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Arch Linux Archinstall Guide

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Mattscreative edited this page Dec 5, 2025 · 2 revisions

Arch Linux Archinstall Guide

Complete beginner-friendly guide to using Archinstall, the interactive installer for Arch Linux, covering installation steps, configuration options, and troubleshooting.

Table of Contents

  1. What is Archinstall?
  2. Prerequisites
  3. Starting Archinstall
  4. Installation Steps
  5. Configuration Options
  6. Post-Installation
  7. Troubleshooting

What is Archinstall?

Overview

Archinstall is an interactive, guided installer for Arch Linux.

Benefits:

  • Easier for beginners: Guided setup process
  • Faster installation: Automated steps
  • Less error-prone: Validates configuration
  • Still customizable: Configure most options

Current Version (2025)

Archinstall 3.0.12 (November 2025):

  • Improved reliability
  • Enhanced security features
  • Better hardware detection
  • Simplified configuration

When to Use Archinstall

Use Archinstall if:

  • You're new to Arch Linux
  • You want faster installation
  • You prefer guided setup
  • You want to learn gradually

Use manual installation if:

  • You need full control
  • You want to understand every step
  • You have special requirements
  • You're learning system administration

Prerequisites

What You Need

Before starting:

  • Bootable USB drive with Arch Linux ISO (November 2025+ recommended)
  • Internet connection (wired recommended)
  • Backup of important data
  • At least 30-60 minutes available
  • Hardware specifications noted

System Requirements

Minimum:

  • 64-bit CPU (x86-64)
  • 2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended)
  • 20 GB disk space (40 GB recommended)

Recommended:

  • 8 GB+ RAM
  • 50 GB+ disk space
  • SSD for system drive
  • Wired internet connection

Starting Archinstall

Boot from USB

Steps:

  1. Insert USB drive with Arch Linux ISO
  2. Power on computer
  3. Access boot menu (F12, F8, F10, or Esc)
  4. Select USB drive from boot menu
  5. Wait for boot - You'll see Arch Linux boot messages

Launch Archinstall

After booting:

# You'll see a terminal prompt:
root@archiso ~ #

# Run archinstall
archinstall

What happens:

  • Archinstall starts
  • Shows welcome screen
  • Begins interactive setup

Installation Steps

Step 1: Language Selection

Choose language:

Select language:
1. English
2. Spanish
3. French
... (more options)

Select your preferred language (usually 1 for English)

Step 2: Keyboard Layout

Choose keyboard:

Select keyboard layout:
1. us (US English)
2. uk (UK English)
3. de (German)
... (more options)

Select your keyboard layout (usually 1 for US)

Step 3: Disk Selection

Choose disk:

Select disk:
1. /dev/sda (500 GB)
2. /dev/sdb (1 TB)
... (list of available disks)

Important:

  • This will erase the selected disk
  • Choose the correct disk
  • Backup important data first

Step 4: Disk Layout

Choose partitioning:

Select disk layout:
1. Default layout
2. Manual partitioning
3. Pre-mounted configuration

Options:

  • Default layout: Automatic partitioning (recommended for beginners)
  • Manual partitioning: Full control (advanced)
  • Pre-mounted: Use existing partitions

Step 5: Filesystem

Choose filesystem:

Select filesystem:
1. ext4 (recommended)
2. btrfs (with snapshots)
3. xfs
4. f2fs

Recommendations:

  • ext4: Most compatible, stable (recommended for beginners)
  • btrfs: Advanced features, snapshots (for experienced users)

Step 6: Encryption

Choose encryption:

Encrypt disk? (y/n)

Options:

  • Yes: Full disk encryption (more secure, requires password on boot)
  • No: No encryption (faster, less secure)

For beginners: Start with "No" unless you need encryption

Step 7: Bootloader

Choose bootloader:

Select bootloader:
1. GRUB (recommended)
2. systemd-boot
3. rEFInd

Recommendation: Choose GRUB (option 1) - most compatible

Step 8: Hostname

Set hostname:

Enter hostname: myarch

What is hostname?

