[arch-general] How do I should install and configure arch linux

[Tom Gundersen]

On Jul 25, 2012 9:22 PM, <brainworker at lavabit.com> wrote:
>
> Hello, folks
>
> Due to recent changes in arch linux, I have some qustion about new process
> of installation and configuration of arch linux.
>
> I am really not computer geek, so I apologize if I express anything
> incorrectly.
>
> First. About absence of core images. When I just read about it, I thought
> why they did it. But then I realize that arch is rolling release system
> after all. This fact means periodical and quite frequent updates, which
> are impossible without Internet connection. So if you would like to
> install Linux on computer without Internet, choose OS with fixed release
> cycle - all the system packages (as well as applications) will be on that
> distribution. So I am glad that now there is one universal iso-image
> instead of six.
>
> Second. About absence of AIF. I really sorry about it. As I said I am not
> so geeky to install everything with closed eyes. AIF helped me a lot. It
> gives me tips what to do next and how to do it. Now, when burned CD
> finished loading, I just see prompt to enter commands and nothing else.
> But I just do not know what to do next. So if I do not have installation
> guide previously printed on paper, I just become consused what to do next.
> So, I really hope that to the moment when next iso snapshot will be
> released, AIF will be fixed and included in that release.
>
> But for the present I would like at least to have installation guide
> included in installation iso (with a note where this guide resides) in
> order to switch to it during installation.
>
> Third. About systemd. As I understand from installation guide on Wiki all
> the configuration now is made not in rc.conf but in several config files.
> I do not know yet whether it is good or bad. But in Wiki I can read the
> following:
>
> 1) instead of NETWORKING section I should specify hostname in
> /etc/hostname and /etc/hosts. Why should I duplicate information? The
> danger of need to duplicate information is that it have to be
> synchronized.

/etc/hosts was always needed. However, you can avoid configuring it if you
use nss-myhostname (in extra).

> 2) instead of LOCALIZATION section I should specify locale in
> /etc/locale.conf and /etc/locale.gen. Again why should I duplicate
> information?

locale.gen was always needed. It decides which locales should be available
on your system. You can enable lots of locales if you wish. Which one to
use is configured in locale.conf.

> 3) instead of LOCALIZATION section I should specify timezone in
> /etc/timezone and /etc/localtime. And again the same question. Why?

/etc/timezone is not used by initscripts, don't know what the benefit of
that one is. What matters is /etc/localtime.

> Besides, where should I specify my network connection settings? In what
> systemd-specific file? As I understand in ... rc.conf. And what about
> daemons? Where to specify them? Again in rc.conf?

Both in rc.conf.

See the various man pages for more details. It should be much clearer in
the rc.conf man page in testing. If it is still unclear, let me know.

> And now the main question. If new plan of reorganization of configuration
> files can not manage without rc.conf, why there is so need to split it?

rc.conf should now only contain what is necessary to configure the
initscripts. See arch-dev-public for details.

Tom