So you want to install Arch Linux without screwing it up? Good. You're already ahead of the game by reading this first. Let me be straight with you: installing Arch isn't hard, but it's very easy to fuck up if you don't know what you're doing.

This guide will take you from zero to hero—whether you're a complete Linux noob or someone who's installed Ubuntu a few times and wants to level up. We'll cover the basics, then dive into the advanced shit that separates casual users from power users.

By the end of this, you'll not only have a working Arch installation, but you'll actually understand what the fuck each step does and why it matters.

Understanding What the Fuck You're Getting Into
Pre-Installation: The Basics
Booting Into the Live Environment
Disk Partitioning: Don't Fuck This Up
Installation: The Core System
Bootloader: Making It Actually Boot
Post-Installation: Making It Usable
Advanced Configuration
Common Fuckups and How to Fix Them

Understanding What the Fuck You're Getting Into {#understanding}

Why Arch? (The Real Reasons)

Rolling Release: Get the latest shit as soon as it's released. No waiting 6 months for Ubuntu to package last year's software
The AUR: 80,000+ user-maintained packages. If it exists on Linux, it's in the AUR
Minimalism: No bloat. You install what YOU want, not what Canonical thinks you need
Learning: You'll understand Linux at a level that GUI installer users never will
Customization: Complete control. Every. Single. Thing.
The Arch Wiki: The best Linux documentation that exists, period
Street Cred: Yeah, you get to say "I use Arch btw" unironically

What You Actually Need to Know

Basic Shit:

What a partition is
Basic terminal commands (cd, ls, nano/vim)
The difference between BIOS and UEFI
What a bootloader does

Don't Worry If You Don't Know:

Advanced networking concepts
Kernel compilation
How to write bash scripts
What systemd actually does (we'll cover it)

Prerequisites

Hardware:

64-bit CPU (obviously)
512MB RAM minimum (2GB+ recommended)
20GB disk space minimum (50GB+ recommended)
USB drive (4GB+)
Wired internet connection (WiFi is doable but more complex)

Software:

The Arch ISO from archlinux.org
balenaEtcher, Rufus, or dd to create bootable USB
A backup of your data (SERIOUSLY, BACK YOUR SHIT UP)

Mental Prerequisites:

Patience
Willingness to read error messages
Not being afraid to Google things
Coffee/energy drinks

Pre-Installation: The Basics {#pre-installation}

Step 1: Create Bootable USB

On Linux:

# Find your USB device
lsblk

# Write the ISO (replace /dev/sdX with your USB device)
# WARNING: This WILL erase everything on the USB
sudo dd bs=4M if=/path/to/archlinux.iso of=/dev/sdX status=progress oflag=sync

# Or use cat if you're fancy
sudo cat archlinux.iso > /dev/sdX

On Windows:

Download Rufus
Select your ISO and USB drive
Use DD mode (not ISO mode)
Click Start

On macOS:

# Find disk number
diskutil list

# Unmount it
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskN

# Write ISO
sudo dd if=/path/to/archlinux.iso of=/dev/rdiskN bs=1m

# Eject
diskutil eject /dev/diskN

Step 2: BIOS/UEFI Settings

Important Shit to Configure:

Disable Secure Boot (it's a pain in the ass with Arch)
Enable UEFI mode (if your system supports it—most do since 2012)
Set USB as first boot device
Disable Fast Boot (Windows feature that fucks with dual-booting)

How to Access BIOS:

Press F2, F12, DEL, or ESC during boot
Google your motherboard model if you're lost

Booting Into the Live Environment {#booting}

What You'll See

After booting from USB, you'll see a black screen with some options. Select:

Arch Linux install medium (x86_64, UEFI)

You'll end up at a root shell that looks like:

root@archiso ~ #

Verify UEFI Mode

ls /sys/firmware/efi/efivars

If this shows files, you're in UEFI mode. If it says "No such file or directory", you're in BIOS mode (legacy).

UEFI is better. Use it if your system supports it.

Connect to Internet

Wired Connection:

# Check if you're connected
ping -c 3 archlinux.org

# If not, try:
dhcpcd

WiFi (Using iwctl):

iwctl

# Inside iwctl prompt:
device list                          # Find your device name (usually wlan0)
station wlan0 scan                   # Scan for networks
station wlan0 get-networks           # List networks
station wlan0 connect "Your-SSID"    # Connect (it'll ask for password)
exit

# Verify connection
ping -c 3 archlinux.org

Sync System Clock

timedatectl set-ntp true

# Verify
timedatectl status

Disk Partitioning: Don't Fuck This Up {#partitioning}

This is where most people panic. Don't worry, I'll walk you through it.

