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

[Leonid Isaev]

Welcome ;)

On Wed, 25 Jul 2012 15:22:43 -0400 (EDT)
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.

Currently, with core/initscripts (not systemd) you need only /etc/hosts.

> 
> 2) instead of LOCALIZATION section I should specify locale in
> /etc/locale.conf and /etc/locale.gen. Again why should I duplicate
> information?
> 
> 3) instead of LOCALIZATION section I should specify timezone in
> /etc/timezone and /etc/localtime. And again the same question. Why?
> 
> 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?

It depends on your network setup (wifi, static IP, etc.) and desktop
environment. In my experience netcfg+wpa_actiond is the most robust option.
But beware that you'll need admin priviledges to manage networks at runtime.
If that's OK, create a profile in /etc/network.d (there are example templates)
and add net-auto-wire{d,less} into DAEMONS in rc.conf. Otherwise, you may want
networkmanager or wicd to better integrate into GNOME/KDE, for example.

Also, if I were you, I would start with the usual sysvinit/initscripts, and
upgrade to systemd when things are working properly.

> 
> 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?
> 
> I hope you can make it clear, guys.
> 
> 

-- 
Leonid Isaev
GnuPG key: 0x164B5A6D
Fingerprint: C0DF 20D0 C075 C3F1 E1BE  775A A7AE F6CB 164B 5A6D
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