"from scratch"
It's like a page worth of instructions you can follow verbatim excluding bootloader and network. If you watch one video of someone doing it to fill those gaps there is nothing to it.
Source: I watched Kai Hendry speed install arch, bookmarked the video and all my machines are now arch "from scratch" in 10 minutes or less of actual keyboard time.
I think calling it "a page worth" is understating it somewhat, especially if you want a full install to actually use stuff. In reality, when installing at first, you'll be finding stuff you missed for a while, like hardware video decoding.
Also, are you referring to just the direct instructions for one choice? Because to me, the point of installing manually is educating yourself on the choices, choosing one that suits you, and understanding what you're doing to set it up. Of course, when you're doing subsequent installs, you already know that stuff - but at that point you might just want to write an install script instead of running them manually.
I think it depends what you want out of it.
The arch install from the ISO is a layered process. You can always add more, but a bootable install is not much over a page away. I do like to pick what's best for me, but that's not a prerequisite for first install. Do it, take notes, refine, and repeat.
I don't have an installer or anything, but I have pretty comprehensive notes of what I like (bootctl vs grub, network-manager vs systemd-networkd and friends, and so on). But to have a system that boots and optionally has a desktop environment of your choosing is not exactly a Rubik's cube of difficulty.
I don't remember the channel anymore, but there's one guy constantly updating various setups. Like Arch with encryption, Arch with BTRFS, etc. I started with one of those videos and wrote my own step by step guide. Now I'm just following my own guide whenever I install Arch.
I wouldn't dare do that. If my own guide becomes outdated I'd have wasted time and effort. But to each their own. 👍
Trve Arch users don't remember their install process.
Can confirm. Install once and it lives forever until the hardware dies or is replaced.
I only remember how long it takes
I even ported an install once from one device to another just by copying the data and installing the bootloader.
No big difference between those two methods of install. You get the real medal when a random upgrade breaks some software and you are able to track down the issue and corresponding solution(s).
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python version bump always broke a handful of aur packages for at least a couple days for me. In general tho, all my problems were related to aur packages not getting updated at the same rate as official repos.
switched to nixos and avoided that entire class of problems
Yo Arch users. Try daily driving Linux From Scratch. I dare ya. Let's see what you're really made of.
Been there. Done that.
Endeavour Os was the best thing I ever used. Easy to install, out of box is minimal but sufficient. I traded my Linux Mint to be able to customize my workflow, look and feel.
I used it for a while too before I learned about archinstall. eOS has a great community though. I use their forum to look for answers often
Is that Bobby Hill?!
Yes
I never had success with archinstall, just the regular installation.
It's kinda weird, actually.
I use EndeavourOS and it works without issues.
Jeee EOS gang!
I was going through some stuff and installing Arch from scratch was the only way I could feel anything at all.
Every now and then I see that laptop and think "I should keep going and install those power management scripts ". Then I think "nah".
I don't use Arch but if I did id probably go with archinstall. I don't see the point in going from scratch unless you absolutely need to. I could care less about bragging rights for installing an operating system lol.
I just don't bother going for archinstall when regular installation "from scratch" takes 5 minutes (or 15, if you do it the first time). It is not scary and extremely simple, contrary to memes. Besides, it makes you understand the processes involved.
Archinstall is just a little, nice helper to shorten and simplify installation even more.
You mean "couldn't care less". The way you've written it means that you do care a bit since you "could care less".
It’s not about bragging rights, all you do is follow instructions. I just do it that way because I can set everything up exactly how I like it
idk why, but everytime I try archinstall it breaks in one way or another. I'm sure it works perfectly well for everyone else, I'm just cursed
note: not seeking advice, I prefer my manually installed FDE + secureboot EFISTUB setup anyways
My current issue is that I can't remote into the machine at all beyond ssh. Any attempt at a session just refuses to work no matter what guide, fix, video, forum post, etc I follow.
I've found that's usually true with many tech things. Everyone has a great time and I'm just cursed.
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built as in "made the os"? If so, then yes they probably cried a lot those damn wizards
The new / rewritten arch install is fantastic. The btrfs layout, with encryption, really nice experience and end result.
I still install manually just out of habit
archinstall is actually good now though I've used it
I just installed Fedora (I've been a Linux used for 7 years)
Very solid. Loved using it. Tbh, I have very little bad things to say about most of the distros I like all of them so far.
NixOS is the new Arch.. (cat, meet pigeons) Unfortunately It doesn't have as much basic training as Arch did (which archinstall obviates, not that I think this is a bad thing, it's time is here), which did so much to improve community. Unfortunately NixOS's doco is woeful, while ArchWiki is gold standard.
I say this as an ex Arch type who moved to Fedora, now ublue-kinoite, waiting for Nix to mature enough to daily (although I do have a T440p with 3 boot drives not doing much, hmm)...
NixOS is the new Arch..
Yeah nah, arch has an actual use case for normal users - it's just the same old Linux with the most recent packages.
Nix and guix simply don't work as distros for regular people. They're made for scientific and corporate applications. They add a huge amount of complexity in order to solve problems you don't have.
Nixos is like rust: hyped into the stratosphere by people who don't use it
I say this as an ex Arch type who moved to Fedora, now ublue-kinoite, waiting for Nix to mature enough to daily
I'm running guix in fedora as a PM. You get most of the benefits, and can still use other PM's like npm without crying for a week first. Although imo guix works better in that scenario since you can just "guix install X" and then use X like any other binary.
You are becoming one punch man??
Welcome friend. Welcome to hell.
do mental outlaw's method
Ngl that's where I've learned about archinstall
I tried so many distros in the last decade, but I recently had to start with a fresh setup again and I went with Linux Mint. I think it's the most underestimated workhorse you can get. Everything just works, tons of help online if you need it and instead of tweaking it forever you just get work done.
I don't think anyone underestimates Linux Mint. It's pretty widely considered one of the best distros out there.
Those of us who choose Arch do so for the software selection, and because we like tweaking the os :)
I totally get that and I used to do the same. Maybe this community is different but on some online communities people kind of looked down on mint and pretended it was only a beginner distro.
Linux mint is so good. I used it for a long while. It is a nearly perfect OS
The first time I installed Arch there was the old archinstall that was subsequently retired. Is the new script working?
me who uses Void Linux 😌 and don't care about SystemD
I love arch but I actually haven't used it since before they added the arch install. I can't imagine how much easier it is cause it's still the terminal. The "manual" install was easy as hell