Understanding Partition Schemes

UEFI Systems Need:

EFI System Partition (ESP) - 512MB, FAT32
Root Partition (/) - Rest of disk (or split it up)
Swap (optional but recommended)

BIOS Systems Need:

Root Partition (/) - Whole disk
Swap (optional)

Check Your Disks

lsblk

# Or more detailed:
fdisk -l

You'll see something like /dev/sda, /dev/nvme0n1, etc. That's your disk.

Partitioning Methods

Method 1: fdisk (BIOS Legacy)

fdisk /dev/sda

# Commands:
# g - create new GPT partition table
# n - new partition
# t - change partition type
# w - write changes and exit
# q - quit without saving

Method 2: gdisk (UEFI - Recommended)

gdisk /dev/sda

# Same commands as fdisk but with GPT support

Method 3: cfdisk (Beginner-Friendly)

cfdisk /dev/sda

# Use arrow keys and Enter
# Much easier to visualize

Example UEFI Partitioning Scheme

Let's say you have a 500GB disk (/dev/sda):

cfdisk /dev/sda

# Select 'gpt' when asked

# Create partitions:
# 1. EFI: 512MB, Type: EFI System
# 2. Swap: 8GB (or 2x your RAM), Type: Linux swap
# 3. Root: Remaining space, Type: Linux filesystem

# Write and quit

Result:

/dev/sda1 - 512MB  - EFI System Partition
/dev/sda2 - 8GB    - Swap
/dev/sda3 - 491GB  - Root (/)

Advanced: Separate /home Partition

Why?

Reinstall without losing personal data
Easier backups
Quota control

Scheme:

/dev/sda1 - 512MB  - EFI
/dev/sda2 - 8GB    - Swap
/dev/sda3 - 50GB   - Root (/)
/dev/sda4 - 441GB  - Home (/home)

Format the Partitions

# EFI Partition (FAT32)
mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/sda1

# Root Partition (ext4)
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda3

# Swap
mkswap /dev/sda2
swapon /dev/sda2

# Home (if you made one)
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda4

Advanced Filesystem Options:

Btrfs (Modern, has snapshots):

mkfs.btrfs /dev/sda3

XFS (Better for large files):

mkfs.xfs /dev/sda3

ext4 with optimization:

mkfs.ext4 -L "ArchRoot" -O ^has_journal /dev/sda3
# -L: Label
# -O ^has_journal: Disable journaling for SSDs (faster, slightly risky)

Mount the Partitions

# Mount root
mount /dev/sda3 /mnt

# Create and mount EFI
mkdir -p /mnt/boot
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot

# If you have separate /home:
mkdir -p /mnt/home
mount /dev/sda4 /mnt/home

Verify:

lsblk

Installation: The Core System {#installation}

Select Mirrors (For Faster Downloads)

# Backup original
cp /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.backup

# Use reflector to auto-select fastest mirrors
reflector --country US,Canada --age 12 --protocol https --sort rate --save /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

# Or manually edit
nano /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
# Move your country's mirrors to the top

Install Base System

# Minimal installation
pacstrap /mnt base linux linux-firmware

# Recommended installation (includes useful tools)
pacstrap /mnt base base-devel linux linux-firmware \
  vim nano sudo networkmanager \
  man-db man-pages texinfo

What's Being Installed:

base: Core system utilities
base-devel: Compilation tools (needed for AUR)
linux: The kernel
linux-firmware: Firmware for hardware
vim/nano: Text editors
sudo: Run commands as root
networkmanager: Manage network connections
man-db/man-pages: Documentation

Advanced: Different Kernels

# LTS kernel (more stable, older)
pacstrap /mnt linux-lts linux-lts-headers

# Zen kernel (optimized for performance)
pacstrap /mnt linux-zen linux-zen-headers

# Hardened kernel (security-focused)
pacstrap /mnt linux-hardened linux-hardened-headers

Generate Fstab

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

# Verify it looks correct
cat /mnt/etc/fstab

What is fstab? It tells Linux which partitions to mount at boot and where.

Chroot Into New System

arch-chroot /mnt

You're now inside your new Arch installation!

