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Farhad Rahimi Klie
Farhad Rahimi Klie

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How I Installed Arch Linux Completely — Step by Step (Beginner to Working System)

#archlinux #linux #distributedsystems #programming

Installing Arch Linux is not hard — but it is precise.
Arch does not hold your hand, and that’s exactly why it teaches you how Linux really works.

In this article, I will walk you through exactly how I installed Arch Linux, from a blank disk to a fully working system — step by step, without skipping anything.

This guide assumes:

  • You are not afraid of the terminal
  • You want to learn, not just click “Next”
  • You want a clean, minimal, and controllable Linux system

Why Arch Linux?

Before starting, here’s why I chose Arch:

  • Rolling release (always latest software)
  • No unnecessary packages
  • Full control over everything
  • Best documentation (Arch Wiki is legendary)
  • Teaches real Linux internals

Arch is not about difficulty — it’s about clarity and control.

Step 0: What You Need Before Installing

Hardware Requirements

  • 64-bit CPU
  • At least 2 GB RAM (4 GB recommended)
  • At least 20 GB disk space
  • Internet connection (Ethernet recommended)

What I Used

  • USB flash drive (≥ 2 GB)
  • Another Linux / Windows system to create the USB
  • BIOS or UEFI firmware (both supported)

Step 1: Download Arch Linux ISO

Go to the official Arch Linux website and download the latest ISO.

Then create a bootable USB using:

  • Linux: dd
  • Windows: Rufus or Balena Etcher

Example (Linux):

sudo dd if=archlinux.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress oflag=sync
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⚠️ Replace /dev/sdX carefully — this WILL erase the disk.

Step 2: Boot into Arch ISO

  1. Insert the USB
  2. Boot your system
  3. Select Boot Arch Linux

You’ll land in a root shell, no GUI, no installer — just Linux.

Step 3: Verify Boot Mode (UEFI or BIOS) 

ls /sys/firmware/efi
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  • If directory exists → UEFI
  • If not → Legacy BIOS

This affects partitioning later.

Step 4: Set Keyboard Layout (Optional) 

loadkeys us
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(Replace us if needed)

Step 5: Check Internet Connection

Ethernet

Usually works automatically.

Wi-Fi 

iwctl
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Inside prompt:

device list
station wlan0 scan
station wlan0 get-networks
station wlan0 connect YOUR_WIFI_NAME
exit
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Test:

ping google.com
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Step 6: Update System Clock 

timedatectl set-ntp true
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Step 7: Disk Partitioning

First, identify disk:

lsblk
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Example disk:

/dev/sda
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Partition Scheme (UEFI Example)

Partition Size Type
EFI 512M FAT32
Swap 4G Linux swap
Root Rest Linux filesystem

Create Partitions 

cfdisk /dev/sda
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Create:

  • EFI System
  • Linux swap
  • Linux filesystem

Step 8: Format Partitions

EFI 

mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/sda1
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Swap 

mkswap /dev/sda2
swapon /dev/sda2
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Root 

mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda3
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Step 9: Mount Filesystems 

mount /dev/sda3 /mnt
mkdir /mnt/boot
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot
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Step 10: Install Base System 

pacstrap /mnt base linux linux-firmware vim networkmanager
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This installs:

  • Kernel
  • Package manager
  • Essential tools

Step 11: Generate fstab 

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

cat /mnt/etc/fstab
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Step 12: Chroot into System 

arch-chroot /mnt
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Now you are inside your new Arch system.

Step 13: Timezone and Locale

Timezone 

ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Asia/Kabul /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc
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Locale

Edit:

vim /etc/locale.gen
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Uncomment:

en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8
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Generate:

locale-gen
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Set language:

echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf
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Step 14: Hostname and Hosts 

echo "archlinux" > /etc/hostname
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Edit /etc/hosts:

127.0.0.1   localhost
::1         localhost
127.0.1.1   archlinux.localdomain archlinux
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Step 15: Root Password 

passwd
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Step 16: Install Bootloader (GRUB – UEFI) 

pacman -S grub efibootmgr
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=ARCH
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
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Step 17: Enable Network 

systemctl enable NetworkManager
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Step 18: Create User (Recommended) 

useradd -m -G wheel -s /bin/bash myuser
passwd myuser
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Enable sudo:

EDITOR=vim visudo
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Uncomment:

%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL
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Step 19: Exit and Reboot 

exit
umount -R /mnt
reboot
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Remove USB.

Step 20: First Boot 🎉

Log in, connect internet, and start customizing:

sudo pacman -S xorg plasma sddm firefox
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Or install any desktop you like.

Final Thoughts

Installing Arch Linux taught me more than any distro ever did:

  • Filesystems
  • Boot process
  • Package management
  • System initialization

Arch doesn’t make things harder — it makes them visible.

“If you understand your system, you control it.”

Useful Advice

  • Read the Arch Wiki — always
  • Don’t rush
  • Break things and fix them
  • Arch is not a destination — it’s a learning process

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