  • Name for your computer
  • Can be anything (e.g., "myarch", "archlinux", "mypc")
  • Use lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens

Step 9: Root Password

Set root password:

Enter root password: [hidden]
Confirm root password: [hidden]

Important:

  • Choose a strong password
  • Remember it - you'll need it for system administration
  • Write it down securely if needed

Step 10: User Account

Create user:

Create user? (y/n): y
Enter username: myuser
Enter password: [hidden]

What this does:

  • Creates a regular user account
  • Recommended for daily use
  • Don't use root for daily tasks

Step 11: Profile Selection

Choose profile:

Select profile:
1. Desktop (GNOME)
2. Desktop (KDE)
3. Desktop (XFCE)
4. Minimal
5. Server
... (more options)

Recommendations:

  • Desktop (GNOME): Modern, user-friendly
  • Desktop (KDE): Feature-rich, customizable
  • Desktop (XFCE): Lightweight, traditional
  • Minimal: No desktop, command-line only
  • Server: Server configuration

Step 12: Audio

Choose audio:

Select audio:
1. PipeWire (recommended)
2. PulseAudio
3. None

Recommendation: Choose PipeWire (option 1) - modern, better performance

Step 13: Graphics Drivers

Choose graphics:

Select graphics:
1. Auto-detect (recommended)
2. NVIDIA
3. AMD
4. Intel
5. VirtualBox

Recommendation: Choose Auto-detect (option 1) - installer detects your GPU

Step 14: Additional Packages

Add packages:

Additional packages (space-separated): firefox vim git

Optional: Add packages you want installed immediately

Common packages:

  • firefox - Web browser
  • vim - Text editor
  • git - Version control
  • htop - System monitor

Step 15: Network Configuration

Configure network:

Select network:
1. NetworkManager (recommended)
2. systemd-networkd
3. None

Recommendation: Choose NetworkManager (option 1) - easiest to use

Step 16: Timezone

Set timezone:

Select timezone:
1. UTC
2. America/New_York
3. Europe/London
... (more options)

Select your timezone from the list

Step 17: Review and Install

Review configuration:

Review configuration:
- Disk: /dev/sda
- Filesystem: ext4
- Bootloader: GRUB
- Hostname: myarch
- User: myuser
- Profile: Desktop (GNOME)
...

Proceed with installation? (y/n): y

Check everything carefully, then type y to proceed

Installation begins:

  • Downloads packages
  • Installs system
  • Configures everything
  • Takes 10-30 minutes (depending on internet speed)

Configuration Options

Advanced Options

During installation, you can:

  • Configure swap size
  • Set locale
  • Choose mirror region
  • Enable services
  • Configure firewall

Post-Installation Configuration

After installation:

# Login as your user
# Desktop environment will start automatically

# Update system
sudo pacman -Syu

# Install additional software
sudo pacman -S package-name

Post-Installation

First Boot

After installation:

  1. Remove USB drive
  2. Reboot system
  3. Login with your user account
  4. Desktop environment starts

Essential Steps

Complete setup:

# Update system
sudo pacman -Syu

# Install additional software
sudo pacman -S firefox vim git

# Configure system
# See Post-Installation Guide

Troubleshooting

Installation Fails

If installation fails:

# Check internet connection
ping -c 3 8.8.8.8

# Check disk space
df -h

# Restart archinstall
archinstall

Boot Issues

If system won't boot:

# Boot from USB again
# Chroot into system
# Check bootloader configuration

Network Issues

If network doesn't work:

# Enable NetworkManager
sudo systemctl enable --now NetworkManager

# Connect to network
nmtui

Summary

This guide covered using Archinstall to install Arch Linux, including all steps from booting to first login.

Key Takeaways:

  • Archinstall makes installation easier for beginners
  • Follow prompts carefully
  • Choose appropriate options for your needs
  • Update system after installation
  • Complete post-installation setup

Next Steps

This guide is based on the ArchWiki. For the most up-to-date information, always refer to the official ArchWiki. Updated for Archinstall 3.0.12 (November 2025).

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