Minimal instructions for installing arch linux on an UEFI NVMe system with full system encryption using dm-crypt and luks

arch-linux-install

# Install ARCH Linux with encrypted file-system and UEFI
# The official installation guide (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Installation_Guide) contains a more verbose description.

# Download the archiso image from https://www.archlinux.org/
# Copy to a usb-drive
dd if=archlinux.img of=/dev/sdX bs=16M && sync # on linux

# Boot from the usb. If the usb fails to boot, make sure that secure boot is disabled in the BIOS configuration.

# Set swiss-french keymap
loadkeys fr_CH-latin1

# This assumes a wifi only system...
wifi-menu

# Create partitions
cgdisk /dev/nvme0n1
1 512MB EFI partition # Hex code ef00
2 100% size partiton # (to be encrypted) Hex code 8300

# Create EFI partition
mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/nvme0n1p1

# Setup the encryption of the system with 256 bit effective size
cryptsetup -c aes-xts-plain64 --key-size 512 --hash sha512 --iter-time 3000 -y --use-random luksFormat /dev/nvme0n1p2
cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/nvme0n1p2 luks

# Create encrypted partitions
# This creates one partions for root, modify if /home or other partitions should be on separate partitions
pvcreate /dev/mapper/luks
vgcreate vg0 /dev/mapper/luks
lvcreate --size 16G vg0 --name swap
lvcreate -l +100%FREE vg0 --name root

# Create filesystems on encrypted partitions
mkfs.ext4 /dev/mapper/vg0-root
mkswap /dev/mapper/vg0-swap

# Mount the new system 
mount /dev/mapper/vg0-root /mnt # /mnt is the installed system
swapon /dev/mapper/vg0-swap # Not needed but a good thing to test
mkdir /mnt/boot
mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/boot

# Install the system also includes stuff needed for starting wifi when first booting into the newly installed system
# Unless vim and zsh are desired these can be removed from the command. Dialog is needed by wifi-menu
pacstrap /mnt base base-devel zsh vim git sudo efibootmgr dialog wpa_supplicant

# 'install' fstab
genfstab -pU /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab
# Make /tmp a ramdisk (add the following line to /mnt/etc/fstab)
tmpfs	/tmp	tmpfs	defaults,noatime,mode=1777	0	0
# Change relatime on all non-boot partitions to noatime (reduces wear if using an SSD)

# Enter the new system
arch-chroot /mnt /bin/bash

# Setup system clock
ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Zurich /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc --utc

# Set the hostname
echo MYHOSTNAME > /etc/hostname

# Generate locale
#Uncomment wanted locales in /etc/locale.gen
vim /etc/locale.gen
locale-gen
localectl set-locale LANG=en_US.UTF-8

#To avoid problems with gnome-terminal set locale system wide
#Do NOT set LC_ALL=C. It overrides all the locale vars and messes up special characters
#Pay attention to the UTF-8. Capital letters !
echo LANG=en_US.UTF-8 >> /etc/locale.conf
echo LC_ALL= >> /etc/locale.conf


# Set password for root
passwd

# Add real user remove -s flag if you don't whish to use zsh
# useradd -m -g users -G wheel,storage,power -s /bin/zsh MYUSERNAME
# passwd MYUSERNAME

# Configure mkinitcpio with modules needed for the initrd image
vim /etc/mkinitcpio.conf
# Add 'ext4' to MODULES
# Add 'encrypt' and 'lvm2' to HOOKS before filesystems
# Add 'resume' after 'lvm2' (also has to be after 'udev')

# Regenerate initrd image
mkinitcpio -p linux

# Setup systembootd (grub will not work on nvme at this moment)
bootctl --path=/boot install

# Create loader.conf
echo 'default arch' >> /boot/loader/loader.conf
echo 'timeout 5' >> /boot/loader/loader.conf

# Create arch.conf (or XYZ.conf for default XYZ in loader.conf)
vim /boot/loader/entries/arch.conf

# Add the following content to arch.conf
# <UUID> is the the one of the raw encrypted device (/dev/nvme0n1p2). It can be found with the 'blkid' command
title Arch Linux
linux /vmlinuz-linux
initrd /initramfs-linux.img
options cryptdevice=UUID=<UUID>:vg0 root=/dev/mapper/vg0-root resume=/dev/mapper/vg0-swap rw intel_pstate=no_hwp

# Exit new system and go into the cd shell
exit

# Unmount all partitions
umount -R /mnt
swapoff -a

# Reboot into the new system, don't forget to remove the cd/usb
reboot