System Configuration {#installation}

Set Timezone

# List timezones
ls /usr/share/zoneinfo/

# Set yours
ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/America/New_York /etc/localtime

# Generate /etc/adjtime
hwclock --systohc

Localization

# Edit locale.gen
nano /etc/locale.gen

# Uncomment your locale (e.g., en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8)
# Save and exit

# Generate locale
locale-gen

# Set LANG variable
echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf

Network Configuration

# Set hostname
echo "yourarchbox" > /etc/hostname

# Configure hosts file
nano /etc/hosts

Add:

127.0.0.1    localhost
::1          localhost
127.0.1.1    yourarchbox.localdomain yourarchbox

Set Root Password

passwd

# Type a STRONG password (you'll need this)

Create User Account

# Create user
useradd -m -G wheel,audio,video,optical,storage -s /bin/bash yourusername

# Set password
passwd yourusername

# Enable sudo
EDITOR=nano visudo

# Uncomment this line:
%wheel ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL

What the Groups Mean:

wheel: Sudo access
audio: Audio devices
video: Video/GPU access
optical: CD/DVD drives
storage: External storage

Bootloader: Making It Actually Boot {#bootloader}

GRUB (Most Popular)

UEFI Installation:

# Install GRUB and efibootmgr
pacman -S grub efibootmgr

# Install to EFI partition
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB

# Generate config
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

BIOS Installation:

pacman -S grub

grub-install --target=i386-pc /dev/sda

grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

systemd-boot (Simpler, UEFI Only)

bootctl install

# Create entry
nano /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf

Add:

title   Arch Linux
linux   /vmlinuz-linux
initrd  /initramfs-linux.img
options root=/dev/sda3 rw

Configure loader:

nano /boot/loader/loader.conf

Add:

default arch.conf
timeout 3
console-mode max
editor no

rEFInd (Advanced, Beautiful)

pacman -S refind

refind-install

# Generates config automatically
# Customize at /boot/EFI/refind/refind.conf

Post-Installation: Making It Usable {#post-installation}

Enable NetworkManager

systemctl enable NetworkManager

Install Microcode

Intel:

pacman -S intel-ucode
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

AMD:

pacman -S amd-ucode
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Exit and Reboot

exit              # Leave chroot
umount -R /mnt    # Unmount partitions
reboot            # Remove USB when prompted

First Boot

Enable WiFi:

nmcli device wifi list
nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "your-password"

Update System:

sudo pacman -Syu

Advanced Configuration {#advanced}

Install AUR Helper (yay)

cd /tmp
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si

Now you can install AUR packages:

yay -S package-name

Install Desktop Environment

KDE Plasma (Feature-rich):

sudo pacman -S plasma-meta kde-applications sddm
sudo systemctl enable sddm

GNOME (Modern, clean):

sudo pacman -S gnome gnome-extra gdm
sudo systemctl enable gdm

XFCE (Lightweight):

sudo pacman -S xfce4 xfce4-goodies lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter
sudo systemctl enable lightdm

Minimal Window Manager (See my ricing guide for this!):

sudo pacman -S i3-wm i3status i3lock dmenu
# Or Hyprland, bspwm, etc.

Graphics Drivers

NVIDIA (Proprietary):

sudo pacman -S nvidia nvidia-utils nvidia-settings

NVIDIA (Open-source):

sudo pacman -S xf86-video-nouveau

AMD:

sudo pacman -S xf86-video-amdgpu vulkan-radeon

Intel:

sudo pacman -S xf86-video-intel vulkan-intel

Audio Setup

# PipeWire (modern, recommended)
sudo pacman -S pipewire pipewire-pulse pipewire-alsa pipewire-jack \
  wireplumber pavucontrol

# Or PulseAudio (traditional)
sudo pacman -S pulseaudio pulseaudio-alsa pavucontrol

Essential Tools

sudo pacman -S \
  firefox \
  git \
  wget \
  curl \
  htop \
  neofetch \
  tree \
  unzip \
  zip \
  p7zip \
  ffmpeg \
  imagemagick \
  vlc \
  code \
  discord \
  obs-studio

Performance Optimization

Enable Parallel Downloads:

sudo nano /etc/pacman.conf

# Uncomment:
ParallelDownloads = 5

Reduce Swappiness:

echo "vm.swappiness=10" | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.d/99-swappiness.conf

