Arch Linux Installation Guide - Minimal Profile

This guide walks you through installing Arch Linux using the archinstall script with a minimal desktop profile.

Prerequisites

• A computer with UEFI firmware
• At least 2GB RAM and 20GB storage
• Stable internet connection
• USB drive (4GB minimum)

Step 1: Create Bootable USB

Download Required Files

1. Download the latest Arch Linux ISO from the official website
2. Download Ventoy for your operating system

Create Bootable USB

1. Extract the Ventoy archive
2. Run Ventoy and select your USB drive
3. Install Ventoy to the USB drive
4. Copy the Arch Linux ISO file to the USB drive

Note: For detailed Ventoy instructions, see this guide

Step 2: Boot from USB

1. Insert the USB drive and restart your computer
2. Press the boot menu key (usually F12, F2, or Del) during startup
3. Select your USB drive from the boot menu
4. Choose the Arch Linux ISO from Ventoy's menu
5. Select "Boot in normal mode"

Step 3: Connect to Internet

Wired Connection

Wired connections work automatically - no configuration needed.

Wireless Connection

Use the iwctl utility for WiFi setup:

sh

iwctl

From the [iwd]# prompt, list available devices and connect:

sh

[iwd]# device list
[iwd]# station wlan0 scan
[iwd]# station wlan0 get-networks
[iwd]# station wlan0 connect "Your-WiFi-Name"

Enter your WiFi password when prompted, then exit with Ctrl+D.

Verify Connection

sh

ping -c 3 archlinux.org

Step 4: Prepare Disk Partitions

View Available Disks

sh

lsblk

Create Partitions

Use cfdisk to create partitions:

sh

cfdisk /dev/sdX  # Replace X with your disk letter

Create these three partitions:

Partition	Size	Type	Purpose
/dev/sdX1	512MB	EFI System	Boot partition
/dev/sdX2	4-8GB	Linux swap	Swap space
/dev/sdX3	Remaining	Linux filesystem	Root partition

Format Partitions

Replace /dev/sdX# with your actual partition paths:

sh

# Format root partition
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX3

# Format EFI partition
mkfs.vfat -F 32 /dev/sdX1

# Create swap
mkswap /dev/sdX2

Mount Partitions

sh

# Create mount point and mount root
mkdir /mnt/archinstall
mount /dev/sdX3 /mnt/archinstall

# Mount EFI partition
mkdir /mnt/archinstall/boot
mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt/archinstall/boot

# Enable swap
swapon /dev/sdX2

Step 5: Update System and Launch Installer

sh

# Update package database and install latest archinstall
pacman -Sy archinstall archlinux-keyring

# Launch the installer
archinstall

Step 6: Configure Installation

The archinstall script will present a menu. Configure each option:

Required Settings

1. Locales

   • Keyboard layout: Select your keyboard layout
   • Locale language: Choose your language (e.g., en_US)
   • Locale encoding: UTF-8 (default)

2. Mirrors

   • Select mirror region closest to your location

3. Disk configuration

   • Choose "Partitioning"
   • Select "Pre-mounted configuration"
   • Enter mount point: /mnt/archinstall

4. Swap

   • Enable if you created a swap partition

5. Bootloader

   • Recommended: grub-install for broader compatibility
   • Alternative: systemd-bootctl for UEFI systems

6. Hostname

   • Enter a name for your computer (e.g., arch)

7. Root password

   • Set a strong password for the root account

8. User account

   • Create a regular user account
   • Add to user account to sudo group access

Profile and Software

9. Profile

   • Select "Type" → "Minimal"
   • This installs a base system without desktop environment

10. Audio

    • Select "Pipewire" (modern audio system)

11. Kernels

    • Keep default "linux" kernel
    • Add "linux-lts" for stability if desired

12. Network configuration

    • Select "Use NetworkManager"

13. Additional packages

    • Add essential packages: git vim

14. Optional repositories

    • Enable multilib for 32-bit application support

Final Settings

15. Timezone

    • Select your timezone

16. Automatic time sync (NTP)

    • Leave enabled (recommended)

Step 7: Install System

1. Review all settings carefully
2. Select "Install" to begin the installation
3. Confirm when prompted
4. Wait for installation to complete (10-30 minutes)

Step 8: Post-Installation

1. When installation completes, remove the USB drive

2. Reboot the system:

   sh

   reboot

3. Log in with your user account

4. Update the system:

   sh

   sudo pacman -Syu

Next Steps

Your minimal Arch Linux system is now ready!

Congratulations! 🎉 You've successfully installed Arch Linux and can now proudly say "I use Arch, btw!"