js LTS), tumbler, evince, gimp, inkscape, thunderbird, upower, htop, code oss, nnn

Partitions

Name	Type	Mountpoint
nvme0n1	disk
├─nvme0n1p1	part	/boot
├─nvme0n1p2	part
└─cryptoVols	crypt
├─Arch-swap	lvm	[SWAP]
└─Arch-root	lvm	/

Detailed installation guide

1. Download and boot into the latest Arch Linux iso
2. Connect to the internet. If using wifi, you can use wifi-menu
3. Clear all existing partitions (see MISC section below)
4. wget 1_arch_install.sh
5. Change the variables at the top of the file
   • continent_country must have the following format: Continent/City . e.g. Europe/Berlin
6. Enable the closest mirror to you on /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist (move it to the top)
7. Make the script executable: chmod +x 1_arch_install.sh
8. Run the script: ./1_arch_install.sh
9. Reboot
10. wget 2_arch_post_install.sh
11. Make the script executable: chmod +x 2_arch_post_install.sh
12. Run the script: ./2_arch_post_install.sh

MISC

How to clear all partitions

gdisk /dev/nvme0n1
x
z
w

How to disable VS Code online services

• Search for @tag:usesOnlineServices in VSCode settings and disable online services

How to setup Github with SSH Key

git config --global user.email "github external email"
git config --global user.name "username"
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa
copy SSH key and add to Github (eg. mousepad ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub and copy content)

How to chroot

mkdir -p /mnt/boot
mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/boot
cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/nvme0n1p2 cryptoVols
mount /dev/mapper/Arch-root /mnt
arch-chroot /mnt

How to install yay

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay-bin.git
cd yay-bin
yes | makepkg -si
cd ..
rm -rf yay-bin

References

• Ricing: First rice on my super old MacBook Air! on Reddit