Enable TRIM for SSDs:

sudo systemctl enable fstrim.timer

Optimize makepkg:

sudo nano /etc/makepkg.conf

# Find and edit:
MAKEFLAGS="-j$(nproc)"
COMPRESSXZ=(xz -c -z - --threads=0)
COMPRESSZST=(zstd -c -z -q - --threads=0)

Security Hardening

Firewall:

sudo pacman -S ufw
sudo ufw default deny incoming
sudo ufw default allow outgoing
sudo ufw enable
sudo systemctl enable ufw

Fail2ban:

sudo pacman -S fail2ban
sudo systemctl enable fail2ban

AppArmor:

sudo pacman -S apparmor
# Add to GRUB: apparmor=1 security=apparmor
sudo nano /etc/default/grub
# Add to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
sudo systemctl enable apparmor

Common Fuckups and How to Fix Them {#troubleshooting}

"No such file or directory" when booting

Problem: Wrong root partition in bootloader config

Fix:

Boot from USB again
Mount your partitions
arch-chroot /mnt
Reinstall bootloader
Check /etc/fstab for correct UUIDs

Can't connect to WiFi

Fix:

sudo systemctl start NetworkManager
sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager
nmcli device wifi connect "SSID" password "password"

Black screen after boot

Problem: Graphics driver issue

Fix:

Boot into TTY (Ctrl+Alt+F2)
Login
Install correct drivers
Reboot

Forgot root password

Fix:

Boot from USB
Mount root: mount /dev/sda3 /mnt
Chroot: arch-chroot /mnt
Reset: passwd
Reboot

Package conflicts

Fix:

# Remove conflicting package
sudo pacman -Rdd package-name

# Force overwrite
sudo pacman -S package-name --overwrite '*'

System clock is wrong

Fix:

sudo timedatectl set-ntp true
sudo hwclock --systohc

"Signature is unknown trust" errors

Fix:

sudo pacman-key --init
sudo pacman-key --populate archlinux
sudo pacman -Sy archlinux-keyring

Advanced Tips and Tricks

Snapshots with Btrfs

If you used Btrfs:

sudo pacman -S snapper
sudo snapper -c root create-config /
sudo snapper list
sudo snapper create --description "Before update"

Automated Backups

yay -S timeshift
# GUI for system snapshots

Power Management (Laptops)

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

Custom Kernel Parameters

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

# Example optimizations:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nowatchdog"

sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Plymouth (Boot Splash)

yay -S plymouth
# Edit mkinitcpio.conf and GRUB
# Full guide: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Plymouth

Final Thoughts

Congratulations! You've installed Arch Linux and hopefully learned a fuck-ton along the way. You now have a minimal, fast, and customizable system that you actually understand.

What's Next?

Check out my Linux Ricing guide for making it look sexy
Set up a tiling window manager (i3, bspwm, Hyprland)
Explore the AUR
Break shit and fix it (that's how you learn)
Join r/unixporn and flex your setup

Remember: The Arch Wiki is your best friend. Whenever you want to configure something, search "arch wiki [thing]" and you'll find the answer.

Now go forth and rice the fuck out of your system.

I use Arch btw. And now, so do you. 🔥

Write the ISO (replace /dev/sdX with your USB device)

sudo dd bs=4M if=archlinux-2024.12.01-x86_64.iso of=/dev/sdX status=progress oflag=sync


**On Windows:**
- Download [Rufus](https://rufus.ie/)
- Select your ISO and USB drive
- Click Start (use DD mode if prompted)

