Arch Linux Nightmare

Installing Arch Linux with KDE Plasma or GNOME Desktop

Hi Guys! Most of us today maybe using Windows as our daily driver. For most daily tasks, windows is more than enough. But the question you need to be asking is, is windows really necessary?

Is your computer getting slow running windows? Do you have an old or low end PC which lags while running windows? Do you wish to switch to something light, something which will run smoothly on most hardware configurations? Then you are in the right place.

Today we will be seeing how you can dual boot Arch Linux with Windows.

Why Arch Linux?

Arch Linux is ranked as one of the best and lightest Linux distros. It is highly customizable and can be configured according to the user's needs. Unlike other popular distros like Ubuntu which is based on Debian, Arch Linux was built from scratch independent of any other Linux distribution.

Arch Linux is a rolling release which means that it eradicates the system update frenzy that users of other distro types go through. Because it's a rolling release, its core system is always up to date with the latest fixes and new features.

Prerequisites

• A bootable USB of at least 8Gb size
• UEFI BIOS mode on your PC
• Basic understanding of Linux Bash

I recommend everyone to use the Arch wiki as it will teach you the fundamentals of how to install and manage an operating system.

Step-by-Step Installation

Step 0: Creating the Bootable USB

1. Download the Arch Linux ISO
2. Download Rufus
3. Insert pen drive into the PC and open Rufus
4. Open the Arch Linux ISO in Rufus
5. Click on start and wait for the process to finish

Step 1: Partitioning Windows

Go to windows disk management tool and select the disk you want to install Arch Linux on. Right-click and tap on shrink volume, allocate the necessary size required for the arch Linux partition (Min 10 Gb).

Step 2: Live Boot Into Installation Media

1. Reboot your system and go into the boot manager
2. Boot into the USB device
3. Connect to the internet using wifi-menu
4. Test connection with ping google.com

Step 3: Create Linux Partitions

Set the clock on the system:

timedatectl set-ntp true

Type the following commands to create three partitions required for the Arch Linux installation:

fdisk -l
fdisk /dev/<disk_name>

Installing the System

After partitioning, mount the filesystems and install the base system:

pacstrap /mnt base linux linux-firmware

Generate fstab:

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

Congratulations!

If you've followed along, you now have a working Arch Linux installation! The feeling of setting up your own system from scratch is incredibly rewarding.

Pro tip: Always keep the Arch Wiki bookmarked. It's one of the best resources in the Linux community.