Installing Arch Linux in Windows 10 host within VirtualBox

Installing Arch Linux.md

Arch Linux Installation

Add the ISO file, uncheck Floppy and check EFIunder Systems in VirtualBox. VirtualBox (version used : 6.1.20)

Note : Add sudo wherever necessary (after installing this (given in the below steps))

Check the dependencies listed for all the pacman -Syu <pkg_name> command run

• Increase the font size first

  ls /usr/share/kbd/consolefonts/
  setfont ter-232b.psf.gz
  # or  for 24 size font if it looks big
  setfont ter-224b.psf.gz

• Check the internet connection

  ping <url>

• Console keymap

  ls /usr/share/kbd/keymaps/i386/qwerty/
  loadkeys <choose_a_key>

• Check if the system is booted into UEFI mode

  ls /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/ # Must be non-empty

• Set time and date and check status

  timedatectl set-ntp true
  timedatectl status

• Set up disks

  cfdisk

  1. Then choose GPT
  2. Then create a partition of 1G for EFI
  3. The go down to the remaining partition and just leave it as it is
  4. Then go back to the previous partition and then change the type to EFI file system
  5. Check the allocations and remember the Device and the file system
  6. Click on Write and come out

• Format the disks

  mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda2
  mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/sda1

• Mount the disks

  mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
  mkdir /mnt/efi
  mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/efi

• Get base package and kernel

  pacstrap /mnt base linux linux-firmware

• Generate UUID for disk

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

• Change the root directory

  arch-chroot /mnt
  ls

• Set up time zone

  ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/<choose> /etc/localtime

• Sync the hardware clock

  hwclock --systohc
  pacman -Syu vim
  vim /etc/locale.gen
  # Choose the Time Zone (uncomment)

• Set the layout of keyboard if necessary

  vim /etc/vconsole.conf
  # Then type
  KEYMAP=layout # If the keyboard layout is different

• Set up the hostname and hosts

  vim /etc/hostname
  # Type the name
  # Save and exit
  vim /etc/hosts
  # Add the following lines
  127.0.0.1    localhost
  ::1          localhost
  127.0.1.1    <hostname>.localdomain    <username>

• Set up root password

  passwd
  # Type the password

• Add user to groups

  useradd -G wheel,aduio,video -m <username>

• Install netctl package for connecting to a network

  pacman -Syu netctl
  # Optional Dependencies will be listed
  # Download the necessary (safe to download all)
  pacman -Syu dhcpcd dialog wpa_supplicant ifplugd ppp openvswitch wireguard-tools

• Install sudo package

  pacman -Syu sudo
  EDITOR=vim visudo
  # Uncomment %wheel% permission to allow user to run as sudo

• Install GRUB and EFI Boot Manager package

  pacman -Syu grub efibootmgr

• Set up bootloader

  grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/efi/ --bootloader-id=<any_name>
  # Generate a grub config file
  grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

• Boot into Arch Linux

  exit
  shutdown now

  1. Remove the .iso file from VirtualBox

• Set up network configuration

  # Logged in as root (I forgot my password)
  # So type sudo in front if any permission is denied
  cd /etc/netctl/
  cp /examples/* .
  vim ethernet-dhcp
  # Uncomment DHCPClient=dhcpcd
  ip a
  # Remember the name of the adapter eg. enp0s3
  vim ethernet-dhcp
  # Change Interface=eth0 to Interface=<adapter_name> which is enp0s3
  # Enable a service
  sudo systemctl enable dhcpcd
  sudo systemctl start dhcpcd
  # Check with ping

• Setting up a desktop environment (see the last step if you want Xfce4 and resume from after this step)

  pacman -Syu xorg xorg-server
  pacman -Syu gnome gnome-extra gnome-shell
  pacman -Syu install gdm  # To get the latest version
  systemctl enable gdm
  # Reboot
  shutdown now
  # Start the virtual machine

• Adding language and format

  1. Go to settings and select the language and format
  2. Restart the session

• Guest additions and Xfce4 (because I didn't like Gnome 40 though I installed it first and checked it)

  pacman -Syu linux-headers virtualbox-guest-dkms virtualbox-guest-utils
  sudo systemctl enable vboxservice.service
  pacman -Syu ttf-fira-code xfce4 xfce4-goodies
  startxfce4 

• Credits
  SavvyNik - How to Install Arch Linux on VirtualBox on Windows 10
  Michael Ghens - Setting up Arch linux in VirtualBox
  Gnome - ArchWiki