A simple, fast, and easy way of installing Arch Linux!

Tried and tested on a Virtualbox — and it should be the same process across any non-virtual environment as well… PS: Requires the need of reading documentation for few of the commands..Need based…

Though not to forget the Kali Linux stories or for people of the 1980s like us who got the ‘Debian Sarge-d’ — its always a myth and a misconception that installing and using Arch Linux is a tough job…

I spent like over 3 days to install Arch Linux on an Apple’s M1 Air — thanks to less experience using the UTM app and the troublesome and less documented aarch64 architecture… This could be another article.. Let me know if you are interested…

Now coming to the main topic of the ‘myth’ that installing an Arch is not easy and most of us stop at the Neofetch command is unfortunately wrong..

Let's go through the steps and justify the above statement.

1. Download the latest ISO file of the OS from archlinux.org
2. Create a Arch 32/64 bit VirtualBox environment with: a minimum of 4GB RAM, 20 GB virtualdisk. Dont forget to load the ISO into the settings CD tab.
3. Start the OS from the Virtualbox software
4. Once the bare metal OS is loaded, issue the command:

python -m archinstall guided

5. Manage a few trivial configurations with this software — it could be setting the root and user account passwords or setting the partition setup (if you are a newbie — allow guided use here as well)

6. Don't forget to save the configuration and type on the “Install” function

6. After a proper grub-install /dev/sda command — I think you should be ready for using the Arch.

Thats it…Simple isn't it??

Now, last remove the CD from the VirtualBox settings and boot the installed OS

First things first after a fresh install:

1. Create a new user (if not done earlier) — allocate all the required group permissions
2. Update the database with the pacman -Syu command
3. Install a dhcpcd server for internet — you may need to arch-chroot if not done at the first stage
4. Setup any simple Desktop Environment — best could be an i3 / xfce
5. Setup X and could be xf86-video if the previous step fails to load the UI.

You should see the below image if followed correctly…

Let me know if you need detail steps — I will write them as my next set of articles..

Keep reading and learning.. Till the next time — adios!!!