**On macOS:**
```bash
# Find your USB
diskutil list

# Unmount it (replace diskN with your USB)
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskN

# Write the ISO
sudo dd if=archlinux-2024.12.01-x86_64.iso of=/dev/rdiskN bs=1m

Boot into Arch Live Environment

Restart your computer
Press F2/F12/Del (depends on your motherboard) to enter boot menu
Select your USB drive
You should see the Arch Linux boot menu—select the first option

If you see a command prompt with root@archiso ~ #, congrats! You're in.

Step 1: Verify Boot Mode

First, let's check if you're running UEFI or BIOS (most modern systems use UEFI):

ls /sys/firmware/efi/efivars

If you see files, you're using UEFI. If you get an error, you're using BIOS. Remember this for later!

Step 2: Connect to Internet

Wired connection: Should work automatically. Test with:

ping archlinux.org

WiFi:

# Start iwctl
iwctl

# Inside iwctl:
device list                    # Find your wifi device (usually wlan0)
station wlan0 scan            # Scan for networks
station wlan0 get-networks    # List networks
station wlan0 connect "YourWiFiName"  # Connect
exit

# Test connection
ping archlinux.org

Press Ctrl+C to stop the ping.

Step 3: Update System Clock

timedatectl set-ntp true
timedatectl status

Step 4: Partition Your Disk

⚠️ WARNING: This will erase data. Make sure you're working on the right disk!

Find Your Disk

lsblk

Look for your main disk (usually /dev/sda for HDDs or /dev/nvme0n1 for NVMe SSDs).

Partition with cfdisk (Easier for Beginners)

cfdisk /dev/sda  # Replace with your disk

Select GPT (for UEFI) or DOS (for BIOS).

For UEFI Systems:

Create these partitions:

EFI System Partition: 512MB, Type: EFI System
Swap (optional): 2-4GB or equal to your RAM, Type: Linux swap
Root: Rest of the disk, Type: Linux filesystem

For BIOS Systems:

Swap (optional): 2-4GB, Type: Linux swap
Root: Rest of the disk, Type: Linux filesystem

Hit Write, type yes, then Quit.

Step 5: Format the Partitions

For UEFI:

# Format EFI partition
mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/sda1

# Format swap
mkswap /dev/sda2
swapon /dev/sda2

# Format root
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda3

For BIOS:

# Format swap (if created)
mkswap /dev/sda1
swapon /dev/sda1

# Format root
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda2  # or /dev/sda1 if no swap

Step 6: Mount the File Systems

For UEFI:

# Mount root
mount /dev/sda3 /mnt

# Create and mount EFI
mkdir -p /mnt/boot/efi
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi

For BIOS:

# Mount root (adjust partition number if you created swap)
mount /dev/sda2 /mnt

Step 7: Install Base System

This is where the magic happens:

pacstrap /mnt base linux linux-firmware base-devel vim nano networkmanager sudo

This will take a few minutes. Grab that coffee! ☕

What did we just install?

base: Essential packages
linux: The Linux kernel
linux-firmware: Firmware for hardware
base-devel: Tools for building software
vim/nano: Text editors (choose your fighter!)
networkmanager: To get internet after reboot
sudo: To run commands as root

Step 8: Generate fstab

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

This tells your system what partitions to mount on boot.

Step 9: Chroot into New System

arch-chroot /mnt

You're now inside your new Arch installation!

Step 10: Set Time Zone

# List available timezones
ls /usr/share/zoneinfo/

# Set your timezone (example for India)
ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Asia/Kolkata /etc/localtime

# Generate /etc/adjtime
hwclock --systohc

Step 11: Localization

# Edit locale.gen
nano /etc/locale.gen

Uncomment your locale (e.g., en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8).

Press Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter to save.

# Generate locales
locale-gen

# Set LANG variable
echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf

Step 12: Network Configuration

# Set your hostname
echo "arch-vinay" > /etc/hostname

# Edit hosts file
nano /etc/hosts

Add these lines:

127.0.0.1    localhost
::1          localhost
127.0.1.1    arch-vinay.localdomain    arch-vinay

Enable NetworkManager:

systemctl enable NetworkManager

Step 13: Set Root Password

passwd

Enter a strong password (you won't see characters as you type—this is normal).

Step 14: Install Bootloader

For UEFI:

# Install GRUB and efibootmgr
pacman -S grub efibootmgr

# Install GRUB to EFI
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=GRUB

# Generate config
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

For BIOS:

# Install GRUB
pacman -S grub

# Install to disk (NOT a partition)
grub-install --target=i386-pc /dev/sda

# Generate config
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Step 15: Create Your User

