Instructions for installing parabola linux on an UEFI system with full system encryption using dm-crypt and luks

parabola-linux-install

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

# Download the parabola iso image from https://www.parabola.nu/
# Copy to a usb-drive
dd if=parabolalinux.img of=/dev/sdX bs=16M && sync

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

# Set American English keymap
loadkeys us

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

# Add a nameserver to /etv/resolv.conf
nano /etc/resolv.conf
# Do parabola-related stuff:
pacman -Sy parabola-keyring

# Create partitions
fdisk -l
parted /dev/sdX

# Interactive parted
mklabel gpt
mkpart ESP fat32 1MiB 513MiB
set 1 boot on
mkpart primary ext2 513MiB 1GiB
mkpart primary ext4 1GiB 100%
quit

# Create filesystems
mkfs.vfat -F32 /dev/sdX1
mkfs.ext2 /dev/sdX2

# Setup the encryption of the system
cryptsetup -c aes-xts-plain64 -y --use-random luksFormat /dev/sdX3
cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sdX3 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 8G 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/sdX2 /mnt/boot
mkdir /mnt/boot/efi
mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt/boot/efi

# Before installing, you may want to edit /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist such that your preferred mirror is first.
#This copy of the mirrorlist will be installed on your new system by pacstrap as well, so it's worth getting it right.
nano /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

# 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
pacstrap /mnt base base-devel linux-libre-headers grub-efi-x86_64 git efibootmgr dialog wpa_supplicant

# May have to do one of these if pacstrap throws gpg errors
pacman-key --refresh-keys

# '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
rm /etc/localtime
ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/America/Chicago /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc --utc

# Set the hostname
echo parabola-lothar > /etc/hostname

# Update locale
echo LANG=en_US.UTF-8 >> /etc/locale.conf
echo LANGUAGE=en_US >> /etc/locale.conf
echo LC_ALL=C >> /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 cypher
passwd cypher

# Uncomment 'wheel' group line in sudoers
visudo

# Configure mkinitcpio with modules needed for the initrd image
nano /etc/mkinitcpio.conf
# Add 'ext4' to MODULES
# Add 'encrypt' and 'lvm2' to HOOKS before filesystems

# Regenerate initrd image
mkinitcpio -p linux-libre

# Setup grub
grub-install
# In /etc/default/grub edit the line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX to
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="cryptdevice=/dev/sdX3:luks:allow-discards"
# then run:
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

# Exit new system and go into the cd shell
exit

# Do this ONLY when installing to a VirtualBox.
cd /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/
mv parabola BOOT
mv BOOT/grubx64.efi BOOT/bootx64.efi

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

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

# Do this ONLY when installing to a VirtualBox.
# Install VirtualBox GUest Additions: Insert virtual CD!
sudo mkdir -p /media/cdrom
sudo mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrom
cd /media/cdrom
sudo ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run

# Enable DHCP service
sudo systemctl start dhcpcd.service
sudo systemctl enable dhcpcd.service

# Happy Customizing!


# May have to do one of these if you run into gpg errors
pacman-key --refresh-keys
# If errors persist check out this link for help:
# https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pacman/Package_signing#Cannot_import_keys

# Packages I typically install:
xorg
xfce4
gvfs

# If using the above GUI packages, do the following:
cp /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc ~/.xinitrc
nano ~/.xinitrc
# Remove 'exec' calls from the end
# Add 'exec startxfce4' command to the end

# More packages:
stow
openssh
python-virtualenvwrapper

eric
mousepad
icecat