How to Install Arch Linux: The Complete 2024 Guide (2024)

Are you someone who enjoys customizing your computer to the finest detail? Do you consider it to be a hobby? If yes, then Arch Linux might be just the right choice for you. Arch Linux is not just another Linux distribution; it’s a unique philosophy that focuses on learning and understanding the inner workings of your system. However, it’s not an easy choice for those who are faint-hearted. If you are up for a challenging experience, I can guide you through the process of installing Arch Linux.

Why Arch Linux?

Before we dive in, let’s talk about why you might choose Arch Linux. For starters, its rolling release model ensures you’re always up to date with the latest software. Then there’s the Arch User Repository (AUR), a treasure trove of software contributed by users. But my favorite part? The unparalleled level of customization. You start with a minimal base and build your system exactly how you want it. It’s like Lego for adults, but with software!

Install Arch Linux on your PC

In this tutorial, we will be installing a basic Arch Linux system using the full disk to a computer or virtual machine(VM).

Pre-installation checks

First things first, ensure your machine meets the minimum requirements for Arch Linux. You’ll need an x86_64 (64-bit) compatible machine. I’d recommend at least 2GB of RAM and 20GB of storage for a comfortable experience, though you can get by with less if you’re going minimalist.

Step 1: Download the Arch ISO

Head over to the Arch Linux download page and grab the latest ISO image. I usually go for the direct download, but the torrent option is great for faster downloads and helping reduce load on the servers.

Step 2: Create an Arch Linux bootable USB

Once the ISO is downloaded, you’ll need to flash it to a USB drive. There are multiple ways to create a bootable Arch Linux USB drive. One of the easiest methods is to use a utility such as Etcher, which is compatible with Windows, Linux, and Mac operating systems and offers a user-friendly graphical interface to create and verify the USB drive. However, if you prefer using the command line interface, I can guide you through that process as well.

GUI way using Balena Etcher:
Refer to our step-by-step guide: Creating Arch Linux Live USB on Windows, Linux, and Mac

Command-line way using dd:
I’m a big fan of dd for its simplicity, but feel free to use any tool you’re comfortable with. Here’s how I do it with dd:

sudo dd bs=4M if=path/to/archlinux.iso of=/dev/sdx status=progress oflag=sync

Replace /dev/sdx with your USB drive’s device identifier (be very careful with this; choosing the wrong device could overwrite your data). You can find this with the lsblk command.

Step 3: Boot into the Arch installer

Plug the USB drive into your target machine and boot it up. You might need to hit a key like F12, F2, or Del to choose the boot device. Select your USB drive, and you should be greeted by the Arch Linux boot menu.

Step 4: Start the installation process

Now we will boot into the installation USB drive. Once it loads, you should be greeted with a screen like the one below.

From here, press enter to boot Arch Linux.

Step 5: Set the keyboard layout

The default keyboard layout is US. If you need a different layout, list the available ones with:

ls /usr/share/kbd/keymaps/**/*.map.gz

Then load your preferred layout. For example, for UK, use:

loadkeys uk

Step 6: Check your internet connection

If you’re using Ethernet, you should be connected automatically. For Wi-Fi, use iwctl to connect:

iwctl[iwd]# device list[iwd]# station device scan[iwd]# station device get-networks[iwd]# station device connect SSID

Replace device with your Wi-Fi device name and SSID with your network’s SSID.

After you are done connecting, you can check your internet connection by using the ping command:

# ping -c 3 google.com

Step 7: Update the system clock (enable NTP)

We must enable Network Time Protocol (NTP) to allow the system to update the time via the network. To do this, run:

timedatectl set-ntp true

Step 8: Partition the hard drive

This is where things get personal. Some folks love separate partitions for everything; I prefer keeping it simple. For this guide, we’ll create two partitions: one for the root filesystem and one for swap.

To begin, use fdisk to list all available drives:

fdisk -l

NOTE: The output you get from fdisk may be different from that in the screenshot below.

Make a note of the name of the disk you wish to partition. Now, we will use cfdisk, a partition manager, to partition the drives:

NOTE: In cfdisk, use the arrow keys to navigate and the enter key to select.

cfdisk /dev/sdX

Where X refers to the letter of the drive, you wish to partition.

You should be greeted by a screen asking you to select the label type. In most cases, this will be “dos.”

Highlight the label type and press enter. A screen similar to the one below should be displayed.

Now we will create the partitions. To do this, select “New”. You will be prompted to enter the partition size. Be sure to leave enough room to create another partition for your swap space, which will be twice the amount of RAM.

Next, you will be asked if the partition should be primary or extended. Select “primary”.

Now make the partition bootable by selecting “Bootable”. Your screen should look similar to the one below.

Now, using the same process as before, utilizing the remainder of the space on the drive, create another primary partition. Do not make this partition bootable.

The partition type needs to be changed from “83 Linux” to “82 Linux swap / Solaris”. To do this, select “Type” on the swap partition and select “82 Linux swap / Solaris”, as shown below.

Now, write the changes to the drive. To do so, select “Write” and type “yes”, as shown below.

You may now exit `cfdisk` by selecting “Quit”.

Step 9: Create filesystem

Now that the drive has been partitioned, we can create the filesystem. There are several options for this, but for this tutorial, we will use the ext4 filesystem. To create the filesystem, use:

mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX1

Step 10: Create swap space

Next, we will create a swap space. Swap space in Linux is a hard drive space that acts as extra RAM. To do this, run:

mkswap /dev/sdX2

Step 11. Mount the filesystem and swap space

Now that both the filesystem and swap space have been created, they must be mounted. To do this, we will use the following commands:

mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt

swapon /dev/sdX2

These commands will mount the filesystem and activate the swap space, respectively.

Step 12: Install the base system

Next, we will use the pacstrap utility to download and install all the necessary components of Arch Linux. To use pacstrap, run:

pacstrap /mnt base base-devel

NOTE: This step may take some time.

Alternatively, use the pacstrap script to install the base package group and a kernel (I usually go with the Linux kernel, but linux-lts is a great choice for older hardware):

pacstrap /mnt base linux linux-firmware

Step 13. Generate the fstab file

Generate an fstab file to define how disk partitions, block devices, or remote file systems are mounted into the filesystem:

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

Step 14: Chroot into Arch Linux

After pacstrap is done running, we will chroot into the newly installed Arch Linux system by using arch-chroot:

arch-chroot /mnt

Step 15: Set the time zone

Set the time zone by creating a symbolic link from /usr/share/zoneinfo/Region/City to /etc/localtime. Replace Region/City with your time zone. For example:

ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/London /etc/localtime

Run hwclock to generate /etc/adjtime:

hwclock --systohc

Update the hardware clock with:

hwclock --systohc

Step 16: Generate locale file

Edit /etc/locale.gen and uncomment the locales you need, then generate them:

locale-gen

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

echo "myarch" > /etc/hostname

echo -e "127.0.0.1\tlocalhost\n::1\tlocalhost\n127.0.1.1\tmyarch.localdomain\tmyarch" >> /e

systemctl enable dhcpcd

mkinitcpio -P

passwd

pacman -S grubgrub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB

grub-install /dev/sdX

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

exitumount -R /mntreboot

useradd -m -G wheel -s /bin/bash your_usernamepasswd your_username

pacman -S sudoEDITOR=nano visudo

pacman -S gnomesystemctl enable gdm

pacman -S plasma sddmsystemctl enable sddm