This guide walks you through a complete Arch Linux installation with KDE Plasma desktop environment. It covers everything from partitioning to configuring a fully functional desktop system.
Pre-installation Steps#
1. Verify Internet Connection#
First, check if your device is connected to the internet. If you’re using Wi-Fi, you’ll need to connect using the wifi-menu utility:
# Test internet connection
ping -c 3 google.com
# Connect to Wi-Fi if needed
wifi-menu
# Verify connection after connecting
ping -c 3 google.com
2. Disk Partitioning#
You can either pre-partition your disk with GParted or use cfdisk from the Arch boot media. Here’s a recommended partition scheme:
/dev/sda1- EFI Boot Partition (512MB)/dev/sda2- BIOS Boot Partition (1MB)/dev/sda3- Linux Swap Partition (size depends on your RAM)- Additional partitions for your root filesystem and other needs
In this example, I’m using /dev/sda12 for the Arch Linux root partition.
# Launch disk partitioning tool
cfdisk
# Mount partitions
mount /dev/sda12 /mnt
mkdir -p /mnt/boot
mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/boot
mkdir -p /mnt/boot/efi
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi
# Set up swap
mkswap /dev/sda3
swapon /dev/sda3
3. Optimize Package Repositories#
Synchronize package repositories and configure mirror servers to speed up the installation:
# Update package databases
pacman -Syy
# Install reflector for mirror management
pacman -S reflector
# Find and save the 5 fastest mirrors
reflector --verbose -l 5 --sort rate --save /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
# Enable the multilib repository
nano /etc/pacman.conf
Add or uncomment these lines in /etc/pacman.conf:
[multilib]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
Then resynchronize:
pacman -Syy
Base System Installation#
1. Install Base System#
Install the core Arch Linux packages and generate the filesystem table:
# Install base packages
pacstrap /mnt base base-devel
# Generate fstab
genfstab -U -p /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab
2. System Configuration#
Now, enter the newly installed system with arch-chroot and configure it:
# Change root into the new system
arch-chroot /mnt
Locale and Time Settings#
# Configure locales
nano /etc/locale.gen
# Uncomment en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8 and other needed locales
# Generate locales
locale-gen
# Set default language
echo LANG=en_US.UTF-8 > /etc/locale.conf
export LANG=en_US.UTF-8
# Set timezone (replace ASIA/KOLKATA with your timezone)
ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/Asia/Kolkata /etc/localtime
# Set hardware clock
hwclock --systohc --utc
Network Configuration#
# Set hostname
echo planetMilavArch > /etc/hostname
Package Repositories#
Edit /etc/pacman.conf to enable multilib and Arch User Repository (AUR):
nano /etc/pacman.conf
Add or uncomment:
[multilib]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
Then update package databases:
pacman -Sy
User Configuration#
Set passwords and create a new user with administrative privileges:
# Set root password
passwd
# Create a new user
useradd -m -g users -G wheel,storage,power -s /bin/bash milav
# Set user password
passwd milav
# Install sudo
pacman -S sudo
# Configure sudo access
EDITOR=nano visudo
# Uncomment %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL
Bootloader Installation#
Install and configure GRUB bootloader:
# Install GRUB
pacman -S grub efibootmgr
# Install GRUB to ESP
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=GRUB --recheck
# Generate GRUB configuration
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
Network Tools#
Install necessary network tools for connectivity after reboot:
# Install network tools
pacman -S wpa_supplicant dialog networkmanager
# Enable NetworkManager service
systemctl enable NetworkManager
# Test network connection
ping -c 3 google.com
Desktop Environment Installation#
Now, let’s install the KDE Plasma desktop environment and essential applications:
# Install Xorg server and applications
pacman -S xorg-server xorg-apps mesa
# Install graphics drivers (adjust for your hardware)
pacman -S xf86-video-intel xf86-video-vesa
# Install display manager
pacman -S sddm
# Install KDE Plasma and applications
pacman -S plasma kde-applications
# Enable display manager service
systemctl enable sddm
# Reboot to apply changes
reboot
Post-Installation Configuration#
After rebooting, perform these additional steps to enhance your system:
# Install bash completion
sudo pacman -S bash-completion
# Enable touchpad support
sudo pacman -S xf86-input-synaptics
# Fix Discover package manager
sudo pacman -S packagekit-qt5
# Install Git for AUR access
sudo pacman -S git
# Install Google Chrome from AUR
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/google-chrome.git
cd google-chrome/
makepkg -s
sudo pacman -U google-chrome-*.pkg.tar.zst
# Install additional fonts
sudo pacman -S ttf-dejavu noto-fonts
Troubleshooting#
If you encounter issues, check the Arch Wiki for detailed information on specific topics.
For beginners, consider installing an AUR helper like yay for easier package management:
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/yay.git
cd yay
makepkg -si
That’s it! You now have a fully functional Arch Linux system with KDE Plasma desktop environment. Enjoy the customization and flexibility of Arch Linux!