# Add user (replace 'vinay' with your username)
useradd -m -G wheel -s /bin/bash vinay

# Set password
passwd vinay

# Give sudo privileges
EDITOR=nano visudo

Uncomment this line:

%wheel ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL

Save and exit (Ctrl+X, Y, Enter).

Step 16: Install a Desktop Environment (Optional but Recommended)

Let's install a lightweight desktop to get you started:

# Install Xorg (display server)
pacman -S xorg

# Install a desktop environment
# Choose ONE:

# 1. GNOME (beautiful, user-friendly)
pacman -S gnome gnome-tweaks
systemctl enable gdm

# 2. KDE Plasma (highly customizable)
pacman -S plasma kde-applications
systemctl enable sddm

# 3. XFCE (lightweight, simple)
pacman -S xfce4 xfce4-goodies lightdm lightdm-gtk-greeter
systemctl enable lightdm

# 4. Or go minimal with a window manager (we'll cover this in the ricing blog!)

Step 17: Reboot!

# Exit chroot
exit

# Unmount partitions
umount -R /mnt

# Reboot
reboot

Remove your USB when the system restarts.

First Boot: What Now?

Congrats! If you see a login screen, you did it! 🎉

Connect to WiFi (if needed)

nmcli device wifi list
nmcli device wifi connect "YourWiFiName" password "YourPassword"

Update Your System

sudo pacman -Syu

Install Essential Tools

# Install yay (AUR helper)
sudo pacman -S git
cd /tmp
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si

# Now you can install AUR packages with yay!

Common Issues and Fixes

"No bootable device" after reboot

Boot back into live USB
Mount your partitions
arch-chroot /mnt
Reinstall GRUB (see Step 14)

WiFi not working

sudo systemctl start NetworkManager
sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager

"Cannot find device" errors

Double-check partition names with lsblk. NVMe drives use /dev/nvme0n1p1 format instead of /dev/sda1.

Black screen after GRUB

Add nomodeset to GRUB parameters temporarily, then install proper graphics drivers.

What's Next?

Now that you have Arch running, it's time to make it yours. Check out my next blog post on "Ricing Your Linux Setup" where we'll transform this basic installation into a stunning, personalized desktop environment.

You've joined the club. Welcome! Now you can say "I use Arch btw" with pride. 😎

Resources

Arch Wiki Installation Guide - The official guide
Arch Forums - Friendly community for help
r/archlinux - Reddit community

Remember: Every Arch user was once where you are. Don't be afraid to ask questions, read the wiki, and experiment. That's how you learn!

Happy hacking! 🐧

Table of Contents

Understanding What the Fuck You're Getting Into {#understanding}

Why Arch? (The Real Reasons)

What You Actually Need to Know

Prerequisites

Pre-Installation: The Basics {#pre-installation}

Step 1: Create Bootable USB

Step 2: BIOS/UEFI Settings

Booting Into the Live Environment {#booting}

What You'll See

Verify UEFI Mode

Connect to Internet

Sync System Clock

Disk Partitioning: Don't Fuck This Up {#partitioning}

Understanding Partition Schemes

Check Your Disks

Partitioning Methods

Example UEFI Partitioning Scheme

Advanced: Separate /home Partition

Format the Partitions

Mount the Partitions

Installation: The Core System {#installation}

Select Mirrors (For Faster Downloads)

Install Base System

Generate Fstab

Chroot Into New System

System Configuration {#installation}

Set Timezone

Localization

Network Configuration

Set Root Password

Create User Account

Bootloader: Making It Actually Boot {#bootloader}

GRUB (Most Popular)

systemd-boot (Simpler, UEFI Only)

rEFInd (Advanced, Beautiful)

Post-Installation: Making It Usable {#post-installation}

Enable NetworkManager

Install Microcode

Exit and Reboot

First Boot

Advanced Configuration {#advanced}

Install AUR Helper (yay)

Install Desktop Environment

Graphics Drivers

Audio Setup

Essential Tools

Performance Optimization

Security Hardening

Common Fuckups and How to Fix Them {#troubleshooting}

"No such file or directory" when booting

Can't connect to WiFi

Black screen after boot

Forgot root password

Package conflicts

System clock is wrong

"Signature is unknown trust" errors

Advanced Tips and Tricks

Snapshots with Btrfs

Automated Backups

Power Management (Laptops)

Custom Kernel Parameters

Plymouth (Boot Splash)

Final Thoughts

Write the ISO (replace /dev/sdX with your USB device)

Boot into Arch Live Environment

Step 1: Verify Boot Mode

Step 2: Connect to Internet

Step 3: Update System Clock

Step 4: Partition Your Disk

Find Your Disk

Partition with cfdisk (Easier for Beginners)

For UEFI Systems:

For BIOS Systems:

Step 5: Format the Partitions

Step 6: Mount the File Systems

Step 7: Install Base System

Step 8: Generate fstab

Step 9: Chroot into New System

Step 10: Set Time Zone